UPDATE:&nbsp;By mid morning, a strong cold front will have moved through the entire area, resulting in much cooler temperatures today.&nbsp; According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Wichita, the warmest afternoon temperatures will be in the upper 40s over most of the area, which is about 20 degrees cooler than the normal for the date.

After a more temperate Saturday, Sunday will be a stark contrast.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS)&nbsp; in Wichita, Sunday highs are forecast to be around 50 degrees thanks to the arrival of cold air behind the front. A breeze is still expected with speeds at 15 to 20 mph, NWS noted.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603026991050.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>UPDATE:&nbsp;By mid morning, a strong cold front will have moved through the entire area, resulting in much cooler temperatures today.&nbsp; According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Wichita, the warmest afternoon temperatures will be in the upper 40s over most of the area, which is about 20 degrees cooler than the normal for the date.After a more temperate Saturday, Sunday will be a stark contrast.According to the National Weather Service (NWS)&nbsp; in Wichita, Sunday highs are forecast to be around 50 degrees thanks to the arrival of cold air behind the front. A breeze is still expected with speeds at 15 to 20 mph, NWS noted.

UPDATE: Break out the sweaters and sweatshirts; Sunday to be cooler

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;

Recent obituaries

Advanced voting for the Nov. 3 general election begins Monday at the Saline County Clerk's office, room 215 of the City-County Building, 300 West Ash Street, for registered Saline County voters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602982371116.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Advanced voting for the Nov. 3 general election begins Monday at the Saline County Clerk's office, room 215 of the City-County Building, 300 West Ash Street, for registered Saline County voters.

Advanced voting begins Monday at Saline County Clerk's office

Throughout my career, I’ve talked to countless people who sleepwalk through life and have no plan for their financial future. They live in a fantasy land of wishful thinking, assuming the government will take care of them or their kids will step up to the plate.&nbsp;

National Save for Retirement Week is Oct. 18–24. I love taking this opportunity to remind people of one simple truth: Your dreams are your responsibility. If you don’t save and invest now, you won’t have anything to enjoy later.

But what does this look like on a practical level? How in the world do you build wealth when you feel like you’re struggling to keep your head above water? The answer is simple: Focus on what you can control and let go of the rest.

Of course, there are many things you can’t control, like the pandemic or the rise and fall of the stock market. But you have more power than you think. Here are some things you&nbsp;can&nbsp;control, starting now:&nbsp;

You can control your spending&nbsp;- Your income is your greatest wealth-building tool. But if you’ve chosen to take on debt, you’re making lenders rich—not yourself! I want you to get out of debt so you can stop&nbsp;paying&nbsp;interest and start&nbsp;earning&nbsp;interest.

You can control your goal setting -&nbsp;As you save for retirement, you need to aim for a specific number. Check out my free retirement calculator to know exactly&nbsp;how much you need to save&nbsp;for retirement!

You can control when you start investing&nbsp;- As soon as you’re out of consumer debt (except for the mortgage), you should invest 15% of your gross income for retirement. The earlier, the better. You want the power of compound interest on your side!

You can control your portfolio&nbsp;- You get to decide the type of account and the types of funds you invest in. Now, you can’t control how those funds perform, but you can choose funds that have a solid track record of beating the market. Start investing with a tax-favored account, like a 401(k) or a Roth IRA, and choose a diverse mix of growth stock mutual funds within that account.

You can control how much you invest&nbsp;- One of the myths people believe about investing is that they need a lot of money to get started. Nope! Let’s say you just invested $200 a month from age 30 to age 70. At a 11% annual growth rate, that would add up to over $1.7 million dollars!

I hope you’re feeling the weight—and excitement—of preparing for your future. It’s my life’s purpose to educate, encourage and empower you in making your retirement dreams a reality. So, hear me when I say: You can do this!

Chris Hogan&nbsp;is a two-time #1 national best-selling author, financial expert and host of&nbsp;The Chris Hogan Show. He is a frequent guest on Fox News, Fox Business, Yahoo! Finance, and the&nbsp;Rachael Ray Show.&nbsp;Since 2005, Hogan has served at Ramsey Solutions, where he gives practical money advice on retirement, investing and building wealth. Follow Chris on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/chrishogan360" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,<a href="https://www.instagram.com/chrishogan360/" target="_blank">&nbsp;Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/chrishogan360" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/ChrisHogan360" target="_blank">YouTube</a>&nbsp;or online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chrishogan360.com/" target="_blank">chrishogan360.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1598993777573.jpeg" alt="Chris Hogan" />
 <figcaption>Chris Hogan</figcaption>
 </figure>By CHRIS HOGANThroughout my career, I’ve talked to countless people who sleepwalk through life and have no plan for their financial future. They live in a fantasy land of wishful thinking, assuming the government will take care of them or their kids will step up to the plate.&nbsp;National Save for Retirement Week is Oct. 18–24. I love taking this opportunity to remind people of one simple truth: Your dreams are your responsibility. If you don’t save and invest now, you won’t have anything to enjoy later.But what does this look like on a practical level? How in the world do you build wealth when you feel like you’re struggling to keep your head above water? The answer is simple: Focus on what you can control and let go of the rest.Of course, there are many things you can’t control, like the pandemic or the rise and fall of the stock market. But you have more power than you think. Here are some things you&nbsp;can&nbsp;control, starting now:&nbsp;You can control your spending&nbsp;- Your income is your greatest wealth-building tool. But if you’ve chosen to take on debt, you’re making lenders rich—not yourself! I want you to get out of debt so you can stop&nbsp;paying&nbsp;interest and start&nbsp;earning&nbsp;interest.You can control your goal setting -&nbsp;As you save for retirement, you need to aim for a specific number. Check out my free retirement calculator to know exactly&nbsp;how much you need to save&nbsp;for retirement!You can control when you start investing&nbsp;- As soon as you’re out of consumer debt (except for the mortgage), you should invest 15% of your gross income for retirement. The earlier, the better. You want the power of compound interest on your side!You can control your portfolio&nbsp;- You get to decide the type of account and the types of funds you invest in. Now, you can’t control how those funds perform, but you can choose funds that have a solid track record of beating the market. Start investing with a tax-favored account, like a 401(k) or a Roth IRA, and choose a diverse mix of growth stock mutual funds within that account.You can control how much you invest&nbsp;- One of the myths people believe about investing is that they need a lot of money to get started. Nope! Let’s say you just invested $200 a month from age 30 to age 70. At a 11% annual growth rate, that would add up to over $1.7 million dollars!I hope you’re feeling the weight—and excitement—of preparing for your future. It’s my life’s purpose to educate, encourage and empower you in making your retirement dreams a reality. So, hear me when I say: You can do this!Chris Hogan&nbsp;is a two-time #1 national best-selling author, financial expert and host of&nbsp;The Chris Hogan Show. He is a frequent guest on Fox News, Fox Business, Yahoo! Finance, and the&nbsp;Rachael Ray Show.&nbsp;Since 2005, Hogan has served at Ramsey Solutions, where he gives practical money advice on retirement, investing and building wealth. Follow Chris on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/chrishogan360" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,<a href="https://www.instagram.com/chrishogan360/" target="_blank">&nbsp;Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/chrishogan360" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/ChrisHogan360" target="_blank">YouTube</a>&nbsp;or online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chrishogan360.com/" target="_blank">chrishogan360.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Struggling to save for retirement? Focus on what you can control

OCCK, Inc. is seeking Direct Support Professionals. These individuals are residential in their supported Living Department in the Salina, Beloit, and Concordia locations. Full time with benefits, EOE, drug testing.

This person will be coordinating services and provide Independent living skills. Training will be provided as needed. Need to be a compassionate and a problem solver.

Must be at least 18 years old with strong oral and written communication skills, math skills and valid driver’s license and proof of insurance. Must have the ability to work with a diverse group of people in a team setting. Various shifts available.

OCCK, Inc. is a not-for-profit, mission-based organization that has been providing services to people with disabilities since 1970. With regional offices throughout North Central Kansas. Help others and getting paid to do so. Apply at&nbsp;<a href="http://jobs.occk.com/careers//Careers.aspx?req=2019-2000-017&amp;type=JOBDESCR">http://jobs.occk.com/careers//Careers.aspx?req=2019-2000-017&amp;type=JOBDESCR</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592535783410.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OCCK, Inc. is seeking Direct Support Professionals. These individuals are residential in their supported Living Department in the Salina, Beloit, and Concordia locations. Full time with benefits, EOE, drug testing.This person will be coordinating services and provide Independent living skills. Training will be provided as needed. Need to be a compassionate and a problem solver.Must be at least 18 years old with strong oral and written communication skills, math skills and valid driver’s license and proof of insurance. Must have the ability to work with a diverse group of people in a team setting. Various shifts available.OCCK, Inc. is a not-for-profit, mission-based organization that has been providing services to people with disabilities since 1970. With regional offices throughout North Central Kansas. Help others and getting paid to do so. Apply at&nbsp;<a href="http://jobs.occk.com/careers//Careers.aspx?req=2019-2000-017&amp;type=JOBDESCR">http://jobs.occk.com/careers//Careers.aspx?req=2019-2000-017&amp;type=JOBDESCR</a>.

Web-based AI program encourages users to submit photos of bees for IDs 

Check out what's new at the Salina Public Library! From the Salina Public Library Facebook page:

Check out what's new at the Salina Public Library! From the Salina Public Library Facebook page:<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsalinapubliclibrary%2Fphotos%2Fa.435863323139%2F10159009870803140%2F&show_text=true&width=552&height=658&appId" width="552" height="658" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div>

Check out what's new at the Salina Public Library

ABILENE -- The Memorial Health System (MHS) Volunteer Corps recently was awarded the Gold Award of Excellence for the 28th consecutive year.

The corps must complete 15 requirements to be eligible for the award each year. The goals attained included their involvement in health-related community service programs such as contributing to a health career scholarship, membership recruitment, recognizing hospital personnel, promoting National Volunteer Week, offering a health information program to the community such as Healthwise 55, and so much more.

Memorial Health System CEO, Harold Courtois, commented on the achievement of the Volunteer Corps, “I never ceased to be amazed by our MHS Volunteers. The have been awarded their 28th consecutive Gold Award by the Hospital Auxiliaries of Kansas. What an amazing group of people you are, and we are so grateful that you work with us! Once again, I can only say ‘thank you’ for all the work you do. You give so much back to our Health System, and we are forever grateful. Of course, the MHS volunteers have qualified for their 29th Gold Award to be presented next year. I can speak for everyone when we say thank you and we appreciate you!”

Michelle McClanahan, MHS Director of Volunteer Services, also commended the volunteers. “We have the most amazing volunteers! To meet the Gold Award requirements every year, shows the level of commitment to Memorial Health System and our community, which is truly remarkable. Each and every volunteer plays a role in the success and strength of the volunteer corps.”

There are many opportunities to volunteer for the Memorial Health System Volunteer Corps in Abilene. Those who are interested in volunteering may contact Michelle at (785) 263-6692.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602945426991.jpeg" alt="With the award certificate,&nbsp;from left: Harold Courtois, MHS CEO; Michelle McClanahan, MHS director of volunteer services; Linda Duncan, MHS Volunteer Corps president; Jeanette Butler, HAK District 3 coordinator. Photo courtesy MHS" />
 <figcaption>With the award certificate,&nbsp;from left: Harold Courtois, MHS CEO; Michelle McClanahan, MHS director of volunteer services; Linda Duncan, MHS Volunteer Corps president; Jeanette Butler, HAK District 3 coordinator. Photo courtesy MHS</figcaption>
 </figure>ABILENE -- The Memorial Health System (MHS) Volunteer Corps recently was awarded the Gold Award of Excellence for the 28th consecutive year.The corps must complete 15 requirements to be eligible for the award each year. The goals attained included their involvement in health-related community service programs such as contributing to a health career scholarship, membership recruitment, recognizing hospital personnel, promoting National Volunteer Week, offering a health information program to the community such as Healthwise 55, and so much more.Memorial Health System CEO, Harold Courtois, commented on the achievement of the Volunteer Corps, “I never ceased to be amazed by our MHS Volunteers. The have been awarded their 28th consecutive Gold Award by the Hospital Auxiliaries of Kansas. What an amazing group of people you are, and we are so grateful that you work with us! Once again, I can only say ‘thank you’ for all the work you do. You give so much back to our Health System, and we are forever grateful. Of course, the MHS volunteers have qualified for their 29th Gold Award to be presented next year. I can speak for everyone when we say thank you and we appreciate you!”Michelle McClanahan, MHS Director of Volunteer Services, also commended the volunteers. “We have the most amazing volunteers! To meet the Gold Award requirements every year, shows the level of commitment to Memorial Health System and our community, which is truly remarkable. Each and every volunteer plays a role in the success and strength of the volunteer corps.”There are many opportunities to volunteer for the Memorial Health System Volunteer Corps in Abilene. Those who are interested in volunteering may contact Michelle at (785) 263-6692.

MHS Volunteer Corps receives 28th consecutive gold award

Strong winds are forecast across the eastern half of Kansas today, bringing with them wind advisories for some counties and a greater risk grassland fire danger. 

The strongest winds are expected from mid-morning through early afternoon, with winds decreasing later in the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The highest wind speeds expected range from 40 to 50 mph over the eastern half of the state. 

The gusty winds will make driving challenging for high profile vehicles on east west roads, and will contribute to elevated fire danger. The greatest risk will be between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. 

NWS in Wichita has issued a wind advisory in effect from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday for Marion County.

Southwest winds at 25 to 35 mph with gusts around 45 mph are forecast. The strongest winds are expected during the mid to late morning hours while gradually subsiding as we move through the afternoon hours.

Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects. Avoid outdoor burning.

Additionally, NWS in Topeka has issued a wind advisory in effect from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday for Dickinson County.

Southwest winds at 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 55 mph are  expected. Strong winds paired with low relative humidity and recent dry conditions will also lead to an increase in fire danger. Outdoor burning of any kind is strongly discouraged.

Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602938204313.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Strong winds are forecast across the eastern half of Kansas today, bringing with them wind advisories for some counties and a greater risk grassland fire danger. The strongest winds are expected from mid-morning through early afternoon, with winds decreasing later in the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The highest wind speeds expected range from 40 to 50 mph over the eastern half of the state. The gusty winds will make driving challenging for high profile vehicles on east west roads, and will contribute to elevated fire danger. The greatest risk will be between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Avoid outdoor burning.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602938260006.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NWS in Wichita has issued a wind advisory in effect from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday for Marion County.Southwest winds at 25 to 35 mph with gusts around 45 mph are forecast. The strongest winds are expected during the mid to late morning hours while gradually subsiding as we move through the afternoon hours.Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects. Avoid outdoor burning.Additionally, NWS in Topeka has issued a wind advisory in effect from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday for Dickinson County.Southwest winds at 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 55 mph are expected. Strong winds paired with low relative humidity and recent dry conditions will also lead to an increase in fire danger. Outdoor burning of any kind is strongly discouraged.Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.

NWS: Gusty winds, advisories, grassland fire danger Saturday

By GENE POLICINSKI Freedom Forum

The 2020 election is no laughing matter — except that it is, in the great American tradition of humor and satire that has marked virtually every election.

This time around:&nbsp;Jim Carey’s&nbsp;nascent “Joe Biden” and&nbsp;Alec Baldwin’s&nbsp;long-running “Donald Trump;” the late-nightly salvoes of&nbsp;Stephen Colbert&nbsp;and the daily — sometimes hourly — haranguing tweets from Trump himself; conservative talk radio’s sharp-edged verbal darts and the Lincoln Project’s wickedly humorous videos.

As it has since the 1970s, NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” again steps into the role of the nation’s satirist, continuing a tradition that stretches back nearly 250 years, into the colonial era with its biting print depictions of&nbsp;King George III&nbsp;and frequent effigies burned or hung from trees in public squares.

The First Amendment’s protection of free speech shelters those who poke, prod and even anger those in power — via satire and parody — and elections bring out those efforts tenfold.

Thomas Jefferson&nbsp;and&nbsp;John Adams&nbsp;tossed insults and satirized images of each other in competing newspapers in the 1800 presidential race. Blunt, single-sheet cartoons were hung in taverns and homes depicting&nbsp;Andrew Jackson&nbsp;as a ruthless authoritarian. One, published in 1830, showed him dressed as a king, complete with crown, trampling on the U.S. Constitution.

“Political satire has been used throughout American history as a more gentle way of commentary,” says&nbsp;Alison Dagnes, a Shippensburg University political science professor and author of the book “A Conservative Walks Into a Bar: The Politics of Political Humor.”

One recurring question: Why there are more liberal political satirists than conservatives, both today and in the past? Dagnes writes that “conservatism supports institutions and satire aims to take those institutions down a peg … the very nature of satire mandates challenges to the power structure.”

Two modern-day comedians exemplify those who have swum against that liberal tide:&nbsp;Dennis Miller, who pivoted to a conservative view after the Sept. 11 attacks, who said of his political views that he found “liberalism is like a nude beach — it sounds great until you get there.” And self-described “libertarian conservative”&nbsp;P.J. O’Rourke, who said the Obama administration was simply “the Carter administration in better sweaters” and supported&nbsp;Hillary Clinton&nbsp;in 2016 over Trump, saying “She’s wrong about absolutely everything, but she’s wrong within normal parameters.”

How effective can satirists be in shaping events in the real world?&nbsp;William “Boss” Tweed, whose crime syndicate in the 1870s stole or extorted more than $2 billion dollars (today’s value) in public funds, was the target of&nbsp;Harper’s Weekly&nbsp;cartoonist&nbsp;Thomas Nast. Nast drew the corpulent Tweed as a bulgingly fat character with a money bag in place of his head and historians often credit Nast as fueling the charge to bring Tweed to justice.

Another Nast cartoon of note, as seen to the left, from the Newseum collection, “The Only Thing They Respect or Fear,” shows Tweed doffing his hat to a row of hangman nooses, as his cronies cringe in fear.

Political cartoonists are credited with helping Abraham Lincoln win reelection in 1864 and a century later,&nbsp;The Washington Post’s&nbsp;Herblock (Herbert Block)&nbsp;was viewed by critics and admirers as a major reason the Watergate scandal remained in public view even as the administration worked to downplay it.

Block relished his work, writing that it was “an irreverent form of expression, and one particularly suited to scoffing at the high and the mighty. If the prime role of a free press is to serve as critic of government, cartooning is often the cutting edge of that criticism.”

Social media often focuses on the “cut” in cutting edge: When Trump returned to the White House from treatment for COVID-19, satirists immediately posted their own version of his purposeful balcony appearance and maskless salute — from titling single images as “Benito Trumpolini” (after a similar pose by Italian dictator&nbsp;Benito Mussolini) to a Lincoln Project video, “Covita,” parodying the lyrics from Broadway showtune “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” as “Don’t Cry For Me, White House Staffers.”

Trump has done his own part on social media to carry satire forward in history, with memorable tweeted nicknames such as “Sleepy Joe” (Biden), “Crooked Hillary” (Clinton), “Little Marco” (Rubio) and “Lyin’ Ted” (Cruz).

Mark Twain, often called the father of modern American satire, wrote such classics as “Huckleberry Finn” and “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” using exaggeration and irony to make fun of closed-minded, corrupt officeholders and religious hypocrites.

A direct Twain descendant-in-humor, early radio celebrity and newspaper columnist&nbsp;Will Rogers&nbsp;used homespun language to jab politics in general. “I don’t belong to any organized political party,” he once said. “I’m a Democrat.” Another line from Rogers: “The trouble with practical jokes is that very often they get elected.”

“Saturday Night Live” (SNL) and “The Daily Show,” with comedians&nbsp;Jon Stewart&nbsp;and now&nbsp;Trevor Noah, have set the tone for modern political satire.

Each election cycle for more than 40 years, SNL has produced memorable political parody — from&nbsp;Chevy Chase’s&nbsp;devasting portrayals of&nbsp;Gerald Ford&nbsp;(actually an accomplished athlete) as a bumbler, to&nbsp;Phil Hartman’s&nbsp;cheeseburger-guzzling&nbsp;Bill Clinton, to&nbsp;Tina Fey’s&nbsp;remarkable and transformative skewering of 2008 GOP vice-presidential candidate&nbsp;Sarah Palin.

Stewart’s prominence in political satire from 1999 to 2015 produced a unique form of praise: Some credited him and his program as a new form of journalism. While his staff of writers and researchers included former journalists as fact-checkers to ensure accuracy, Stewart consistently said he put comedy first. Still, as my Freedom Forum colleague&nbsp;Patty Rhule&nbsp;said of Stewart and his program in a&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;interview about the show as centerpiece of the Newseum’s 2019 “Seriously Funny” exhibit: “For a generation, he was their voice of the news.”

Stewart was the latest iteration of post-World War II comedians willing to take on social mores, censors and sometimes the courts:&nbsp;Mort Sahl&nbsp;and&nbsp;Lenny Bruce&nbsp;both mocked powerful political figures of their era — with Bruce famously being prosecuted for using so-called “blue” language that today is a common feature across cable TV comedy specials.

For two seasons in the late 1960s, brothers&nbsp;Tommy and Dick Smothers&nbsp;used satire via a prime-time CBS variety show — prompting&nbsp;President Lyndon B. Johnson&nbsp;to make an angry late-night call to network&nbsp;President William S. Paley. The show later was canceled over fights with network censors.

“Doonesbury” cartoons have made fun of presidents and politicians and found humor and targets across American culture since the 1970s. But writing in 2015 in&nbsp;The Atlantic,&nbsp;cartoonist&nbsp;Gary Trudeau&nbsp;reflected on whether there are lines not to be crossed in satire.

In 2015, terrorists angered at French magazine&nbsp;Charlie Hebdo’s&nbsp;criticism of Islam and reprinting of cartoons of the&nbsp;Prophet Muhammad&nbsp;that had originally appeared in the Danish newspaper&nbsp;Jyllands-Posten, attacked the magazine’s Paris office, killing 11 staffers and a security officer.

“Traditionally, satire has comforted the afflicted while afflicting the comfortable. Satire punches up, against authority of all kinds, the little guy against the powerful,” Trudeau wrote. “By punching downward, by attacking a powerless, disenfranchised minority with crude, vulgar drawings closer to graffiti than cartoons,&nbsp;Charlie&nbsp;wandered into the realm of hate speech.” Trudeau called the resulting violence a “bitter harvest.”

Whether they entertain or enrage, inspire or infuriate, comfort or inflame, humor and satire in a political setting often serve to bring out truths. From the subtle to the complex, satire focuses us on facts that otherwise might be lost in the daily horserace reporting that dominates modern-day election reporting.

As that 21st-century sage&nbsp;Homer Simpson&nbsp;once observed, and was quoted in a different Newseum exhibit, First Amendment freedoms of speech,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freedomforum.org/petition/" target="_blank">petition</a>&nbsp;and assembly do not exist to protect “burping” — they are there to allow us to speak to our fellow citizens about matters of public importance.

Satire and parody provide information, a release from the seriousness of much of politics and are a means to express ideas that might not find audiences in other settings.

Humor with an edge has been part of American political life as long as there was life in American politics. There’s no requirement that we be polite, respectful or even tasteful in doing it — and there’s also no barrier to getting a laugh at the same time we make a point.

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 POLICINSKI Freedom ForumThe 2020 election is no laughing matter — except that it is, in the great American tradition of humor and satire that has marked virtually every election.This time around:&nbsp;Jim Carey’s&nbsp;nascent “Joe Biden” and&nbsp;Alec Baldwin’s&nbsp;long-running “Donald Trump;” the late-nightly salvoes of&nbsp;Stephen Colbert&nbsp;and the daily — sometimes hourly — haranguing tweets from Trump himself; conservative talk radio’s sharp-edged verbal darts and the Lincoln Project’s wickedly humorous videos.As it has since the 1970s, NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” again steps into the role of the nation’s satirist, continuing a tradition that stretches back nearly 250 years, into the colonial era with its biting print depictions of&nbsp;King George III&nbsp;and frequent effigies burned or hung from trees in public squares.The First Amendment’s protection of free speech shelters those who poke, prod and even anger those in power — via satire and parody — and elections bring out those efforts tenfold.Thomas Jefferson&nbsp;and&nbsp;John Adams&nbsp;tossed insults and satirized images of each other in competing newspapers in the 1800 presidential race. Blunt, single-sheet cartoons were hung in taverns and homes depicting&nbsp;Andrew Jackson&nbsp;as a ruthless authoritarian. One, published in 1830, showed him dressed as a king, complete with crown, trampling on the U.S. Constitution.“Political satire has been used throughout American history as a more gentle way of commentary,” says&nbsp;Alison Dagnes, a Shippensburg University political science professor and author of the book “A Conservative Walks Into a Bar: The Politics of Political Humor.”One recurring question: Why there are more liberal political satirists than conservatives, both today and in the past? Dagnes writes that “conservatism supports institutions and satire aims to take those institutions down a peg … the very nature of satire mandates challenges to the power structure.”Two modern-day comedians exemplify those who have swum against that liberal tide:&nbsp;Dennis Miller, who pivoted to a conservative view after the Sept. 11 attacks, who said of his political views that he found “liberalism is like a nude beach — it sounds great until you get there.” And self-described “libertarian conservative”&nbsp;P.J. O’Rourke, who said the Obama administration was simply “the Carter administration in better sweaters” and supported&nbsp;Hillary Clinton&nbsp;in 2016 over Trump, saying “She’s wrong about absolutely everything, but she’s wrong within normal parameters.”How effective can satirists be in shaping events in the real world?&nbsp;William “Boss” Tweed, whose crime syndicate in the 1870s stole or extorted more than $2 billion dollars (today’s value) in public funds, was the target of&nbsp;Harper’s Weekly&nbsp;cartoonist&nbsp;Thomas Nast. Nast drew the corpulent Tweed as a bulgingly fat character with a money bag in place of his head and historians often credit Nast as fueling the charge to bring Tweed to justice.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602900955070.jpeg" alt="From the&nbsp;Newseum Collection" />
 <figcaption>From the&nbsp;Newseum Collection</figcaption>
 </figure>Another Nast cartoon of note, as seen to the left, from the Newseum collection, “The Only Thing They Respect or Fear,” shows Tweed doffing his hat to a row of hangman nooses, as his cronies cringe in fear.Political cartoonists are credited with helping Abraham Lincoln win reelection in 1864 and a century later,&nbsp;The Washington Post’s&nbsp;Herblock (Herbert Block)&nbsp;was viewed by critics and admirers as a major reason the Watergate scandal remained in public view even as the administration worked to downplay it.Block relished his work, writing that it was “an irreverent form of expression, and one particularly suited to scoffing at the high and the mighty. If the prime role of a free press is to serve as critic of government, cartooning is often the cutting edge of that criticism.”Social media often focuses on the “cut” in cutting edge: When Trump returned to the White House from treatment for COVID-19, satirists immediately posted their own version of his purposeful balcony appearance and maskless salute — from titling single images as “Benito Trumpolini” (after a similar pose by Italian dictator&nbsp;Benito Mussolini) to a Lincoln Project video, “Covita,” parodying the lyrics from Broadway showtune “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” as “Don’t Cry For Me, White House Staffers.”Trump has done his own part on social media to carry satire forward in history, with memorable tweeted nicknames such as “Sleepy Joe” (Biden), “Crooked Hillary” (Clinton), “Little Marco” (Rubio) and “Lyin’ Ted” (Cruz).Mark Twain, often called the father of modern American satire, wrote such classics as “Huckleberry Finn” and “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” using exaggeration and irony to make fun of closed-minded, corrupt officeholders and religious hypocrites.A direct Twain descendant-in-humor, early radio celebrity and newspaper columnist&nbsp;Will Rogers&nbsp;used homespun language to jab politics in general. “I don’t belong to any organized political party,” he once said. “I’m a Democrat.” Another line from Rogers: “The trouble with practical jokes is that very often they get elected.”“Saturday Night Live” (SNL) and “The Daily Show,” with comedians&nbsp;Jon Stewart&nbsp;and now&nbsp;Trevor Noah, have set the tone for modern political satire.Each election cycle for more than 40 years, SNL has produced memorable political parody — from&nbsp;Chevy Chase’s&nbsp;devasting portrayals of&nbsp;Gerald Ford&nbsp;(actually an accomplished athlete) as a bumbler, to&nbsp;Phil Hartman’s&nbsp;cheeseburger-guzzling&nbsp;Bill Clinton, to&nbsp;Tina Fey’s&nbsp;remarkable and transformative skewering of 2008 GOP vice-presidential candidate&nbsp;Sarah Palin.Stewart’s prominence in political satire from 1999 to 2015 produced a unique form of praise: Some credited him and his program as a new form of journalism. While his staff of writers and researchers included former journalists as fact-checkers to ensure accuracy, Stewart consistently said he put comedy first. Still, as my Freedom Forum colleague&nbsp;Patty Rhule&nbsp;said of Stewart and his program in a&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;interview about the show as centerpiece of the Newseum’s 2019 “Seriously Funny” exhibit: “For a generation, he was their voice of the news.”Stewart was the latest iteration of post-World War II comedians willing to take on social mores, censors and sometimes the courts:&nbsp;Mort Sahl&nbsp;and&nbsp;Lenny Bruce&nbsp;both mocked powerful political figures of their era — with Bruce famously being prosecuted for using so-called “blue” language that today is a common feature across cable TV comedy specials.For two seasons in the late 1960s, brothers&nbsp;Tommy and Dick Smothers&nbsp;used satire via a prime-time CBS variety show — prompting&nbsp;President Lyndon B. Johnson&nbsp;to make an angry late-night call to network&nbsp;President William S. Paley. The show later was canceled over fights with network censors.“Doonesbury” cartoons have made fun of presidents and politicians and found humor and targets across American culture since the 1970s. But writing in 2015 in&nbsp;The Atlantic,&nbsp;cartoonist&nbsp;Gary Trudeau&nbsp;reflected on whether there are lines not to be crossed in satire.In 2015, terrorists angered at French magazine&nbsp;Charlie Hebdo’s&nbsp;criticism of Islam and reprinting of cartoons of the&nbsp;Prophet Muhammad&nbsp;that had originally appeared in the Danish newspaper&nbsp;Jyllands-Posten, attacked the magazine’s Paris office, killing 11 staffers and a security officer.“Traditionally, satire has comforted the afflicted while afflicting the comfortable. Satire punches up, against authority of all kinds, the little guy against the powerful,” Trudeau wrote. “By punching downward, by attacking a powerless, disenfranchised minority with crude, vulgar drawings closer to graffiti than cartoons,&nbsp;Charlie&nbsp;wandered into the realm of hate speech.” Trudeau called the resulting violence a “bitter harvest.”Whether they entertain or enrage, inspire or infuriate, comfort or inflame, humor and satire in a political setting often serve to bring out truths. From the subtle to the complex, satire focuses us on facts that otherwise might be lost in the daily horserace reporting that dominates modern-day election reporting.As that 21st-century sage&nbsp;Homer Simpson&nbsp;once observed, and was quoted in a different Newseum exhibit, First Amendment freedoms of speech,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freedomforum.org/petition/" target="_blank">petition</a>&nbsp;and assembly do not exist to protect “burping” — they are there to allow us to speak to our fellow citizens about matters of public importance.Satire and parody provide information, a release from the seriousness of much of politics and are a means to express ideas that might not find audiences in other settings.Humor with an edge has been part of American political life as long as there was life in American politics. There’s no requirement that we be polite, respectful or even tasteful in doing it — and there’s also no barrier to getting a laugh at the same time we make a point.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 5: Humor, satire -- making the political 'cut,' from our earliest days

Today is Saturday, Oct. 17, the 291st day of 2020. There are 75 days left in the year. 

On Oct. 17, 1933, Albert Einstein arrived in the United States as a refugee from Nazi Germany. 

In 1777, British forces under Gen. John Burgoyne surrendered to American troops in Saratoga, New York, in a turning point of the Revolutionary War. 

In 1814, the London Beer Flood inundated the St. Giles district of the British capital as vats of beer ruptured, sending more than 320,000 gallons of liquid into the streets; up to nine people were reported killed.

In 1931, mobster Al Capone was convicted in Chicago of income tax evasion. (Sentenced to 11 years in prison, Capone was released in 1939.) 

In 1939, Frank Capra's comedy-drama "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," starring James Stewart as an idealistic junior U.S. senator, had its premiere in the nation's capital. 

In 1967, Puyi, the last emperor of China, died in Beijing at age 61. 

In 1973, Arab oil-producing nations announced they would begin cutting back oil exports to Western nations and Japan; the result was a total embargo that lasted until March 1974. 

In 1979, Mother Teresa of India was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. 

In 1989, an earthquake measuring 6.9 in magnitude struck northern California, killing 63 people and causing $6 billion worth of damage.

In 1990, the Internet Movie Database (<a href="http://IMDb.com">IMDb.com</a>) was created.

In 2007, President George W. Bush, raising Beijing's ire, presented the Dalai Lama with the Congressional Gold Medal and urged Chinese leaders to welcome the monk to Beijing.

In 2014, the World Health Organization acknowledged it had botched attempts to stop the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, blaming factors including incompetent staff, lack of information and budget cuts. 

In 2018, residents of the Florida Panhandle community of Mexico Beach who had fled Hurricane Michael a week earlier returned home to find homes, businesses and campers ripped to shreds; the storm had killed at least 59 people and caused more than $25 billion in damage in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia. 

Ten years ago: Pope Benedict XVI gave Australia its first saint, canonizing Mary MacKillop, a 19th century nun who was briefly excommunicated in part because her religious order had exposed a pedophile priest.

Five years ago: Thousands of migrants seeking a better life in Western Europe surged into Slovenia using a new route after Hungary sealed its border with Croatia. The final US Airways flight landed in Philadelphia, completing the last leg of its roundtrip journey. (The US Airways brand disappeared as the result of a merger with American Airlines.)

One year ago: Maryland Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings died at the age of 68; the sharecropper's son had risen to become a civil rights champion and the chairman of one of the House panels leading an impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. The U.S. ambassador to the European Union told House impeachment investigators that Trump had told him and other envoys to work with his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, on Ukraine policy; Gordon Sondland said he was "disappointed" by that directive. Energy Secretary Rick Perry announced that he would leave his job by the end of the year; he'd been under scrutiny over the role he played in the president's dealings with Ukraine. Chicago teachers went on strike after their union and city officials failed to reach a contract deal in the nation's third-largest school district. (The strike canceled 11 days of classes for more than 300,000 students.) Character actor Bill Macy, best known as the long-suffering foil to Bea Arthur's unyielding feminist on the 1970s sitcom "Maude," died in Los Angeles; he was 97.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Marsha Hunt is 103. Singer Jim Seals (Seals &amp; Crofts) is 78. Singer Gary Puckett is 78. Actor Michael McKean is 73. Actor George Wendt is 72. Actor-singer Bill Hudson is 71. Astronaut Mae Jemison is 64. Country singer Alan Jackson is 62. Movie critic Richard Roeper is 61. Movie director Rob Marshall is 60. Actor Grant Shaud is 60. Animator Mike Judge is 58. Rock singer-musician Fred LeBlanc (Cowboy Mouth) is 57. Actor-comedian Norm Macdonald is 57. Singer Rene' Dif is 53. Reggae singer Ziggy Marley is 52. Actor Wood Harris is 51. Singer Wyclef Jean is 51. World Golf Hall of Famer Ernie Els is 51. Singer Chris Kirkpatrick ('N Sync) is 49. Rapper Eminem is 48. Actor Sharon Leal is 48. Actor Matthew Macfadyen is 46. Rock musician Sergio Andrade is 43. Actor Felicity Jones is 37. Actor Chris Lowell is 36. Actor Dee Jay Daniels 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 Saturday, Oct. 17, the 291st day of 2020. There are 75 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Oct. 17, 1933, Albert Einstein arrived in the United States as a refugee from Nazi Germany. On this date: In 1777, British forces under Gen. John Burgoyne surrendered to American troops in Saratoga, New York, in a turning point of the Revolutionary War. In 1814, the London Beer Flood inundated the St. Giles district of the British capital as vats of beer ruptured, sending more than 320,000 gallons of liquid into the streets; up to nine people were reported killed.In 1931, mobster Al Capone was convicted in Chicago of income tax evasion. (Sentenced to 11 years in prison, Capone was released in 1939.) In 1939, Frank Capra's comedy-drama "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," starring James Stewart as an idealistic junior U.S. senator, had its premiere in the nation's capital. In 1967, Puyi, the last emperor of China, died in Beijing at age 61. In 1973, Arab oil-producing nations announced they would begin cutting back oil exports to Western nations and Japan; the result was a total embargo that lasted until March 1974. In 1979, Mother Teresa of India was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1989, an earthquake measuring 6.9 in magnitude struck northern California, killing 63 people and causing $6 billion worth of damage.In 1990, the Internet Movie Database (<a href="http://IMDb.com">IMDb.com</a>) was created.In 2007, President George W. Bush, raising Beijing's ire, presented the Dalai Lama with the Congressional Gold Medal and urged Chinese leaders to welcome the monk to Beijing.In 2014, the World Health Organization acknowledged it had botched attempts to stop the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, blaming factors including incompetent staff, lack of information and budget cuts. In 2018, residents of the Florida Panhandle community of Mexico Beach who had fled Hurricane Michael a week earlier returned home to find homes, businesses and campers ripped to shreds; the storm had killed at least 59 people and caused more than $25 billion in damage in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia. Ten years ago: Pope Benedict XVI gave Australia its first saint, canonizing Mary MacKillop, a 19th century nun who was briefly excommunicated in part because her religious order had exposed a pedophile priest.Five years ago: Thousands of migrants seeking a better life in Western Europe surged into Slovenia using a new route after Hungary sealed its border with Croatia. The final US Airways flight landed in Philadelphia, completing the last leg of its roundtrip journey. (The US Airways brand disappeared as the result of a merger with American Airlines.) One year ago: Maryland Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings died at the age of 68; the sharecropper's son had risen to become a civil rights champion and the chairman of one of the House panels leading an impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. The U.S. ambassador to the European Union told House impeachment investigators that Trump had told him and other envoys to work with his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, on Ukraine policy; Gordon Sondland said he was "disappointed" by that directive. Energy Secretary Rick Perry announced that he would leave his job by the end of the year; he'd been under scrutiny over the role he played in the president's dealings with Ukraine. Chicago teachers went on strike after their union and city officials failed to reach a contract deal in the nation's third-largest school district. (The strike canceled 11 days of classes for more than 300,000 students.) Character actor Bill Macy, best known as the long-suffering foil to Bea Arthur's unyielding feminist on the 1970s sitcom "Maude," died in Los Angeles; he was 97. Today's Birthdays: Actor Marsha Hunt is 103. Singer Jim Seals (Seals &amp; Crofts) is 78. Singer Gary Puckett is 78. Actor Michael McKean is 73. Actor George Wendt is 72. Actor-singer Bill Hudson is 71. Astronaut Mae Jemison is 64. Country singer Alan Jackson is 62. Movie critic Richard Roeper is 61. Movie director Rob Marshall is 60. Actor Grant Shaud is 60. Animator Mike Judge is 58. Rock singer-musician Fred LeBlanc (Cowboy Mouth) is 57. Actor-comedian Norm Macdonald is 57. Singer Rene' Dif is 53. Reggae singer Ziggy Marley is 52. Actor Wood Harris is 51. Singer Wyclef Jean is 51. World Golf Hall of Famer Ernie Els is 51. Singer Chris Kirkpatrick ('N Sync) is 49. Rapper Eminem is 48. Actor Sharon Leal is 48. Actor Matthew Macfadyen is 46. Rock musician Sergio Andrade is 43. Actor Felicity Jones is 37. Actor Chris Lowell is 36. Actor Dee Jay Daniels is 32.

Today in History -- Oct. 17

Kan. woman hospitalized after semi strikes semi's rear axel

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

We were notified of a positive case from another county that had attended a horse sale at Farmers &amp; Ranchers located at 1500 Old 40 in Salina while symptomatic. This event was held on October 10th and 11th. If you were in attendance, you need to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19.

Since our last update, we were also notified of an additional death related to COVID-19. There are 19 new positive COVID-19 cases in Saline County to report since the last update on Wednesday, October 14. The total for the county is now 948, with 98 cases that are actively being monitored by the Health Department, 837 that have recovered, and a total of 13 deaths. Salina Regional Health Center reporting that they have 9 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Salina Regional is a regional hospital, the COVID-19 patient total is not specific to the number of Saline County residents who may be hospitalized.

According to the Kansas Department of Health &amp; Environment, there are now 70,855 cases and 859 deaths statewide. This information can be found at <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/">https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/</a>.

●The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation has created the Kansas Eviction Prevention Program.

This program is designed to decrease evictions and increase housing stability by assisting landlords and tenants experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID pandemic. See more information at <a href="https://kshousingcorp.org/eviction-preventionprogram/#:~:text=The%20Kansas%20Eviction%20Prevention%20Program,result%20of%20the%20COVID%20pandemic.&amp;text=Approved%20tenants%20are%20eligible%20for,to%20exceed%20%245%2C000%20per%20household">https://kshousingcorp.org/eviction-preventionprogram/#:~:text=The%20Kansas%20Eviction%20Prevention%20Program,result%20of%20the%20COVID%20pandemic.&amp;text=Approved%20tenants%20are%20eligible%20for,to%20exceed%20%245%2C000%20per%20household.</a>

Here is what you can do to help us to stop the spread:

●Stay home if you have any symptoms or are ill

●Wear masks in public spaces as required by City Ordinance and County Resolution

●Maximize physical distance (6 feet or more) in public settings

●Avoid socializing with large groups

●High-risk individuals should only leave the house for essential needs

Only follow official sources to obtain information: <a href="http://www.saline.org/coronavirus">www.saline.org/coronavirus</a> or <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov">www.kdheks.gov</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602888369077.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Following is the Saline County COVID-19 update for Friday.We were notified of a positive case from another county that had attended a horse sale at Farmers &amp; Ranchers located at 1500 Old 40 in Salina while symptomatic. This event was held on October 10th and 11th. If you were in attendance, you need to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19.Since our last update, we were also notified of an additional death related to COVID-19. There are 19 new positive COVID-19 cases in Saline County to report since the last update on Wednesday, October 14. The total for the county is now 948, with 98 cases that are actively being monitored by the Health Department, 837 that have recovered, and a total of 13 deaths. Salina Regional Health Center reporting that they have 9 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Salina Regional is a regional hospital, the COVID-19 patient total is not specific to the number of Saline County residents who may be hospitalized.According to the Kansas Department of Health &amp; Environment, there are now 70,855 cases and 859 deaths statewide. This information can be found at <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/">https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/</a>.Announcements:●The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation has created the Kansas Eviction Prevention Program.This program is designed to decrease evictions and increase housing stability by assisting landlords and tenants experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID pandemic. See more information at <a href="https://kshousingcorp.org/eviction-preventionprogram/#:~:text=The%20Kansas%20Eviction%20Prevention%20Program,result%20of%20the%20COVID%20pandemic.&amp;text=Approved%20tenants%20are%20eligible%20for,to%20exceed%20%245%2C000%20per%20household">https://kshousingcorp.org/eviction-preventionprogram/#:~:text=The%20Kansas%20Eviction%20Prevention%20Program,result%20of%20the%20COVID%20pandemic.&amp;text=Approved%20tenants%20are%20eligible%20for,to%20exceed%20%245%2C000%20per%20household.</a>Here is what you can do to help us to stop the spread:●Stay home if you have any symptoms or are ill●Wear masks in public spaces as required by City Ordinance and County Resolution●Maximize physical distance (6 feet or more) in public settings●Avoid socializing with large groups●High-risk individuals should only leave the house for essential needs●Wash your hands frequentlyOnly follow official sources to obtain information: <a href="http://www.saline.org/coronavirus">www.saline.org/coronavirus</a> or <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov">www.kdheks.gov</a>.

Saline County: Symptomatic person went to local sale barn; another death

LINDSBORG -- The Bethany Oratorio Society’s 2020 performance of Handel’s Messiah, originally planned for Easter Sunday last spring, is coming up this weekend.

The livestream performance is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday from Presser Hall. The performance will have no audience members in Presser Hall.&nbsp;To watch the livestream, please visit <a href="http://www.bethanylb.edu/live">www.bethanylb.edu/live</a>.

The concert will mark the 139th consecutive year that the Bethany Oratorio Society has performed Handel’s “Messiah.”&nbsp;

The spring performance was postponed due to COVID-19 and Artistic Director Mark Lucas has had to get creative to move forward in a manner safe for all participants. 

“I feel confident in our protocol and am looking forward to this special performance. I only wish we could have the entire group singing and playing,” said Lucas. 

Lucas asked for volunteers and had so many responses he had to randomly choose 28 singers, the amount that can fit onstage while remaining socially distanced. Additionally, all singers will wear special “singing masks'' at all times, and the reduced orchestra (fewer than 15 total players) will also be masked the majority of the time they are onstage. Other precautions include not having an audience and requiring all participants to complete a health screen before the performance.

Featured soloists this fall include Bethany College’s own Professor Leslie Mangrum, soprano, and Katelyn Mattson-Levy, an accomplished mezzo-soprano who also serves as classical music coordinator and weekday host for Radio Kansas. 

“The performance itself will be scaled back to remain in compliance with current research indicating the need for a break in singing after a maximum of 45 minutes. It will be in two equal halves of 45 minutes each with a 20 minute intermission.”&nbsp; 

At this time the Oratorio Society plans to carry out the 2021 festival as planned during Holy Week 2021. For up-to-date information on both the fall 2020 and spring 2021 performances stay tuned to <a href="https://bethanylb.edu/music">https://bethanylb.edu/music</a> and/or <a href="http://www.messiahfestival.org">www.messiahfestival.org</a>.

LINDSBORG -- The Bethany Oratorio Society’s 2020 performance of Handel’s Messiah, originally planned for Easter Sunday last spring, is coming up this weekend.The livestream performance is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday from Presser Hall. The performance will have no audience members in Presser Hall.&nbsp;To watch the livestream, please visit <a href="http://www.bethanylb.edu/live">www.bethanylb.edu/live</a>.The concert will mark the 139th consecutive year that the Bethany Oratorio Society has performed Handel’s “Messiah.”&nbsp;The spring performance was postponed due to COVID-19 and Artistic Director Mark Lucas has had to get creative to move forward in a manner safe for all participants. “I feel confident in our protocol and am looking forward to this special performance. I only wish we could have the entire group singing and playing,” said Lucas. Lucas asked for volunteers and had so many responses he had to randomly choose 28 singers, the amount that can fit onstage while remaining socially distanced. Additionally, all singers will wear special “singing masks'' at all times, and the reduced orchestra (fewer than 15 total players) will also be masked the majority of the time they are onstage. Other precautions include not having an audience and requiring all participants to complete a health screen before the performance.Featured soloists this fall include Bethany College’s own Professor Leslie Mangrum, soprano, and Katelyn Mattson-Levy, an accomplished mezzo-soprano who also serves as classical music coordinator and weekday host for Radio Kansas. “The performance itself will be scaled back to remain in compliance with current research indicating the need for a break in singing after a maximum of 45 minutes. It will be in two equal halves of 45 minutes each with a 20 minute intermission.”&nbsp; At this time the Oratorio Society plans to carry out the 2021 festival as planned during Holy Week 2021. For up-to-date information on both the fall 2020 and spring 2021 performances stay tuned to <a href="https://bethanylb.edu/music">https://bethanylb.edu/music</a> and/or <a href="http://www.messiahfestival.org">www.messiahfestival.org</a>.

Bethany Oratorio Society: livestream performance

Salina USD 305 added to its COVID-19 report this week.

One positive test at South High School October 14

One positive test at Central High School October 13

One positive test at Lakewood Middle School October 13, 2020

One positive test at South High School October 13

One positive test at Heartland Early Education October 13

Since the district began posting confirmed cases on its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usd305.com/covid-19_incidents">COVID-19 INCIDENTS</a>&nbsp;webpage on Sept. 3, 44 cases have been reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Salina USD 305 added to its COVID-19 report this week.The following new cases were added.One positive test at South High School October 14One positive test at Central High School October 13One positive test at Lakewood Middle School October 13, 2020One positive test at South High School October 13One positive test at Heartland Early Education October 13One positive test at South High School October 13Since the district began posting confirmed cases on its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usd305.com/covid-19_incidents">COVID-19 INCIDENTS</a>&nbsp;webpage on Sept. 3, 44 cases have been reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;

USD 305 adds to its COVID-19 incidents report

Police are investigating the theft of multiple items from a central Salina residence last week.

Sometime between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Oct. 5, someone entered a residence in the 600 block of South Front Street via a bedroom window, Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester reported this afternoon. Items reported missing include the following, he explained.

Additionally, a Dell laptop was discovered to have been damaged, Forrester noted.

Total loss was estimated at slightly more than $2,000, according to Forrester.

Police are investigating the theft of multiple items from a central Salina residence last week.Sometime between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Oct. 5, someone entered a residence in the 600 block of South Front Street via a bedroom window, Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester reported this afternoon. Items reported missing include the following, he explained.A 32-inch ONN HDTVA 32-inch TCL TVA Roku TV stickA PS4 gaming consoleA controllerA cameraAn ASTRo A10 PS4 gaming head setMedicationAdditionally, a Dell laptop was discovered to have been damaged, Forrester noted.Total loss was estimated at slightly more than $2,000, according to Forrester.

SPD investigating theft of multiple items from central Salina residence

RILEY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 9a.m. Friday in Riley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Volvo semi driven by&nbsp;Pennington, Robert L. Pennington, 68, Downs, was eastbound on U.S. 24 just east of West 59th Avenue.

The vehicle traveled left of center and sideswiped a westbound 2015 Chevy Silverado driven by Tyler S. Parkinson, 31, Topeka.

The semi rolled to the east. The pickup rolled to the west.

EMS transported Pennington to Stormont Vail in Topeka. Topeka.&nbsp;Parkinson was not injured. Pennington was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

RILEY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 9a.m. Friday in Riley County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Volvo semi driven by&nbsp;Pennington, Robert L. Pennington, 68, Downs, was eastbound on U.S. 24 just east of West 59th Avenue.The vehicle traveled left of center and sideswiped a westbound 2015 Chevy Silverado driven by Tyler S. Parkinson, 31, Topeka.The semi rolled to the east. The pickup rolled to the west.EMS transported Pennington to Stormont Vail in Topeka. Topeka.&nbsp;Parkinson was not injured. Pennington was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man hospitalized after semi sideswipes pickup

The City of Salina has changed the location of next week's public forum concerning the development of a Citizen Review Board for local law enforcement.

The change was made because the city has received feedback that a large number of Salina residents plan to attend a public forum. In order the make sure the event includes precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the event will take place in the arena at Tony's Pizza Event Center, 800 The Midway, instead of Great Plains Conference Center, according to information from the city. The public forum is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday.&nbsp; Doors will be open at 6:15 p.m. Masks are required to be worn upon entering the building and while seated. Seating will be arranged so that social distancing can take place during the forum. The public forum can be viewed on Salina Media Connection Cable channel 20 or on the City of Salina's YouTube channel at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.salina-ks.gov/QNotify/www.youtube.com/cityofSalinaKansas" target="_blank">www.youtube.com/cityofSalinaKansas</a>.

The City of Salina has changed the location of next week's public forum concerning the development of a Citizen Review Board for local law enforcement.The change was made because the city has received feedback that a large number of Salina residents plan to attend a public forum. In order the make sure the event includes precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the event will take place in the arena at Tony's Pizza Event Center, 800 The Midway, instead of Great Plains Conference Center, according to information from the city. The public forum is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday.&nbsp; Doors will be open at 6:15 p.m. Masks are required to be worn upon entering the building and while seated. Seating will be arranged so that social distancing can take place during the forum. The public forum can be viewed on Salina Media Connection Cable channel 20 or on the City of Salina's YouTube channel at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.salina-ks.gov/QNotify/www.youtube.com/cityofSalinaKansas" target="_blank">www.youtube.com/cityofSalinaKansas</a>.

City changes location of Citizen Review Board public forum

By ARI LAZARUS Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

Nobody likes getting debt collection calls. But have you ever gotten one for a debt you already paid — or you know isn’t yours? Or have you been threatened and harassed by a debt collector until you paid up? If so, we want you to know how to protect yourself.

Recently, in partnership with federal and state law enforcement partners, <a href="http://https//www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2020/09/ftc-state-federal-law-enforcement-partners-announce-nationwide">the FTC announces Operation Corrupt Collector</a>, a federal-state law enforcement sweep against fake and abusive debt collectors. The operation includes five FTC actions, with two new cases.

In each of the new FTC cases, the companies claimed to be collecting on debt that they can’t legally collect, or that people don’t actually owe. In these cases, the companies made robocalls to people, telling them that they’ve been sued, or soon will be, if they don’t pay up.

In cases announced by our law enforcement partners, the companies called people claiming to be law enforcement officials or attorneys — scaring people with threats of arrest at their workplace, prison, or suspension of their driver’s license if they didn’t pay right away.

Have you gotten a collection call about a debt you don’t recognize? Before you pay:

1. Find out who’s calling. Get the name of the collector, the collection company, its address, and phone number.

2. Get “validation” information about the debt. Within 5 days of first contacting you, debt collectors must “validate” or tell you the amount of the debt, the name of the current creditor, and how to get the name of the original creditor.&nbsp;

3. Don’t respond to threats. When scammers threaten to arrest you, suspend your driver’s license, or call your employer if you don’t pay immediately, hang up and report the collector to the FTC at <a href="http://ftc.gov/complaint">ftc.gov/complaint</a>.

4. Do your own detective work. Check with the original creditor. Is the debt yours? Did they sell your debt or hire a company to collect it? If so, is the caller the original creditor’s collector?

5. Dispute the debt. If you think you don’t owe some — or all — of the debt, dispute it with the collector by mail or online. Even if you got validation information.

Learn more about dealing with debt collection at <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/debtcollection">ftc.gov/debtcollection</a>.&nbsp;

The above information is from the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/09/have-you-gotten-collection-call-about-debt-you-dont-recognize?utm_source=govdelivery">blog</a>.&nbsp;

By ARI LAZARUS Consumer Education Specialist, FTCNobody likes getting debt collection calls. But have you ever gotten one for a debt you already paid — or you know isn’t yours? Or have you been threatened and harassed by a debt collector until you paid up? If so, we want you to know how to protect yourself.Recently, in partnership with federal and state law enforcement partners, <a href="http://https//www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2020/09/ftc-state-federal-law-enforcement-partners-announce-nationwide">the FTC announces Operation Corrupt Collector</a>, a federal-state law enforcement sweep against fake and abusive debt collectors. The operation includes five FTC actions, with two new cases.In each of the new FTC cases, the companies claimed to be collecting on debt that they can’t legally collect, or that people don’t actually owe. In these cases, the companies made robocalls to people, telling them that they’ve been sued, or soon will be, if they don’t pay up.In cases announced by our law enforcement partners, the companies called people claiming to be law enforcement officials or attorneys — scaring people with threats of arrest at their workplace, prison, or suspension of their driver’s license if they didn’t pay right away.Have you gotten a collection call about a debt you don’t recognize? Before you pay:1. Find out who’s calling. Get the name of the collector, the collection company, its address, and phone number.2. Get “validation” information about the debt. Within 5 days of first contacting you, debt collectors must “validate” or tell you the amount of the debt, the name of the current creditor, and how to get the name of the original creditor.&nbsp;3. Don’t respond to threats. When scammers threaten to arrest you, suspend your driver’s license, or call your employer if you don’t pay immediately, hang up and report the collector to the FTC at <a href="http://ftc.gov/complaint">ftc.gov/complaint</a>.4. Do your own detective work. Check with the original creditor. Is the debt yours? Did they sell your debt or hire a company to collect it? If so, is the caller the original creditor’s collector?5. Dispute the debt. If you think you don’t owe some — or all — of the debt, dispute it with the collector by mail or online. Even if you got validation information.Learn more about dealing with debt collection at <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/debtcollection">ftc.gov/debtcollection</a>.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602864174423.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The above information is from the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information&nbsp;<a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/09/have-you-gotten-collection-call-about-debt-you-dont-recognize?utm_source=govdelivery">blog</a>.&nbsp;

Have you gotten a collection call about a debt you don’t recognize?

The Saline County Sheriff's Office is hoping to reunite an abandoned four-wheeler with its owner.

Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said this morning that on Wednesday, railroad workers reported finding a 2001 Honda 400 EX abandoned near the railroad tracks in the 1500 block of West Old Highway 40.

If you know anything about this vehicle, you're asked to contact the Saline County Sheriff's Office at 785-826-6500.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602863289747.jpeg" alt="The four-wheeler found near the railroad tracks along West Old Highway 40. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>The four-wheeler found near the railroad tracks along West Old Highway 40. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>The Saline County Sheriff's Office is hoping to reunite an abandoned four-wheeler with its owner.Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said this morning that on Wednesday, railroad workers reported finding a 2001 Honda 400 EX abandoned near the railroad tracks in the 1500 block of West Old Highway 40.If you know anything about this vehicle, you're asked to contact the Saline County Sheriff's Office at 785-826-6500.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602863410389.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

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