TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A commercial real estate broker from Salina who ran for Congress 10 years ago and an eye surgeon from Finney County are trying to draw attention to themselves and distinctions from one another ahead of an August Republican primary that’s likely to decide who will win Kansas’ 1st District seat.

The two candidates with the most active campaigns, Tracey Mann, a real estate broker who was briefly lieutenant governor, and Bill Clifford, a doctor, U.S. Air Force veteran and Finney County commissioner, are both anti-abortion, pro-gun and say they plan to support President Donald Trump’s policies. So voters will be looking at other issues to differentiate the candidates who seek to replace Rep. Roger Marshall, who’s running for the U.S. Senate.

The candidate with the most votes will face the winner of the Democratic primary in November. The seat seat hasn’t been won by a Democrat since 1952. It’s one of the nation’s most Republican congressional districts and has elected three congressmen who went on to become U.S. senators over the past 50 years.

The Aug. 4 primary is “Mann’s to lose,” said Patrick Miller, a University of Kansas political scientist, but he added that Clifford could make the race competitive if he “puts himself on people’s radar.”

The 1st District’s congressperson is expected to represent Kansas on the House Agriculture Committee, a post former Rep. Tim Huelskamp lost after clashes with former House Speaker John Boehner and other GOP leaders. The removal caused local farm groups to turn against Huelskamp before he was ousted in 2016 by Marshall, who gained a seat on the committee.

The state’s main farm lobby, the Kansas Farm Bureau,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kfb.org/Article/Kansas-Farm-Bureau-endorses-Mann-LaTurner-Estes-for-US-House" target="_blank">endorsed</a>&nbsp;Mann last month. That endorsement is “probably the most important endorsement any (1st Congressional District) candidate can get,” said Bob Beatty, a Washburn University political scientist.

Other candidates on the primary ballot are Jerry Molstad, a physician’s assistant, and Michael Soetaert, who listed himself as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.salina.com/news/20191023/council-grove-man-running-for-city-offices-congress" target="_blank">reverend</a>. The Democratic candidates are Kali Barnett, an author and music teacher, and Christy Davis, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hutchnews.com/news/20191015/congressional-race-attracts-democrat/1" target="_blank">former nonprofit executive director</a>.

Mann has been increasing his profile in the area since his failed effort in the GOP primary for the seat in 2010, former Kansas GOP Chairman Kelly Arnold said.

“He did extremely well in that primary. He raised a lot of money, made a lot of inroads with people across the district, but ultimately, with a five-way primary, with basically five heavy-hitters, the vote split on that,” Arnold said.

Mann’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/H0KS01123/" target="_blank">April campaign finance reports</a>&nbsp;showed he received $548,667 in total contributions. Clifford’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/H0KS01198/?tab=raising" target="_blank">reports</a>&nbsp;showed total contributions of $703,678, including $435,000 he loaned the campaign

“A lot of people would say that Tracey Mann is in a good position, but if Clifford is able to put a lot of resources in, he can make it competitive,” Beatty said. “If Clifford doesn’t do anything, I would guess Tracey Mann wins because of such high name recognition, but Clifford is already doing what he needs to be doing at this point.”

Some Republican voters have already made up their minds. Celia Beymer, a GOP activist from Kearny County, is supporting Mann, who was born and raised on a family farm. Clifford may be “talented with the knife on the eye,” Beymer said, referring to Clifford’s background as an ophthalmologist, but she doesn’t like his lack of an agricultural background.

“He’s not a farmer for crying out loud,” she said.

State Rep. Don Hineman, a Dighton Republican, and former Kansas Senate President Steve Morris, a Hugoton Republican, are supporting Clifford, who removed both their cataracts.

“I just know him better and I just know his background and I’m retired Air Force also,” Morris said.

Hineman is backing Clifford partly due to his “age and experience and maturity,” but he said he still thinks Mann, if elected, would “do a great job for the Big First.”

“I don’t think you can go wrong either way. I have confidence in both candidates,” Hineman said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593309075675.png" alt="Dr. Bill Clifford- photo courtesy Bill Clifford for Congress" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Bill Clifford- photo courtesy Bill Clifford for Congress</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A commercial real estate broker from Salina who ran for Congress 10 years ago and an eye surgeon from Finney County are trying to draw attention to themselves and distinctions from one another ahead of an August Republican primary that’s likely to decide who will win Kansas’ 1st District seat.The two candidates with the most active campaigns, Tracey Mann, a real estate broker who was briefly lieutenant governor, and Bill Clifford, a doctor, U.S. Air Force veteran and Finney County commissioner, are both anti-abortion, pro-gun and say they plan to support President Donald Trump’s policies. So voters will be looking at other issues to differentiate the candidates who seek to replace Rep. Roger Marshall, who’s running for the U.S. Senate.The candidate with the most votes will face the winner of the Democratic primary in November. The seat seat hasn’t been won by a Democrat since 1952. It’s one of the nation’s most Republican congressional districts and has elected three congressmen who went on to become U.S. senators over the past 50 years.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593308868850.png" alt="The Kansas Farm Bureau and Kansas Bankers endorsed Tracey Mann. He served as Lt. Governor in 2018-19 for Jeff Colyer when Sam Brownback resigned to join the Trump administration." />
 <figcaption>The Kansas Farm Bureau and Kansas Bankers endorsed Tracey Mann. He served as Lt. Governor in 2018-19 for Jeff Colyer when Sam Brownback resigned to join the Trump administration.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Aug. 4 primary is “Mann’s to lose,” said Patrick Miller, a University of Kansas political scientist, but he added that Clifford could make the race competitive if he “puts himself on people’s radar.”The 1st District’s congressperson is expected to represent Kansas on the House Agriculture Committee, a post former Rep. Tim Huelskamp lost after clashes with former House Speaker John Boehner and other GOP leaders. The removal caused local farm groups to turn against Huelskamp before he was ousted in 2016 by Marshall, who gained a seat on the committee.The state’s main farm lobby, the Kansas Farm Bureau,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kfb.org/Article/Kansas-Farm-Bureau-endorses-Mann-LaTurner-Estes-for-US-House" target="_blank">endorsed</a>&nbsp;Mann last month. That endorsement is “probably the most important endorsement any (1st Congressional District) candidate can get,” said Bob Beatty, a Washburn University political scientist.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593309221867.png" alt="Democrat Kali Barnett photo courtesy Barnett for Kansas" />
 <figcaption>Democrat Kali Barnett photo courtesy Barnett for Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>Other candidates on the primary ballot are Jerry Molstad, a physician’s assistant, and Michael Soetaert, who listed himself as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.salina.com/news/20191023/council-grove-man-running-for-city-offices-congress" target="_blank">reverend</a>. The Democratic candidates are Kali Barnett, an author and music teacher, and Christy Davis, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hutchnews.com/news/20191015/congressional-race-attracts-democrat/1" target="_blank">former nonprofit executive director</a>.Mann has been increasing his profile in the area since his failed effort in the GOP primary for the seat in 2010, former Kansas GOP Chairman Kelly Arnold said.“He did extremely well in that primary. He raised a lot of money, made a lot of inroads with people across the district, but ultimately, with a five-way primary, with basically five heavy-hitters, the vote split on that,” Arnold said.Mann’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/H0KS01123/" target="_blank">April campaign finance reports</a>&nbsp;showed he received $548,667 in total contributions. Clifford’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/H0KS01198/?tab=raising" target="_blank">reports</a>&nbsp;showed total contributions of $703,678, including $435,000 he loaned the campaign“A lot of people would say that Tracey Mann is in a good position, but if Clifford is able to put a lot of resources in, he can make it competitive,” Beatty said. “If Clifford doesn’t do anything, I would guess Tracey Mann wins because of such high name recognition, but Clifford is already doing what he needs to be doing at this point.”Some Republican voters have already made up their minds. Celia Beymer, a GOP activist from Kearny County, is supporting Mann, who was born and raised on a family farm. Clifford may be “talented with the knife on the eye,” Beymer said, referring to Clifford’s background as an ophthalmologist, but she doesn’t like his lack of an agricultural background.“He’s not a farmer for crying out loud,” she said.State Rep. Don Hineman, a Dighton Republican, and former Kansas Senate President Steve Morris, a Hugoton Republican, are supporting Clifford, who removed both their cataracts.“I just know him better and I just know his background and I’m retired Air Force also,” Morris said.Hineman is backing Clifford partly due to his “age and experience and maturity,” but he said he still thinks Mann, if elected, would “do a great job for the Big First.”“I don’t think you can go wrong either way. I have confidence in both candidates,” Hineman said.___

Farm issues key in Kansas Republican congressional race

Kurt Carraway has been named department head of the unmanned aircraft systems flight and operations program at Kansas State University Polytechnic campus.

Currently the UAS executive director at the Applied Aviation Research Center at K-State Polytechnic, Carraway is expanding his leadership role to include overseeing the undergraduate degree option. With expertise in flight training, flight operations, FAA regulations, research and development, data analysis, and industry partnerships, Carraway will continue to advance the program's reputation of providing students with relevant, hands-on learning, research opportunities and real-world experiences.

"The Applied Aviation Research Center has seen an evolution with Kurt at the helm of the UAS program," said Alysia Starkey, CEO of K-State Polytechnic and dean of the College of Technology and Aviation. "He has broadened the center's training offerings, research capabilities and professional relationships, and because of that growth, increased the size of the staff and student workers. His dedication to innovation has earned the center notoriety as a leader in UAS policy, testing and training, and I'm excited to see Kurt harness these incredible accomplishments for the undergraduate program."

As unmanned aviation continues to evolve, Carraway said he believes it is important for the program to add new courses and modify existing curriculum to ensure it remains relevant to industry demands. He will help manage the balance between keeping critical foundational classes and creating specialized classes, such as a larger library of technical electives. He also is exploring allowing students to select from specific focus areas related to certain career paths so required ratings or skills can be obtained by those interested in the field but is not an obligation of every UAS student.

"I am honored to serve in this new capacity, and the transition will bring together the amazing faculty in our UAS flight and operations program with the subject matter experts at the Applied Aviation Research Center, ensuring the best possible experience for our enrolled students," Carraway said. "I am fueled by the energy of our faculty and staff regarding this realignment, and look forward to working on developing and advancing strategic goals, such as finding ways to extend our reach through community colleges and high schools."

When Carraway joined K-State Polytechnic in 2014, he brought a 25-year manned and unmanned aviation career in the Air Force, including serving as a flight evaluator and instructor in the KC-135 and RQ-4 Global Hawk training schools. After retiring as a colonel, Carraway was hired as flight operations manager at the campus's Applied Aviation Research Center and then was promoted to UAS program manager before UAS executive director.

Under Carraway's guidance at the Applied Aviation Research Center, K-State Polytechnic became the first entity in the nation to receive approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to provide UAS commercial flight training to students. The center also received approval from the FAA to conduct UAS flights at night and was granted a waiver from the FAA to fly beyond visual line of sight, which was introduced into the UAS flight and operations curriculum for students.

A native of St. Louis, Carraway received a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla. During his service, Carraway also completed a Master of Science in systems engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology on the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, and a Master of Arts in management from Webster University in St. Louis.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593347866676.jpeg" alt="Kurt Carraway. Photo courtesy Kansas State University Polytechnic" />
 <figcaption>Kurt Carraway. Photo courtesy Kansas State University Polytechnic</figcaption>
 </figure>Kurt Carraway has been named department head of the unmanned aircraft systems flight and operations program at Kansas State University Polytechnic campus.Currently the UAS executive director at the Applied Aviation Research Center at K-State Polytechnic, Carraway is expanding his leadership role to include overseeing the undergraduate degree option. With expertise in flight training, flight operations, FAA regulations, research and development, data analysis, and industry partnerships, Carraway will continue to advance the program's reputation of providing students with relevant, hands-on learning, research opportunities and real-world experiences."The Applied Aviation Research Center has seen an evolution with Kurt at the helm of the UAS program," said Alysia Starkey, CEO of K-State Polytechnic and dean of the College of Technology and Aviation. "He has broadened the center's training offerings, research capabilities and professional relationships, and because of that growth, increased the size of the staff and student workers. His dedication to innovation has earned the center notoriety as a leader in UAS policy, testing and training, and I'm excited to see Kurt harness these incredible accomplishments for the undergraduate program."As unmanned aviation continues to evolve, Carraway said he believes it is important for the program to add new courses and modify existing curriculum to ensure it remains relevant to industry demands. He will help manage the balance between keeping critical foundational classes and creating specialized classes, such as a larger library of technical electives. He also is exploring allowing students to select from specific focus areas related to certain career paths so required ratings or skills can be obtained by those interested in the field but is not an obligation of every UAS student."I am honored to serve in this new capacity, and the transition will bring together the amazing faculty in our UAS flight and operations program with the subject matter experts at the Applied Aviation Research Center, ensuring the best possible experience for our enrolled students," Carraway said. "I am fueled by the energy of our faculty and staff regarding this realignment, and look forward to working on developing and advancing strategic goals, such as finding ways to extend our reach through community colleges and high schools."When Carraway joined K-State Polytechnic in 2014, he brought a 25-year manned and unmanned aviation career in the Air Force, including serving as a flight evaluator and instructor in the KC-135 and RQ-4 Global Hawk training schools. After retiring as a colonel, Carraway was hired as flight operations manager at the campus's Applied Aviation Research Center and then was promoted to UAS program manager before UAS executive director.Under Carraway's guidance at the Applied Aviation Research Center, K-State Polytechnic became the first entity in the nation to receive approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to provide UAS commercial flight training to students. The center also received approval from the FAA to conduct UAS flights at night and was granted a waiver from the FAA to fly beyond visual line of sight, which was introduced into the UAS flight and operations curriculum for students.A native of St. Louis, Carraway received a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla. During his service, Carraway also completed a Master of Science in systems engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology on the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, and a Master of Arts in management from Webster University in St. Louis.

K-State Polytechnic promotes Carraway

CINCINNATI&nbsp; —&nbsp;Six students have been elected&nbsp;to&nbsp;represent the student voice in the&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=wjEMn-2FpttMSDgMfEZmlYszLCpU8FylhVuLhOg-2BlOeoq8QWowUrrlK12qKVMvpgwqC1xCCFhwfu-2Fcju9rKIEY4g-3D-3D6D0a_6kyJuRoUnmvCB1a16096Mn2eJZOhmBwdl6u-2F3e7vncM2LrUJDwK9KSu1RUc8GFly3pMOhpINivEvyInDGU7k8iFUSwgluN9SMW1QUswAlVkh-2BHlWxSdrhDRKMuXfS1SsByLjZpA21aizGdJrxFE9sO2gBMEDOnPZYc7WijQOS2-2BbbQFmQSNPYFch0KTGdLgKZ64hZyKIjoIRExdeYUPBpH49MFPEjJp2z8bnb7cj-2FfRHfkZQRSANKFW4K2RxAQOkAnslqSGVxq8np8Yt28qhRCej9PqAGMP6vLnkdeKVe6Xk6EGZ-2Bw4m5pcApG-2BwMWpyXqnoJLwq-2FAJYI4xtttzR-2B2CwV6uSKFlyDQIciZEQsMr9MXSALThpj7tOCSMfq4mfrxErbrpHJNzWmiHdrxWoLpRKsFIu66i5tAj-2BWUIzBkw-3D" target="_blank">Educational Theatre Association</a>&nbsp;(EdTA) and&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=wjEMn-2FpttMSDgMfEZmlYszLCpU8FylhVuLhOg-2BlOeoopeqYlQ4ck-2BiZQxlGNtxee3s5SAv7cIEWgV5-2FqNS0jzeLcx4W9pMumNZARttlDsC8-3DKKp-_6kyJuRoUnmvCB1a16096Mn2eJZOhmBwdl6u-2F3e7vncM2LrUJDwK9KSu1RUc8GFly3pMOhpINivEvyInDGU7k8iFUSwgluN9SMW1QUswAlVkh-2BHlWxSdrhDRKMuXfS1SsByLjZpA21aizGdJrxFE9sO2gBMEDOnPZYc7WijQOS2-2BbbQFmQSNPYFch0KTGdLgKZ64hZyKIjoIRExdeYUPBpH49MFPEjJp2z8bnb7cj-2FfSMX3wBeFPIHXj78glbHhd1MJb9RnOZsTmRlxsaR9Y1giAO-2ByVOpFLwjvp-2ByRjvr4PvEH5TL3IJbPpOK9UtQo0UPkF5ST0cSvbp4Trtw78Bdcj609bkhvR2B0TTduOtj31O7b336D-2F2jI9Ibv7vkBhVHXAuULa0o7pXumKj9Yw-2F-2FG5EwBbgJ2czkz4OPBILc30-3D" target="_blank">International Thespian Society</a>&nbsp;(ITS) as&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=wjEMn-2FpttMSDgMfEZmlYszLCpU8FylhVuLhOg-2BlOeoq-2FyQfSHZd20se2D0e2okCVgkmJ83WdGwPhWkOryzsVWrxN0CGdUo3gkqg3NKs3qCI-3DAV03_6kyJuRoUnmvCB1a16096Mn2eJZOhmBwdl6u-2F3e7vncM2LrUJDwK9KSu1RUc8GFly3pMOhpINivEvyInDGU7k8iFUSwgluN9SMW1QUswAlVkh-2BHlWxSdrhDRKMuXfS1SsByLjZpA21aizGdJrxFE9sO2gBMEDOnPZYc7WijQOS2-2BbbQFmQSNPYFch0KTGdLgKZ64hZyKIjoIRExdeYUPBpH49MFPEjJp2z8bnb7cj-2FfS9iPgy69BA4EUTTIo455nCRkmpfMZME4OJJE6ihVcJljX4Ym6pQkWm6O92aev2CTtJlU4i-2B6ZqlR3XRoMgxz-2B0iSmoRH95YBalVivM1FqaxQn1o5ynNHkUC0lioaICSCljqeTJCiwklMjbmIVXi24bEyGsur-2BmWHuDG4UqRbNdPNtOM2cHOiFy5Z9VNh5f5FA-3D" target="_blank">International Thespian Officers</a>&nbsp;(ITO) for the 2020-21 school year.

Those students include Spencer Angell of Salina High School Central.

These officers work year-round with EdTA staff, chapter leaders, and Thespians from across the globe to nurture strong student leaders, advocate for the arts, fundraise for accessibility, and create the best experience possible for students.

ITO are elected by their peers&nbsp;who are&nbsp;members of the new International Thespian Student Leadership Council (ITSLC), made up of delegates (state/provincial Thespian officers) from each chapter of ITS.

Both the ITSLC and ITO are part of the&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=wjEMn-2FpttMSDgMfEZmlYszLCpU8FylhVuLhOg-2BlOeoq-2FyQfSHZd20se2D0e2okCVgkmJ83WdGwPhWkOryzsVWrxN0CGdUo3gkqg3NKs3qCI-3D4_Vr_6kyJuRoUnmvCB1a16096Mn2eJZOhmBwdl6u-2F3e7vncM2LrUJDwK9KSu1RUc8GFly3pMOhpINivEvyInDGU7k8iFUSwgluN9SMW1QUswAlVkh-2BHlWxSdrhDRKMuXfS1SsByLjZpA21aizGdJrxFE9sO2gBMEDOnPZYc7WijQOS2-2BbbQFmQSNPYFch0KTGdLgKZ64hZyKIjoIRExdeYUPBpH49MFPEjJp2z8bnb7cj-2FfQDAfkzBGNZ9sAkbajkuf7yyJCbugqXWSUZj4lpq-2BT-2B9-2F8cIy6AiRurTN8N-2B2GE-2BuUasY2fEA1YfOkDOYXa2L2tC8PVmEIYGbR6-2BDc7aOcCb9pmpXhDhfrEwIJfpWgN-2F3L4fIE2cRedKKdp-2FnI5PccmMYQQRelZzlS4rF3kuqRpTBSZYRTfoa7l7TVw0-2FTr214-3D" target="_blank">student leadership program</a>&nbsp;of ITS, offering training and experience at the local, chapter, and national levels.

The students who served as ITO in 2019-20 focused on two activities that enhanced the organization’s diversity and inclusivity. They laid the groundwork for the ITSLC to expand leadership opportunities at the state level, and they initiated what became the&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=wjEMn-2FpttMSDgMfEZmlYszLCpU8FylhVuLhOg-2BlOeoqoz1VzDMKY5HMo8P-2FDM5UC2t1PN7zTftu4smutgiEw-2Blo7zccGq38Tt7IcY2g7FCZuESQ7ode0jyhQEgPReSp06yALp8ak-2Fvs8xS5WT6w3Ct9brDIPWyvohTx7HfDB3-2FELJa6Tn7n-2BuSAyTWgKph5WHYeRZnCUmfam7EsPcxUAITv4jNkoqMSAXis5wh0t9DSVKo5cDMBh6zMkpUMorE2EEtmZpDam-2B15SIkmsogkIWQ-3D-3DxCTm_6kyJuRoUnmvCB1a16096Mn2eJZOhmBwdl6u-2F3e7vncM2LrUJDwK9KSu1RUc8GFly3pMOhpINivEvyInDGU7k8iFUSwgluN9SMW1QUswAlVkh-2BHlWxSdrhDRKMuXfS1SsByLjZpA21aizGdJrxFE9sO2gBMEDOnPZYc7WijQOS2-2BbbQFmQSNPYFch0KTGdLgKZ64hZyKIjoIRExdeYUPBpH49MFPEjJp2z8bnb7cj-2FfSxN39JTNb5XPvXEEKurNfis3axEy8AHbqlFxURNJzMZURo93-2Bnv8WFfdKpoNt1724kXFyTCtApjGAxmO3eyhFvVPzLsjGJoj4QPv-2FbcY8yhsKLJ3jgsi2RqaeV-2FY9sNrWZTmvOvSJQPV8ldGJVNoZR5wOBUzTOl3RZbAcNENtByaOSTFNrOIQ4v3TrW-2BqVZZg-3D" target="_blank">Send A Leader Diversity grant</a>,&nbsp;&nbsp;awarded to student Thespians traditionally underrepresented in student leadership and who have experience in diversity-based leadership, service, and social justice activities.. The incoming ITO intend to continue that work.

The&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=wjEMn-2FpttMSDgMfEZmlYszLCpU8FylhVuLhOg-2BlOeoopeqYlQ4ck-2BiZQxlGNtxee3s5SAv7cIEWgV5-2FqNS0jzeLcx4W9pMumNZARttlDsC8-3DoBfP_6kyJuRoUnmvCB1a16096Mn2eJZOhmBwdl6u-2F3e7vncM2LrUJDwK9KSu1RUc8GFly3pMOhpINivEvyInDGU7k8iFUSwgluN9SMW1QUswAlVkh-2BHlWxSdrhDRKMuXfS1SsByLjZpA21aizGdJrxFE9sO2gBMEDOnPZYc7WijQOS2-2BbbQFmQSNPYFch0KTGdLgKZ64hZyKIjoIRExdeYUPBpH49MFPEjJp2z8bnb7cj-2FfQWOJXVK8s0GgDGWtZz34-2Fa1QENF8fdwTyUl67MT5oEz129nv6F2Enz2q0Q5DHSsERnaGcg20LloBr0GoO3cMJX0pZa5oNcrA36mO3gL4fpPxWoIrD0Jjc08EI2YVgd5cX6KqxXIHabXjhcP8H3p0J0OOlqJhpoxQ7WSQ0Nxu8Scxxp9ztnH8wUcE-2FHgebj5bM-3D" target="_blank">International Thespian Society</a>,&nbsp;which was established in 1929, has 2.4 million members and is the honor society for middle and high school drama students.&nbsp; A Thespian troupe is a group of students who have earned induction into the honor society. ITS is a program of the Educational Theatre Association.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593347459931.jpeg" alt="Salina Central student Spencer Angell. Photo courtesy Educational Theatre Association" />
 <figcaption>Salina Central student Spencer Angell. Photo courtesy Educational Theatre Association</figcaption>
 </figure>CINCINNATI&nbsp; —&nbsp;Six students have been elected&nbsp;to&nbsp;represent the student voice in the&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=wjEMn-2FpttMSDgMfEZmlYszLCpU8FylhVuLhOg-2BlOeoq8QWowUrrlK12qKVMvpgwqC1xCCFhwfu-2Fcju9rKIEY4g-3D-3D6D0a_6kyJuRoUnmvCB1a16096Mn2eJZOhmBwdl6u-2F3e7vncM2LrUJDwK9KSu1RUc8GFly3pMOhpINivEvyInDGU7k8iFUSwgluN9SMW1QUswAlVkh-2BHlWxSdrhDRKMuXfS1SsByLjZpA21aizGdJrxFE9sO2gBMEDOnPZYc7WijQOS2-2BbbQFmQSNPYFch0KTGdLgKZ64hZyKIjoIRExdeYUPBpH49MFPEjJp2z8bnb7cj-2FfRHfkZQRSANKFW4K2RxAQOkAnslqSGVxq8np8Yt28qhRCej9PqAGMP6vLnkdeKVe6Xk6EGZ-2Bw4m5pcApG-2BwMWpyXqnoJLwq-2FAJYI4xtttzR-2B2CwV6uSKFlyDQIciZEQsMr9MXSALThpj7tOCSMfq4mfrxErbrpHJNzWmiHdrxWoLpRKsFIu66i5tAj-2BWUIzBkw-3D" target="_blank">Educational Theatre Association</a>&nbsp;(EdTA) and&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=wjEMn-2FpttMSDgMfEZmlYszLCpU8FylhVuLhOg-2BlOeoopeqYlQ4ck-2BiZQxlGNtxee3s5SAv7cIEWgV5-2FqNS0jzeLcx4W9pMumNZARttlDsC8-3DKKp-_6kyJuRoUnmvCB1a16096Mn2eJZOhmBwdl6u-2F3e7vncM2LrUJDwK9KSu1RUc8GFly3pMOhpINivEvyInDGU7k8iFUSwgluN9SMW1QUswAlVkh-2BHlWxSdrhDRKMuXfS1SsByLjZpA21aizGdJrxFE9sO2gBMEDOnPZYc7WijQOS2-2BbbQFmQSNPYFch0KTGdLgKZ64hZyKIjoIRExdeYUPBpH49MFPEjJp2z8bnb7cj-2FfSMX3wBeFPIHXj78glbHhd1MJb9RnOZsTmRlxsaR9Y1giAO-2ByVOpFLwjvp-2ByRjvr4PvEH5TL3IJbPpOK9UtQo0UPkF5ST0cSvbp4Trtw78Bdcj609bkhvR2B0TTduOtj31O7b336D-2F2jI9Ibv7vkBhVHXAuULa0o7pXumKj9Yw-2F-2FG5EwBbgJ2czkz4OPBILc30-3D" target="_blank">International Thespian Society</a>&nbsp;(ITS) as&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=wjEMn-2FpttMSDgMfEZmlYszLCpU8FylhVuLhOg-2BlOeoq-2FyQfSHZd20se2D0e2okCVgkmJ83WdGwPhWkOryzsVWrxN0CGdUo3gkqg3NKs3qCI-3DAV03_6kyJuRoUnmvCB1a16096Mn2eJZOhmBwdl6u-2F3e7vncM2LrUJDwK9KSu1RUc8GFly3pMOhpINivEvyInDGU7k8iFUSwgluN9SMW1QUswAlVkh-2BHlWxSdrhDRKMuXfS1SsByLjZpA21aizGdJrxFE9sO2gBMEDOnPZYc7WijQOS2-2BbbQFmQSNPYFch0KTGdLgKZ64hZyKIjoIRExdeYUPBpH49MFPEjJp2z8bnb7cj-2FfS9iPgy69BA4EUTTIo455nCRkmpfMZME4OJJE6ihVcJljX4Ym6pQkWm6O92aev2CTtJlU4i-2B6ZqlR3XRoMgxz-2B0iSmoRH95YBalVivM1FqaxQn1o5ynNHkUC0lioaICSCljqeTJCiwklMjbmIVXi24bEyGsur-2BmWHuDG4UqRbNdPNtOM2cHOiFy5Z9VNh5f5FA-3D" target="_blank">International Thespian Officers</a>&nbsp;(ITO) for the 2020-21 school year.Those students include Spencer Angell of Salina High School Central.These officers work year-round with EdTA staff, chapter leaders, and Thespians from across the globe to nurture strong student leaders, advocate for the arts, fundraise for accessibility, and create the best experience possible for students.ITO are elected by their peers&nbsp;who are&nbsp;members of the new International Thespian Student Leadership Council (ITSLC), made up of delegates (state/provincial Thespian officers) from each chapter of ITS.Both the ITSLC and ITO are part of the&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=wjEMn-2FpttMSDgMfEZmlYszLCpU8FylhVuLhOg-2BlOeoq-2FyQfSHZd20se2D0e2okCVgkmJ83WdGwPhWkOryzsVWrxN0CGdUo3gkqg3NKs3qCI-3D4_Vr_6kyJuRoUnmvCB1a16096Mn2eJZOhmBwdl6u-2F3e7vncM2LrUJDwK9KSu1RUc8GFly3pMOhpINivEvyInDGU7k8iFUSwgluN9SMW1QUswAlVkh-2BHlWxSdrhDRKMuXfS1SsByLjZpA21aizGdJrxFE9sO2gBMEDOnPZYc7WijQOS2-2BbbQFmQSNPYFch0KTGdLgKZ64hZyKIjoIRExdeYUPBpH49MFPEjJp2z8bnb7cj-2FfQDAfkzBGNZ9sAkbajkuf7yyJCbugqXWSUZj4lpq-2BT-2B9-2F8cIy6AiRurTN8N-2B2GE-2BuUasY2fEA1YfOkDOYXa2L2tC8PVmEIYGbR6-2BDc7aOcCb9pmpXhDhfrEwIJfpWgN-2F3L4fIE2cRedKKdp-2FnI5PccmMYQQRelZzlS4rF3kuqRpTBSZYRTfoa7l7TVw0-2FTr214-3D" target="_blank">student leadership program</a>&nbsp;of ITS, offering training and experience at the local, chapter, and national levels.The students who served as ITO in 2019-20 focused on two activities that enhanced the organization’s diversity and inclusivity. They laid the groundwork for the ITSLC to expand leadership opportunities at the state level, and they initiated what became the&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=wjEMn-2FpttMSDgMfEZmlYszLCpU8FylhVuLhOg-2BlOeoqoz1VzDMKY5HMo8P-2FDM5UC2t1PN7zTftu4smutgiEw-2Blo7zccGq38Tt7IcY2g7FCZuESQ7ode0jyhQEgPReSp06yALp8ak-2Fvs8xS5WT6w3Ct9brDIPWyvohTx7HfDB3-2FELJa6Tn7n-2BuSAyTWgKph5WHYeRZnCUmfam7EsPcxUAITv4jNkoqMSAXis5wh0t9DSVKo5cDMBh6zMkpUMorE2EEtmZpDam-2B15SIkmsogkIWQ-3D-3DxCTm_6kyJuRoUnmvCB1a16096Mn2eJZOhmBwdl6u-2F3e7vncM2LrUJDwK9KSu1RUc8GFly3pMOhpINivEvyInDGU7k8iFUSwgluN9SMW1QUswAlVkh-2BHlWxSdrhDRKMuXfS1SsByLjZpA21aizGdJrxFE9sO2gBMEDOnPZYc7WijQOS2-2BbbQFmQSNPYFch0KTGdLgKZ64hZyKIjoIRExdeYUPBpH49MFPEjJp2z8bnb7cj-2FfSxN39JTNb5XPvXEEKurNfis3axEy8AHbqlFxURNJzMZURo93-2Bnv8WFfdKpoNt1724kXFyTCtApjGAxmO3eyhFvVPzLsjGJoj4QPv-2FbcY8yhsKLJ3jgsi2RqaeV-2FY9sNrWZTmvOvSJQPV8ldGJVNoZR5wOBUzTOl3RZbAcNENtByaOSTFNrOIQ4v3TrW-2BqVZZg-3D" target="_blank">Send A Leader Diversity grant</a>,&nbsp;&nbsp;awarded to student Thespians traditionally underrepresented in student leadership and who have experience in diversity-based leadership, service, and social justice activities.. The incoming ITO intend to continue that work.The&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=wjEMn-2FpttMSDgMfEZmlYszLCpU8FylhVuLhOg-2BlOeoopeqYlQ4ck-2BiZQxlGNtxee3s5SAv7cIEWgV5-2FqNS0jzeLcx4W9pMumNZARttlDsC8-3DoBfP_6kyJuRoUnmvCB1a16096Mn2eJZOhmBwdl6u-2F3e7vncM2LrUJDwK9KSu1RUc8GFly3pMOhpINivEvyInDGU7k8iFUSwgluN9SMW1QUswAlVkh-2BHlWxSdrhDRKMuXfS1SsByLjZpA21aizGdJrxFE9sO2gBMEDOnPZYc7WijQOS2-2BbbQFmQSNPYFch0KTGdLgKZ64hZyKIjoIRExdeYUPBpH49MFPEjJp2z8bnb7cj-2FfQWOJXVK8s0GgDGWtZz34-2Fa1QENF8fdwTyUl67MT5oEz129nv6F2Enz2q0Q5DHSsERnaGcg20LloBr0GoO3cMJX0pZa5oNcrA36mO3gL4fpPxWoIrD0Jjc08EI2YVgd5cX6KqxXIHabXjhcP8H3p0J0OOlqJhpoxQ7WSQ0Nxu8Scxxp9ztnH8wUcE-2FHgebj5bM-3D" target="_blank">International Thespian Society</a>,&nbsp;which was established in 1929, has 2.4 million members and is the honor society for middle and high school drama students.&nbsp; A Thespian troupe is a group of students who have earned induction into the honor society. ITS is a program of the Educational Theatre Association.

Central student among International Thespian Officers for 2020-21

By RON WILSON Kansas State University

Let’s sit down at a piano keyboard. As fingers start to move across the keys, a beautiful sound is generated from the heart of the piano. Where does this piano come from? Today we’ll learn about a remarkable Kansas business which is selling pianos across the nation and beyond.

Dan Murphy is the founder and owner of Mid-America Piano in Manhattan, Kansas. He grew up near the rural community of Keats, in Wildcat Township which has a population of 834 people. Now, that’s rural. Dan’s grandparents were dairy farmers and apparently that work ethic stayed with him.

Dan grew up in a musical home. “I played piano since I was a little kid,” Dan said. “My grandmothers and my mom played piano, my dad played guitar, and my sister played the saxophone. Sometimes we’d go play music at the nursing homes in the area.”

After graduating from Riley County High School, he attended Cloud County Community College where he played trumpet in the jazz band. His plan was to attend Kansas State University, but he also wanted a part-time job.

“There was a ‘help wanted’ ad in the Manhattan Mercury,” Dan said. “A piano company was looking for a salesman. I applied and started work the same day.”

Dan found he enjoyed the piano business. The company he worked for primarily sold new pianos, and Dan thought there was a niche selling pianos in the used piano market. In 1986, he went out on his own. He called the business Mid-America Piano.

“I rented a little hole-in-the-wall place on the west side of Manhattan,” Dan said. He began with three used pianos, a worn-out church van he had bought at an auction, and a 900-square-foot facility. “I figured I’d be in there five years,” Dan said. “We outgrew that space in six months.”

The business continued to expand through the years. In 1987, Dan moved his business to Poyntz Avenue in downtown Manhattan. In 2002, Mid-America Piano moved into its current location in an 11,000 square foot building on the K-177 highway south of town. This provided more room, higher visibility, and handy access to the interstate.

Today, Mid-America Piano is one of the leading suppliers of pianos across the nation.&nbsp;&nbsp;The company specializes in high quality, previously owned pianos that can be resold or restored as needed. The goal is to provide a quality piano at an affordable price.

The company literally sells pianos coast to coast, border to border and beyond. “I’ve been to every one of the 48 (continental) states multiple times,” Dan said. The company has even shipped pianos to Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, and countries in Africa.

Mid-America Piano offers everything from starter pianos to concert grands, and from new pianos to vintage instruments. There are grand pianos, uprights, digital pianos, organs, automated player systems and more. Product names include Steinway &amp; Sons, Baldwin, Yamaha and others. The company provides national pickup and delivery.

Along the way, Dan also picked up some extra special pianos – even one-of-a-kind treasures. Called art case pianos, these include an ornate 1900 Steinway, a 1913 swan grand Steinway, a 1905 Louis XV Steinway and more. These are on display at the company’s showroom. The finest collection of art case pianos in the world just might be in Manhattan, Kansas.

The company also offers organs for sale. Mid-America Piano is said to have the largest pre-owned Lowrey organ gallery in the U.S.

Dan’s travels have taken him from Seattle in the Pacific Northwest to Key West in Florida. “I love meeting people, and music is the universal language,” Dan said. For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.piano4u.com/" target="_blank">www.piano4u.com</a>.

The fingers flow across the keyboard as the piano produces beautiful notes. It’s an example of the fine products at Mid-America Piano. We salute Dan Murphy and the staff of Mid-America Piano for making a difference with entrepreneurship in the piano business. Their niche in the market strikes just the right note. For customers who are seeking a good value in a piano, they can work with Dan Murphy and make beautiful music together.

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/2020/6/1593302490366.jpeg" alt="Dan Murphy. Photo courtesy KSRE" />
 <figcaption>Dan Murphy. Photo courtesy KSRE</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Kansas State UniversityLet’s sit down at a piano keyboard. As fingers start to move across the keys, a beautiful sound is generated from the heart of the piano. Where does this piano come from? Today we’ll learn about a remarkable Kansas business which is selling pianos across the nation and beyond. Dan Murphy is the founder and owner of Mid-America Piano in Manhattan, Kansas. He grew up near the rural community of Keats, in Wildcat Township which has a population of 834 people. Now, that’s rural. Dan’s grandparents were dairy farmers and apparently that work ethic stayed with him.Dan grew up in a musical home. “I played piano since I was a little kid,” Dan said. “My grandmothers and my mom played piano, my dad played guitar, and my sister played the saxophone. Sometimes we’d go play music at the nursing homes in the area.”After graduating from Riley County High School, he attended Cloud County Community College where he played trumpet in the jazz band. His plan was to attend Kansas State University, but he also wanted a part-time job.“There was a ‘help wanted’ ad in the Manhattan Mercury,” Dan said. “A piano company was looking for a salesman. I applied and started work the same day.”Dan found he enjoyed the piano business. The company he worked for primarily sold new pianos, and Dan thought there was a niche selling pianos in the used piano market. In 1986, he went out on his own. He called the business Mid-America Piano.“I rented a little hole-in-the-wall place on the west side of Manhattan,” Dan said. He began with three used pianos, a worn-out church van he had bought at an auction, and a 900-square-foot facility. “I figured I’d be in there five years,” Dan said. “We outgrew that space in six months.”The business continued to expand through the years. In 1987, Dan moved his business to Poyntz Avenue in downtown Manhattan. In 2002, Mid-America Piano moved into its current location in an 11,000 square foot building on the K-177 highway south of town. This provided more room, higher visibility, and handy access to the interstate.Today, Mid-America Piano is one of the leading suppliers of pianos across the nation.&nbsp;&nbsp;The company specializes in high quality, previously owned pianos that can be resold or restored as needed. The goal is to provide a quality piano at an affordable price.The company literally sells pianos coast to coast, border to border and beyond. “I’ve been to every one of the 48 (continental) states multiple times,” Dan said. The company has even shipped pianos to Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, and countries in Africa.Mid-America Piano offers everything from starter pianos to concert grands, and from new pianos to vintage instruments. There are grand pianos, uprights, digital pianos, organs, automated player systems and more. Product names include Steinway &amp; Sons, Baldwin, Yamaha and others. The company provides national pickup and delivery.Along the way, Dan also picked up some extra special pianos – even one-of-a-kind treasures. Called art case pianos, these include an ornate 1900 Steinway, a 1913 swan grand Steinway, a 1905 Louis XV Steinway and more. These are on display at the company’s showroom. The finest collection of art case pianos in the world just might be in Manhattan, Kansas.The company also offers organs for sale. Mid-America Piano is said to have the largest pre-owned Lowrey organ gallery in the U.S.Dan’s travels have taken him from Seattle in the Pacific Northwest to Key West in Florida. “I love meeting people, and music is the universal language,” Dan said. For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.piano4u.com/" target="_blank">www.piano4u.com</a>.The fingers flow across the keyboard as the piano produces beautiful notes. It’s an example of the fine products at Mid-America Piano. We salute Dan Murphy and the staff of Mid-America Piano for making a difference with entrepreneurship in the piano business. Their niche in the market strikes just the right note. For customers who are seeking a good value in a piano, they can work with Dan Murphy and make beautiful music together.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.

Kansas Profile – Now That’s Rural:  Dan Murphy, Mid-America Piano

PRATT – Have you been working on your outdoor photography skills recently? If you’ve taken a photo highlighting Kansas wildlife, outdoor recreation, hunting, fishing, or local landscapes consider submitting your work in the 2020 “Wild About Kansas” 8th annual photo contest hosted by&nbsp;Kansas Wildlife and Parks Magazine!

Deadline for participating in the contest is Oct. 18 by 11:59 p.m.

1. Visit ksoutdoors.com, click “Publications,” then “2020 Wild About Kansas Photo Contest.”

2. Carefully read each category description, and contest rules.

3. Complete the “2020 ‘Wild About Kansas’ Entry Form” found at the bottom of the webpage. (You will receive a conformation code upon completion).

4. Copy your confirmation code into the subject line of a new e-mail.

5. Attach your photos, and detail which category each photo should be entered into (one category per image). E-mail your photos to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kdwpt.wildaboutkansas@ks.gov">kdwpt.wildaboutkansas@ks.gov</a>.

Participants whose images have been selected for a 1st, 2nd, 3rd place or honorable mention award will have their winning imagery featured in the 2021 January/February photo issue of&nbsp;Kansas Wildlife and Parks Magazine.

For more information, visit&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Services/Publications/Magazine/2020-Wild-About-Kansas-Photo-Contest" target="_blank">ksoutdoors.com/Services/Publications/Magazine/2020-Wild-About-Kansas-Photo-Contest</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593303534211.jpeg" alt="The KDWPT Wild About Kansas Photo Contest is going on now. Photo courtesy KDWPT" />
 <figcaption>The KDWPT Wild About Kansas Photo Contest is going on now. Photo courtesy KDWPT</figcaption>
 </figure>PRATT – Have you been working on your outdoor photography skills recently? If you’ve taken a photo highlighting Kansas wildlife, outdoor recreation, hunting, fishing, or local landscapes consider submitting your work in the 2020 “Wild About Kansas” 8th annual photo contest hosted by&nbsp;Kansas Wildlife and Parks Magazine! Deadline for participating in the contest is Oct. 18 by 11:59 p.m.Here’s how to enter.1. Visit ksoutdoors.com, click “Publications,” then “2020 Wild About Kansas Photo Contest.”2. Carefully read each category description, and contest rules.3. Complete the “2020 ‘Wild About Kansas’ Entry Form” found at the bottom of the webpage. (You will receive a conformation code upon completion).4. Copy your confirmation code into the subject line of a new e-mail.5. Attach your photos, and detail which category each photo should be entered into (one category per image). E-mail your photos to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kdwpt.wildaboutkansas@ks.gov">kdwpt.wildaboutkansas@ks.gov</a>.Participants whose images have been selected for a 1st, 2nd, 3rd place or honorable mention award will have their winning imagery featured in the 2021 January/February photo issue of&nbsp;Kansas Wildlife and Parks Magazine.Photos must be:1 megabyte (MB) or larger. Taken in Kansas. Appropriate for the category enteredFor more information, visit&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://ksoutdoors.com/Services/Publications/Magazine/2020-Wild-About-Kansas-Photo-Contest" target="_blank">ksoutdoors.com/Services/Publications/Magazine/2020-Wild-About-Kansas-Photo-Contest</a>.

 Wild About Kansas photo contest going on now

Today is Sunday, June 28, the 180th day of 2020. There are 186 days left in the year. 

On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in France, ending the First World War. 

In 1838, Britain's Queen Victoria was crowned in Westminster Abbey. 

In 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln appointed Maj. Gen. George G. Meade the new commander of the Army of the Potomac, following the resignation of Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker. 

In 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, Sophie, were shot to death in Sarajevo by Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip — an act which sparked World War I. 

In 1939, Pan American Airways began regular trans-Atlantic air service with a flight that departed New York for Marseilles, France. 

In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Alien Registration Act, also known as the Smith Act, which required adult foreigners residing in the U.S. to be registered and fingerprinted. 

In 1964, civil rights activist Malcolm X declared, "We want equality by any means necessary" during the Founding Rally of the Organization of Afro-American Unity in New York. 

In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, which moved commemorations for Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day and Veterans Day to Monday, creating three-day holiday weekends beginning in 1971. 

In 1975, screenwriter, producer and actor Rod Serling, 50, creator of "The Twilight Zone," died in Rochester, New York. 

In 1978, the Supreme Court ordered the University of California-Davis Medical School to admit Allan Bakke, a white man who argued he'd been a victim of reverse racial discrimination. 

In 1994, President Bill Clinton became the first chief executive in U.S. history to set up a personal legal defense fund and ask Americans to contribute to it. 

In 2000, seven months after he was cast adrift in the Florida Straits, Elian Gonzalez was returned to his native Cuba. 

In 2013, tens of thousands of supporters and opponents of President Mohammed Morsi rallied in Cairo, and both sides fought each other in Egypt's second-largest city of Alexandria, where two people — including an American — were killed and scores injured. The four plaintiffs in the U.S. Supreme Court case that overturned California's same-sex marriage ban tied the knot, just hours after a federal appeals court freed gay couples to obtain marriage licenses in the state for the first time in 4 1/2 years. 

Ten years ago: Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., the longest-serving senator in the nation's history, died in Falls Church, Virginia, at 92. The Senate Judiciary Committee opened its confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan. The Supreme Court ruled, 5-4, that Americans had the right to own a gun for self-defense anywhere they lived. The FBI announced the arrests of 10 suspected deep-cover agents, including Anna Chapman, the chic 28-year-old daughter of a Russian diplomat. (All 10 were later returned to Russia in a swap.)

Five years ago: Authorities in upstate New York captured David Sweat, one of two convicted murderers who'd escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility on June 6; Sweat was apprehended two days after his fellow escapee, Richard Matt, was shot and killed in a confrontation with law enforcement. After 18 straight successful launches, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket broke apart minutes after soaring away from Cape Canaveral, Florida, while carrying supplies for the International Space Station. Comedian Jack Carter, 93, died in Beverly Hills, California.

One year ago: Avowed white supremacist James Alex Fields, who deliberately drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, killing a young woman and injuring dozens, apologized to his victims before being sentenced to life in prison on federal hate crime charges. President Donald Trump joked with Russian President Vladimir Putin about interfering in U.S. elections as the two met on the sidelines of an international summit in Japan. The U.S. team advanced to meet England in the semifinals of the Women's World Cup soccer tournament with a 2-1 victory over France. Thousands converged on New York's Stonewall Inn for the 50th anniversary of a clash between patrons and police; the rebellion served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement.

Today's Birthdays: Comedian-movie director Mel Brooks is 94. Former Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., is 86. Comedian-impressionist John Byner is 83. Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is 82. Rock musician Dave Knights (Procul Harum) is 75. Actor Bruce Davison is 74. Actress Kathy Bates is 72. Actress Alice Krige is 66. College and Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway is 60. Record company chief executive Tony Mercedes is 58. Jazz singer Tierney Sutton is 57. Actress Jessica Hecht is 55. Rock musician Saul Davies (James) is 55. Actress Mary Stuart Masterson is 54. Actor John Cusack is 54. Actor Gil Bellows is 53. Actress-singer Danielle Brisebois is 51. Jazz musician Jimmy Sommers is 51. Actress Tichina Arnold is 51. Actor Steve Burton is 50. Entrepreneur Elon Musk is 49. Actor Alessandro Nivola is 48. Actress Camille Guaty is 44. Rock musician Tim Nordwind (OK Go) is 44. Rock musician Mark Stoermer (The Killers) is 43. Country singer Big Vinny Hickerson (Trailer Choir) is 37. Country singer Kellie Pickler is 34.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592508220607.jpeg" alt="&nbsp; Photo of old book courtesy&nbsp;<a href="http://shutterstock.com/">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp; Photo of old book courtesy&nbsp;<a href="http://shutterstock.com/">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Sunday, June 28, the 180th day of 2020. There are 186 days left in the year. Today's Highlights in History: On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in France, ending the First World War. On this date: In 1838, Britain's Queen Victoria was crowned in Westminster Abbey. In 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln appointed Maj. Gen. George G. Meade the new commander of the Army of the Potomac, following the resignation of Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker. In 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, Sophie, were shot to death in Sarajevo by Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip — an act which sparked World War I. In 1939, Pan American Airways began regular trans-Atlantic air service with a flight that departed New York for Marseilles, France. In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Alien Registration Act, also known as the Smith Act, which required adult foreigners residing in the U.S. to be registered and fingerprinted. In 1964, civil rights activist Malcolm X declared, "We want equality by any means necessary" during the Founding Rally of the Organization of Afro-American Unity in New York. In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, which moved commemorations for Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day and Veterans Day to Monday, creating three-day holiday weekends beginning in 1971. In 1975, screenwriter, producer and actor Rod Serling, 50, creator of "The Twilight Zone," died in Rochester, New York. In 1978, the Supreme Court ordered the University of California-Davis Medical School to admit Allan Bakke, a white man who argued he'd been a victim of reverse racial discrimination. In 1994, President Bill Clinton became the first chief executive in U.S. history to set up a personal legal defense fund and ask Americans to contribute to it. In 2000, seven months after he was cast adrift in the Florida Straits, Elian Gonzalez was returned to his native Cuba. In 2013, tens of thousands of supporters and opponents of President Mohammed Morsi rallied in Cairo, and both sides fought each other in Egypt's second-largest city of Alexandria, where two people — including an American — were killed and scores injured. The four plaintiffs in the U.S. Supreme Court case that overturned California's same-sex marriage ban tied the knot, just hours after a federal appeals court freed gay couples to obtain marriage licenses in the state for the first time in 4 1/2 years. Ten years ago: Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., the longest-serving senator in the nation's history, died in Falls Church, Virginia, at 92. The Senate Judiciary Committee opened its confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan. The Supreme Court ruled, 5-4, that Americans had the right to own a gun for self-defense anywhere they lived. The FBI announced the arrests of 10 suspected deep-cover agents, including Anna Chapman, the chic 28-year-old daughter of a Russian diplomat. (All 10 were later returned to Russia in a swap.) Five years ago: Authorities in upstate New York captured David Sweat, one of two convicted murderers who'd escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility on June 6; Sweat was apprehended two days after his fellow escapee, Richard Matt, was shot and killed in a confrontation with law enforcement. After 18 straight successful launches, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket broke apart minutes after soaring away from Cape Canaveral, Florida, while carrying supplies for the International Space Station. Comedian Jack Carter, 93, died in Beverly Hills, California. One year ago: Avowed white supremacist James Alex Fields, who deliberately drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, killing a young woman and injuring dozens, apologized to his victims before being sentenced to life in prison on federal hate crime charges. President Donald Trump joked with Russian President Vladimir Putin about interfering in U.S. elections as the two met on the sidelines of an international summit in Japan. The U.S. team advanced to meet England in the semifinals of the Women's World Cup soccer tournament with a 2-1 victory over France. Thousands converged on New York's Stonewall Inn for the 50th anniversary of a clash between patrons and police; the rebellion served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement. Today's Birthdays: Comedian-movie director Mel Brooks is 94. Former Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., is 86. Comedian-impressionist John Byner is 83. Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is 82. Rock musician Dave Knights (Procul Harum) is 75. Actor Bruce Davison is 74. Actress Kathy Bates is 72. Actress Alice Krige is 66. College and Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway is 60. Record company chief executive Tony Mercedes is 58. Jazz singer Tierney Sutton is 57. Actress Jessica Hecht is 55. Rock musician Saul Davies (James) is 55. Actress Mary Stuart Masterson is 54. Actor John Cusack is 54. Actor Gil Bellows is 53. Actress-singer Danielle Brisebois is 51. Jazz musician Jimmy Sommers is 51. Actress Tichina Arnold is 51. Actor Steve Burton is 50. Entrepreneur Elon Musk is 49. Actor Alessandro Nivola is 48. Actress Camille Guaty is 44. Rock musician Tim Nordwind (OK Go) is 44. Rock musician Mark Stoermer (The Killers) is 43. Country singer Big Vinny Hickerson (Trailer Choir) is 37. Country singer Kellie Pickler is 34.

Today in History -- June 28

We're in for a hot Sunday and an even hotter Tuesday.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Wichita, highs today are expected to be in the low to mid 90s area wide.

Slightly cooler temperatures are expected Monday with some of the warmest temperatures of the season forecast for Tuesday. Many locations are expected to reach 100 degrees on Tuesday, NWS reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593345008959.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>We're in for a hot Sunday and an even hotter Tuesday.According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Wichita, highs today are expected to be in the low to mid 90s area wide.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593345051603.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Slightly cooler temperatures are expected Monday with some of the warmest temperatures of the season forecast for Tuesday. Many locations are expected to reach 100 degrees on Tuesday, NWS reported.

NWS: Temperatures above 100 by Tuesday

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

UPDATE: The severe thunderstorm watch has been allowed to expire.

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., has issued a severe thunderstorm watch in effect until 3 a.m. for the following counties in our area.

UPDATE: The severe thunderstorm watch has been allowed to expire.The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., has issued a severe thunderstorm watch in effect until 3 a.m. for the following counties in our area.Ellsworth CountyJewell CountyLincoln CountyMitchell County

UPDATE: Severe thunderstorm watch has expired

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY SalinaPost

A journalist whose work has informed and influenced thousands of people in central Kansas is being inducted into the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame.

Linda Denning, editor and publisher of the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter, joins Gary Mehl, retired editor and publisher of the McPherson Sentinel, and John D. Hanna of the Associate Press, in the 2020 class of inductees. According to information from the Kansas Press Association (KPA), the three will be honored once health officials determine it is safe for Kansans to meet in large groups.

"It’s an honor to be recognized by my fellow journalists and I’m very grateful and humbled," Denning told the Salina Post. 

"Two other thoughts come to mind as I go over the list of journalists already in the HOF. The first is I’m not sure I can even begin to live up to the contributions made by the Whitley Austins and the Howard Kessingers and the Tom Eblens of Kansas journalism. There are so many more," she continued. "The second thought is that over the 150 years of the Kansas Press Association, I am the fifth woman to be chosen for HOF. My hope is that will change significantly going forward and we will see more women recognized."

Denning knew early in her life, third grade to be exact, that she wanted to be a newspaper journalist. Throughout her career, she has seen changes, most notably in newspaper technology. She explained that when she attended Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., in 1968, the school newspaper was being printed by what was then a relatively new offset press.

"Four years later, when I went to work for the Salina Journal, we exchanged our typewriters for computers. The Journal was one of the earliest newspapers in Kansas to install computers. At the same time, the newspaper was trying to perfect its color capabilities,"she said. 

"Then, in 1999, when Sharon Montague and I founded the Ellsworth County Independent, websites were just becoming standard. Digital media has just exploded since then," she continued. "Is that a good thing? In some ways. It gives people a voice who perhaps wouldn’t have one otherwise. But it also has devalued our society and created so much fragmentation, everyone can now pretty much find a site to support their viewpoint, no matter how misguided it might be."

Denning noted that another big change was the rise of hedge fund journalism.

"It’s all about money and that is almost never good," she noted.

While at the Salina Journal, Denning served as regonal editor for nearly 27 years. During that time, her ability to seek out a story was finely honed.

"We used to head out to western Kansas to work on one story. By the time we started heading for home she would have found four more stories after talking to a few people. We'd be eating at the local restaurant and people would stop and say 'You're Linda Denning, I've got a story for you,'" longtime Salina Journal photographer Tom Dorsey told Salina Post.

"It was always fun working with Linda. She always had interesting stories," Dorsey said.

"I’m proudest of the stories I wrote about ordinary people who quietly went about their lives and at the same time made their communities better places," Denning said. "There also were the issue-oriented stories that allowed me to tell a side of a story that might not otherwise have been represented."

As an example, Denning told of a central Kansas business owner who called to thank her for the stories she wrote about the woman's community during the farm crisis of the 1980s.

The woman told Denning, "I think there are towns out here that are still alive because of the stories you wrote."

Denning also said she enjoyed covering Bob Dole's run for president.

"My all-time favorite, fun story was chasing Bob Dole around when he ran for president. It didn’t end as I would have wished, but it was a wonderful education for a political science major," she explained.

Over the years, Denning, a past KPA president, has received accolades for her work, including the Clyde M. Reed Jr. Master Editor Award in 2004. Yet she is quick to praise those with whom she has worked.

"I have had the honor of working with some of the most talented people ever over the years. Tom Dorsey. Fritz Mendell. Kelly Persnell. Scott Williams. All Journal photographers and all the very best in their profession. And the writers. I spent years trying to be as good as Karen Black and I’m still not there. Jim Suber. Pat Gaston. John Marshall. Larry Mathews. Sharon. And John Schmeidler. John was a wonderful writer. He brought poetry to the pages of the Salina Journal," Denning noted.

"I have been fortunate enough to work with all of these people and many more, including those in other departments at the Journal and my staff at the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter. I learned so much from every one of them," she added.

As for her legacy, Denning hopes "Kansas is a little better place because of the stories I wrote."

"I hope Ellsworth is a little better because Sharon and I followed our instincts and provided the community with the newspaper it deserved. Later, when Sharon left to return to the Journal, I joined with Morris Multimedia, my competitors, and that was another win for Ellsworth County. Morris is very community oriented."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593299360237.jpeg" alt="Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter Editor and Publisher Linda Denning is being inducted into the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter Editor and Publisher Linda Denning is being inducted into the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY SalinaPostA journalist whose work has informed and influenced thousands of people in central Kansas is being inducted into the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame.Linda Denning, editor and publisher of the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter, joins Gary Mehl, retired editor and publisher of the McPherson Sentinel, and John D. Hanna of the Associate Press, in the 2020 class of inductees. According to information from the Kansas Press Association (KPA), the three will be honored once health officials determine it is safe for Kansans to meet in large groups."It’s an honor to be recognized by my fellow journalists and I’m very grateful and humbled," Denning told the Salina Post. "Two other thoughts come to mind as I go over the list of journalists already in the HOF. The first is I’m not sure I can even begin to live up to the contributions made by the Whitley Austins and the Howard Kessingers and the Tom Eblens of Kansas journalism. There are so many more," she continued. "The second thought is that over the 150 years of the Kansas Press Association, I am the fifth woman to be chosen for HOF. My hope is that will change significantly going forward and we will see more women recognized."Changes in the newspaper businessDenning knew early in her life, third grade to be exact, that she wanted to be a newspaper journalist. Throughout her career, she has seen changes, most notably in newspaper technology. She explained that when she attended Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., in 1968, the school newspaper was being printed by what was then a relatively new offset press."Four years later, when I went to work for the Salina Journal, we exchanged our typewriters for computers. The Journal was one of the earliest newspapers in Kansas to install computers. At the same time, the newspaper was trying to perfect its color capabilities,"she said. "Then, in 1999, when Sharon Montague and I founded the Ellsworth County Independent, websites were just becoming standard. Digital media has just exploded since then," she continued. "Is that a good thing? In some ways. It gives people a voice who perhaps wouldn’t have one otherwise. But it also has devalued our society and created so much fragmentation, everyone can now pretty much find a site to support their viewpoint, no matter how misguided it might be."Denning noted that another big change was the rise of hedge fund journalism."It’s all about money and that is almost never good," she noted.People and storiesWhile at the Salina Journal, Denning served as regonal editor for nearly 27 years. During that time, her ability to seek out a story was finely honed."We used to head out to western Kansas to work on one story. By the time we started heading for home she would have found four more stories after talking to a few people. We'd be eating at the local restaurant and people would stop and say 'You're Linda Denning, I've got a story for you,'" longtime Salina Journal photographer Tom Dorsey told Salina Post."It was always fun working with Linda. She always had interesting stories," Dorsey said."I’m proudest of the stories I wrote about ordinary people who quietly went about their lives and at the same time made their communities better places," Denning said. "There also were the issue-oriented stories that allowed me to tell a side of a story that might not otherwise have been represented."As an example, Denning told of a central Kansas business owner who called to thank her for the stories she wrote about the woman's community during the farm crisis of the 1980s.The woman told Denning, "I think there are towns out here that are still alive because of the stories you wrote."Denning also said she enjoyed covering Bob Dole's run for president."My all-time favorite, fun story was chasing Bob Dole around when he ran for president. It didn’t end as I would have wished, but it was a wonderful education for a political science major," she explained.The journalist and her legacyOver the years, Denning, a past KPA president, has received accolades for her work, including the Clyde M. Reed Jr. Master Editor Award in 2004. Yet she is quick to praise those with whom she has worked."I have had the honor of working with some of the most talented people ever over the years. Tom Dorsey. Fritz Mendell. Kelly Persnell. Scott Williams. All Journal photographers and all the very best in their profession. And the writers. I spent years trying to be as good as Karen Black and I’m still not there. Jim Suber. Pat Gaston. John Marshall. Larry Mathews. Sharon. And John Schmeidler. John was a wonderful writer. He brought poetry to the pages of the Salina Journal," Denning noted."I have been fortunate enough to work with all of these people and many more, including those in other departments at the Journal and my staff at the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter. I learned so much from every one of them," she added.As for her legacy, Denning hopes "Kansas is a little better place because of the stories I wrote.""I hope Ellsworth is a little better because Sharon and I followed our instincts and provided the community with the newspaper it deserved. Later, when Sharon left to return to the Journal, I joined with Morris Multimedia, my competitors, and that was another win for Ellsworth County. Morris is very community oriented."

Ellsworth's Denning going into Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame

Weather History for Saturday, June 27, 2020, from the National Weather Service in Wichita: In 1987, extremely dangerous severe thunderstorms that moved southeast from Nebraska, invaded North Central Kansas shortly after midnight. Gusts around 100 mph tore through Lake Waconda, heavily damaging around 50 camping trailers and injuring 16 people at a state park campground. Beloit and Sylvan Grove were whiplashed by gusts around 80 mph. In 1918, lightning struck the wires connecting 9 tons of dynamite that were readied for detonation at an open pit mine 2 miles west of Virginia, Minnesota. The resulting premature explosion caused the mine to collapse, trapping 20 men, 14 of which were killed. The town is located 63 miles north northwest of Duluth.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Weather History for Saturday, June 27, 2020, from the National Weather Service in Wichita: In 1987, extremely dangerous severe thunderstorms that moved southeast from Nebraska, invaded North Central Kansas shortly after midnight. Gusts around 100 mph tore through Lake Waconda, heavily damaging around 50 camping trailers and injuring 16 people at a state park campground. Beloit and Sylvan Grove were whiplashed by gusts around 80 mph. In 1918, lightning struck the wires connecting 9 tons of dynamite that were readied for detonation at an open pit mine 2 miles west of Virginia, Minnesota. The resulting premature explosion caused the mine to collapse, trapping 20 men, 14 of which were killed. The town is located 63 miles north northwest of Duluth.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This Day in Weather History: Storms rake Beloit, Sylvan Grove areas in 1987

Saline County released information today about a possible COVID-19 exposure at Sunset Park.&nbsp;

Following is the information from the county.

On June 22nd, 2020 a soccer game took place in Sunset Park located at 700 Sunset Dr. Salina, Kansas. At least one symptomatic person participated in that game and potentially exposed others to COVID-19. This game took place between 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm.

This was not an organized game, so there is no roster of attendees. If anyone was in attendance we ask that you quarantine, monitor for symptoms of COVID-19, and call the Saline County Health Department at 785-826-6600. If you are unable to reach a person directly, please leave a detailed message with your name and contact information so we can contact you.

Symptoms can range from mild to severe illness and appear 2-14 days after you are exposed. Symptoms can include the following:

•New loss of taste or smell

•Shortness of Breath or difficulty breathing

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>.

Saline County released information today about a possible COVID-19 exposure at Sunset Park.&nbsp;Following is the information from the county.On June 22nd, 2020 a soccer game took place in Sunset Park located at 700 Sunset Dr. Salina, Kansas. At least one symptomatic person participated in that game and potentially exposed others to COVID-19. This game took place between 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm.This was not an organized game, so there is no roster of attendees. If anyone was in attendance we ask that you quarantine, monitor for symptoms of COVID-19, and call the Saline County Health Department at 785-826-6600. If you are unable to reach a person directly, please leave a detailed message with your name and contact information so we can contact you.Symptoms can range from mild to severe illness and appear 2-14 days after you are exposed. Symptoms can include the following:•Cough•Sore throat•New loss of taste or smell•Fever•Muscle pain•Chills•Shortness of Breath or difficulty breathingOnly 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 issues notice of possible COVID-19 exposure

Heavy rains overnight in counties to our north and northwest is forcing the Solomon River out of its banks as the excess water moves downstream. Because of those heavy rains, the National Weather Service has issued the following flood warnings.

A flood warning continues for the Solomon River at Beloit.

At 11:45 a.m. Saturday the river level was 21.8 feet. 

Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast.

Forecast: The river will crest this afternoon at around 22 feet in Beloit with the crest moving downstream towards Simpson by later tonight into Sunday.

At 20.0 feet, flooding occurs in the Beloit city park and fairgrounds. Rural lowlands outside of Beloit flood at 18 feet.

The flood stage at Simpson is 24.0 feet. At 11:45 a.m. Saturday the river stage was 24.9 feet. The river is expected to continue to rise at Simpson through tonight and possibly into Sunday morning.

A flood warning continues for the Solomon River near Glasco until late Monday night.

At 10:22 a.m. Saturday the river level was 26.1 feet.

Moderate flooding is occurring and moderate flooding is forecast.

Forecast: The river will continue rising to near 28.1 feet by this evening. The river will fall below flood stage Monday morning.

Impact: At 25.0 feet, County Road 763 floods west of Glasco near the west end bridge.

A flood warning has been issued for the Solomon River at Minneapolis from this evening to late Sunday night.

Forecast: Rise above flood stage by tonight and continue to rise to near 28.9 feet by Sunday morning.The river will fall below flood stage by Sunday afternoon.

Impact: At 26.0 feet, the river just west of the Highway 106 bridge floods.

A flood warning has been issued for the Solomon River near Niles from Sunday evening to Wednesday morning.

Forecast: Rise above flood stage by Sunday evening and continue to rise to near 27.5 feet by Monday morning. The river will fall below flood stage by Tuesday evening.

Impact: At 27.0 feet, Arrowhead Road west of Niles floods.

Heavy rains overnight in counties to our north and northwest is forcing the Solomon River out of its banks as the excess water moves downstream. Because of those heavy rains, the National Weather Service has issued the following flood warnings.A flood warning continues for the Solomon River at Beloit.At 11:45 a.m. Saturday the river level was 21.8 feet. Flood stage is 20.0 feet.Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast.Forecast: The river will crest this afternoon at around 22 feet in Beloit with the crest moving downstream towards Simpson by later tonight into Sunday.At 20.0 feet, flooding occurs in the Beloit city park and fairgrounds. Rural lowlands outside of Beloit flood at 18 feet.The flood stage at Simpson is 24.0 feet. At 11:45 a.m. Saturday the river stage was 24.9 feet. The river is expected to continue to rise at Simpson through tonight and possibly into Sunday morning.A flood warning continues for the Solomon River near Glasco until late Monday night.At 10:22 a.m. Saturday the river level was 26.1 feet.Flood stage is 22.0 feet.Moderate flooding is occurring and moderate flooding is forecast.Forecast: The river will continue rising to near 28.1 feet by this evening. The river will fall below flood stage Monday morning.Impact: At 25.0 feet, County Road 763 floods west of Glasco near the west end bridge.A flood warning has been issued for the Solomon River at Minneapolis from this evening to late Sunday night.Flood stage is 26.0 feet.Minor flooding is forecast.Forecast: Rise above flood stage by tonight and continue to rise to near 28.9 feet by Sunday morning.The river will fall below flood stage by Sunday afternoon.Impact: At 26.0 feet, the river just west of the Highway 106 bridge floods.A flood warning has been issued for the Solomon River near Niles from Sunday evening to Wednesday morning.Flood stage is 24.0 feet.Minor flooding is forecast.Forecast: Rise above flood stage by Sunday evening and continue to rise to near 27.5 feet by Monday morning. The river will fall below flood stage by Tuesday evening.Impact: At 27.0 feet, Arrowhead Road west of Niles floods.

Flood warnings issued for locations along Solomon River

After careful consideration of the current COVID-19 risks, Salina Public Library is temporarily closing its building to the public. 

Pickup service will be available in the north lobby from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and digital services are available any time through the library’s website.

Pickup service allows library cardholders to place holds on items they wish to check out by logging into their online accounts or by calling the library at (785) 825-4624. Once library staff has collected the requested items, they will contact patrons to arrange a pickup date and time block. Items will be left on a table in the north entrance of the library labeled with the patron’s last name and first initial.

Access to e-books, audiobooks and more are available through the library’s website — <a href="http://salinapubliclibrary.org/" target="_blank">salinapubliclibrary.org</a>. Learning options like the online language-learning platform, Mango, and the popular genealogy research service, Ancestry.com, are also available through the website.

Free grab-and-go lunches for youth, a partnership with St. John’s Missionary Baptist Church, will continue to be available from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on the west side of the library building. The community can participate in Summer at the Library by recording the number of books they read on the library’s website. As of June 25, 5,196 books have been read. Registration for CLASS offerings via Zoom, including yoga, Zumba Gold and origami, is open now at <a href="http://salina.coursestorm.com/" target="_blank">salina.coursestorm.com</a> and Storytimes with Heather will debut on the library Facebook page this Wednesday.

The library will continue to monitor the situation and announce updates as decisions are made.

After careful consideration of the current COVID-19 risks, Salina Public Library is temporarily closing its building to the public. Pickup service will be available in the north lobby from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and digital services are available any time through the library’s website.Pickup service allows library cardholders to place holds on items they wish to check out by logging into their online accounts or by calling the library at (785) 825-4624. Once library staff has collected the requested items, they will contact patrons to arrange a pickup date and time block. Items will be left on a table in the north entrance of the library labeled with the patron’s last name and first initial.Access to e-books, audiobooks and more are available through the library’s website — <a href="http://salinapubliclibrary.org/" target="_blank">salinapubliclibrary.org</a>. Learning options like the online language-learning platform, Mango, and the popular genealogy research service, Ancestry.com, are also available through the website.Free grab-and-go lunches for youth, a partnership with St. John’s Missionary Baptist Church, will continue to be available from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on the west side of the library building. The community can participate in Summer at the Library by recording the number of books they read on the library’s website. As of June 25, 5,196 books have been read. Registration for CLASS offerings via Zoom, including yoga, Zumba Gold and origami, is open now at <a href="http://salina.coursestorm.com/" target="_blank">salina.coursestorm.com</a> and Storytimes with Heather will debut on the library Facebook page this Wednesday.The library will continue to monitor the situation and announce updates as decisions are made.

Salina Public Library building closed; pickup service continues

Rainfall varied widely across the area over the last 24 hours, with the largest amounts being recorded in the more northern counties.

Several locations in McPherson County reported only a trace of rain, while almost two miles east-northeast of Beloit, 5.05 inches of rain was reported.

At the Salina Regional Airport, 0.31 was reported.

Following are 24-hour rainfall totals as of 7 a.m. Saturday (unless otherwise noted) from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cocorahs.org/ViewData/StateDailyPrecipReports.aspx?state=KS">Community Collaborative Rain, Hail &amp; Snow Network</a>. Not all counties in our area reported totals.

READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/5ee4ce44ebfb13423b27a8f4">Volunteers needed to help collect weather data</a>

Beloit 0.4 NNW, 3.96 inches (reported at 7:30 p.m.) 

Rainfall varied widely across the area over the last 24 hours, with the largest amounts being recorded in the more northern counties.Several locations in McPherson County reported only a trace of rain, while almost two miles east-northeast of Beloit, 5.05 inches of rain was reported.At the Salina Regional Airport, 0.31 was reported.Following are 24-hour rainfall totals as of 7 a.m. Saturday (unless otherwise noted) from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cocorahs.org/ViewData/StateDailyPrecipReports.aspx?state=KS">Community Collaborative Rain, Hail &amp; Snow Network</a>. Not all counties in our area reported totals.READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/5ee4ce44ebfb13423b27a8f4">Volunteers needed to help collect weather data</a>CLAY COUNTYClay Center 6.7 WNW, 1.12 inchesMorganville 3.2 SW, 0.91 of an inchDICKINSON COUNTYChapman 6.0 NNE, 0.72 of an inchHope 0.3 S, 0.52 of an inchHope 7.5 NNW, 0.63 of an inchAbilene 1.1 NNE, 0.45 of an inchELLSWORTH COUNTYEllsworth 0.3 E, 0.17 of an inchLorraine 1.4 S, 0.03 of an inchKanopolis 0.4 SSE, 0.03 of an inchMCPHERSON COUNTYMcPherson 6.6 WSW, TInman 0.8 WSW, 0.04 of an inchGalva 1.5 NE, TGalva 9.5 N, 0.02 of an inchCanton 0.3 E, 0.07 of an inchGalva 1.1 WSW, 0.02 of an inchMITCHELL COUNTYScottsville 4.6 SSW, 4.56 inchesBeloit 1.9 ENE, 5.05 inchesBeloit 6.9 NE, 3.60 inchesBeloit 0.4 NNW, 3.96 inches (reported at 7:30 p.m.) OTTAWA COUNTYAda 7.0 NNW, 4.05 inches 	REPUBLIC COUNTYBelleville 4.2 N, 2.30 inchesRepublic 1.0 NNW, 1.10 inchesScandia 1.1 N, 1.15 inchesSALINE COUNTYBrookville 5.9 NNW, 0.40 of an inchSalina 5.7 NNW, 0.61 of an inchGypsum 1.1 NE, 0.11 of an inchSalina 8.7 NNE, 0.54 of an inchCulver 1.8 SE, 0.85 of an inchSalina 6.2 ENE, 0.64 of an inchNew Cambria 2.1 NW, 0.52 of an inch

Overnight rainfall totals vary from 5.05 inches to a trace

OCCK Transportation, including CityGo, 81 Connection and Paratransit services, will have shortened hours on Friday and will be closed on July 4.&nbsp;

CityGo will run hours of operation from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m on Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;Peak routes will not be running.&nbsp;

Regional Paratransit service will only be running essential trips on Friday.&nbsp;

81 Connection will be running regular routes on Friday.

The City of Abilene public transportation will be closed on Friday.

Transportation services will resume normal operating hours on July 6.&nbsp;

OCCK Transportation, including CityGo, 81 Connection and Paratransit services, will have shortened hours on Friday and will be closed on July 4.&nbsp;CityGo will run hours of operation from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m on Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;Peak routes will not be running.&nbsp;Regional Paratransit service will only be running essential trips on Friday.&nbsp;81 Connection will be running regular routes on Friday.The City of Abilene public transportation will be closed on Friday.Transportation services will resume normal operating hours on July 6.&nbsp;

OCCK Transportation adjusts hours for Independence Day holiday

How do you protest safely during a pandemic? While there’s no way to eliminate the danger, one of the obvious and universally recommended measures to mitigate the risk is to wear a mask.

In the past weeks we’ve seen law enforcement pose its own dangers to protesters, employing weapons like tear gas and rubber bullets, as well as increasing their possibility of contracting COVID-19 by&nbsp;<a href="https://slate.com/technology/2020/06/police-detention-coronavirus-protests.html" target="_blank">arresting them and packing them into confined spaces</a>. But the most ironic of these actions would have to be the police in Washington, D.C.,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/dc-police-charged-demonstrators-with-wearing-masks-even-though-coronavirus-guidelines-require-them" target="_blank">arresting protesters for wearing masks</a>.

In addition to Washington D.C., 18 states and numerous municipalities have anti-mask laws. Many of these laws were passed in the 1940s and ’50s to target the Ku Klux Klan’s use of masks and hoods. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1169/anti-mask-laws" target="_blank">rationale behind these laws</a>&nbsp;— that masks “embolden people to commit crimes and make those crimes more frightening” — isn’t necessarily outdated. But what is outdated is the fact that while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.icnl.org/post/analysis/anti-mask-laws-covid-19-and-the-first-amendment" target="_blank">most of these laws make exceptions</a>&nbsp;for things like Halloween costumes and sporting events, and some have exceptions for face coverings worn for religious reasons, none has exceptions for masks worn for public health reasons or during protests. This ignores the fact that our society has undergone two major shifts since these laws were passed that should change our entire analysis of them. First, we’re in the midst of a pandemic spread by an airborne virus. And second, advances in surveillance technology mean that the right to speak anonymously and associate freely is compromised in a way that it’s never been before.

The First Amendment protects the right to speak and assemble anonymously, with the understanding that those who engage in political activism often need anonymity in order to avoid prosecution and harassment from those in power. &nbsp;This concept has a long history in the United States —&nbsp;Alexander Hamilton, James Madison&nbsp;and&nbsp;John Jay&nbsp;wrote the Federalist Papers under pseudonyms. During the civil rights movement, the Supreme Court found that protecting the anonymity of members of controversial groups was necessary to preserve their freedom of assembly. The landmark 1958 case&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thefire.org/first-amendment-library/decision/national-association-for-the-advancement-of-colored-people-v-alabama-ex-rel-patterson-attorney-general/" target="_blank">National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) v. Alabama</a>&nbsp;arose out of the NAACP’s refusal to turn over lists of its rank-and-file members to Alabama authorities. The civil rights organization successfully argued that publicizing these lists would lead to reprisals against its members, which would dissuade them and any potential recruits from associating with the NAACP in the future. The court recognized that there is a “vital relationship between freedom to associate and privacy in one’s associations.” The Supreme Court has upheld this concept repeatedly. As the court wrote in its 1995 decision&nbsp;<a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/93-986.ZO.html" target="_blank">McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission</a>, “Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority. … It thus exemplifies the purpose behind the Bill of Rights and of the First Amendment in particular: to protect unpopular individuals from retaliation … at the hand of an intolerant society.”

Like tear gas and rubber bullets, invasion of privacy is a weapon that authorities can use against advocates for change. Just as there’s a long history of anonymous speech in this country, there is perhaps an equally long history of government agencies surveilling and targeting activists and organizers. It’s happened before. Just think of the&nbsp;<a href="https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/federal-bureau-investigation-fbi" target="_blank">years that the FBI spent monitoring&nbsp;Martin Luther King Jr.</a>, a campaign that included wiretapping, bugging, spying and collecting information about his sex life.

We also know that it’s happening right now. According to a memo obtained by BuzzFeed News, the Department of Justice recently expanded the Drug Enforcement Administration’s power to<a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jasonleopold/lawmakers-call-for-halt-to-covert-surveillance-of?mc_cid=904022fcb0&amp;mc_eid=aaeec2ec0" target="_blank">&nbsp;“conduct covert surveillance”</a>&nbsp;on protesters demonstrating against the police killing of&nbsp;George Floyd. The rise of facial recognition technology allows law enforcement agencies to do this on a larger scale than during the civil rights era. Government initiatives like the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iarpa.gov/index.php/research-programs/janus#:%7E:text=Program%20Information&amp;text=IARPA's%20Janus%20program%20aims%20to,%E2%80%9Cmedia%20in%20the%20wild%E2%80%9D." target="_blank">Janus program</a>&nbsp;enable them to draw on a database of faces compiled from social media. As&nbsp;Clare Garvie&nbsp;of the Center on Privacy and Technology writes, “It enables anyone whose face shows up in a photo or video to be identified — or misidentified — by the police. Put another way, face recognition is a tool that can remove the shield of anonymity from the tens of thousands of Americans out in the streets today, protesting the intolerances of systemic racism and anti-blackness.”

At this juncture, engaging in political protest without being able to wear a mask is dangerous in multiple ways. As&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aclu.org/news/free-speech/americas-mask-bans-in-the-age-of-face-recognition-surveillance/" target="_blank">American Civil Liberties Union senior policy analyst Jay Stanley</a>&nbsp;says, “[I]t’s the spread of facial recognition that is likely to raise the stakes around anti-mask laws the most. The more accurate and widespread the technology becomes, the more situations will arise where people won’t want to show their faces. The cameras that increasingly surround us will allow the police to cheaply and easily identify us — and who we’re with, even if part of a giant crowd.”

It’s yet another risk that protesters have to contend with — and where a mask could offer some protection.

Lata Nott is a Freedom Forum Fellow. Contact her via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lnott@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">lnott@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow her on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/latanott" target="_blank">@LataNott</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579206978168.png" alt="Lata Nott. Photo courtesy Freedom Forum" />
 <figcaption>Lata Nott. Photo courtesy Freedom Forum</figcaption>
 </figure>By LATA NOTTHow do you protest safely during a pandemic? While there’s no way to eliminate the danger, one of the obvious and universally recommended measures to mitigate the risk is to wear a mask.In the past weeks we’ve seen law enforcement pose its own dangers to protesters, employing weapons like tear gas and rubber bullets, as well as increasing their possibility of contracting COVID-19 by&nbsp;<a href="https://slate.com/technology/2020/06/police-detention-coronavirus-protests.html" target="_blank">arresting them and packing them into confined spaces</a>. But the most ironic of these actions would have to be the police in Washington, D.C.,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/dc-police-charged-demonstrators-with-wearing-masks-even-though-coronavirus-guidelines-require-them" target="_blank">arresting protesters for wearing masks</a>.In addition to Washington D.C., 18 states and numerous municipalities have anti-mask laws. Many of these laws were passed in the 1940s and ’50s to target the Ku Klux Klan’s use of masks and hoods. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1169/anti-mask-laws" target="_blank">rationale behind these laws</a>&nbsp;— that masks “embolden people to commit crimes and make those crimes more frightening” — isn’t necessarily outdated. But what is outdated is the fact that while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.icnl.org/post/analysis/anti-mask-laws-covid-19-and-the-first-amendment" target="_blank">most of these laws make exceptions</a>&nbsp;for things like Halloween costumes and sporting events, and some have exceptions for face coverings worn for religious reasons, none has exceptions for masks worn for public health reasons or during protests. This ignores the fact that our society has undergone two major shifts since these laws were passed that should change our entire analysis of them. First, we’re in the midst of a pandemic spread by an airborne virus. And second, advances in surveillance technology mean that the right to speak anonymously and associate freely is compromised in a way that it’s never been before.The First Amendment protects the right to speak and assemble anonymously, with the understanding that those who engage in political activism often need anonymity in order to avoid prosecution and harassment from those in power. &nbsp;This concept has a long history in the United States —&nbsp;Alexander Hamilton, James Madison&nbsp;and&nbsp;John Jay&nbsp;wrote the Federalist Papers under pseudonyms. During the civil rights movement, the Supreme Court found that protecting the anonymity of members of controversial groups was necessary to preserve their freedom of assembly. The landmark 1958 case&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thefire.org/first-amendment-library/decision/national-association-for-the-advancement-of-colored-people-v-alabama-ex-rel-patterson-attorney-general/" target="_blank">National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) v. Alabama</a>&nbsp;arose out of the NAACP’s refusal to turn over lists of its rank-and-file members to Alabama authorities. The civil rights organization successfully argued that publicizing these lists would lead to reprisals against its members, which would dissuade them and any potential recruits from associating with the NAACP in the future. The court recognized that there is a “vital relationship between freedom to associate and privacy in one’s associations.” The Supreme Court has upheld this concept repeatedly. As the court wrote in its 1995 decision&nbsp;<a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/93-986.ZO.html" target="_blank">McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission</a>, “Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority. … It thus exemplifies the purpose behind the Bill of Rights and of the First Amendment in particular: to protect unpopular individuals from retaliation … at the hand of an intolerant society.”Like tear gas and rubber bullets, invasion of privacy is a weapon that authorities can use against advocates for change. Just as there’s a long history of anonymous speech in this country, there is perhaps an equally long history of government agencies surveilling and targeting activists and organizers. It’s happened before. Just think of the&nbsp;<a href="https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/federal-bureau-investigation-fbi" target="_blank">years that the FBI spent monitoring&nbsp;Martin Luther King Jr.</a>, a campaign that included wiretapping, bugging, spying and collecting information about his sex life.We also know that it’s happening right now. According to a memo obtained by BuzzFeed News, the Department of Justice recently expanded the Drug Enforcement Administration’s power to<a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jasonleopold/lawmakers-call-for-halt-to-covert-surveillance-of?mc_cid=904022fcb0&amp;mc_eid=aaeec2ec0" target="_blank">&nbsp;“conduct covert surveillance”</a>&nbsp;on protesters demonstrating against the police killing of&nbsp;George Floyd. The rise of facial recognition technology allows law enforcement agencies to do this on a larger scale than during the civil rights era. Government initiatives like the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iarpa.gov/index.php/research-programs/janus#:%7E:text=Program%20Information&amp;text=IARPA's%20Janus%20program%20aims%20to,%E2%80%9Cmedia%20in%20the%20wild%E2%80%9D." target="_blank">Janus program</a>&nbsp;enable them to draw on a database of faces compiled from social media. As&nbsp;Clare Garvie&nbsp;of the Center on Privacy and Technology writes, “It enables anyone whose face shows up in a photo or video to be identified — or misidentified — by the police. Put another way, face recognition is a tool that can remove the shield of anonymity from the tens of thousands of Americans out in the streets today, protesting the intolerances of systemic racism and anti-blackness.”At this juncture, engaging in political protest without being able to wear a mask is dangerous in multiple ways. As&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aclu.org/news/free-speech/americas-mask-bans-in-the-age-of-face-recognition-surveillance/" target="_blank">American Civil Liberties Union senior policy analyst Jay Stanley</a>&nbsp;says, “[I]t’s the spread of facial recognition that is likely to raise the stakes around anti-mask laws the most. The more accurate and widespread the technology becomes, the more situations will arise where people won’t want to show their faces. The cameras that increasingly surround us will allow the police to cheaply and easily identify us — and who we’re with, even if part of a giant crowd.”It’s yet another risk that protesters have to contend with — and where a mask could offer some protection.Lata Nott is a Freedom Forum Fellow. Contact her via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lnott@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">lnott@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow her on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/latanott" target="_blank">@LataNott</a>.

First Five: Masks protect protesters in more ways than you think

The final round of grants has been awarded from the Salina Area United Way (SAUW) COVID-19 Relief Fund.

The SAUW COVID-19 Relief Fund raised&nbsp;$105,690&nbsp;and awarded funds to 33 non-profits in the SAUW 10-county service area.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The most recent grants awarded are as follows.

Volunteers of America (Salina)&nbsp;- $5,000 to purchase 73 essential food baskets with cleaning supplies for senior living in low-income housing at Market Place and Salina Apartments.

CAPS (Salina)&nbsp;- $5,000 to purchase technology equipment to continue to provide services remotely and cleaning supplies for increased sanitation requirements that were not expected&nbsp;&nbsp;

DVACK (Salina)&nbsp;- $5,000 to assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault with hotel vouchers, toiletries, and household cleaning supplies.

Gopherwood Community Foundation (Salina)&nbsp;- $5,000 to materials for volunteers to make masks to give free of charge to nursing homes, home healthcare, and senior living facilities.

The final round of grants has been awarded from the Salina Area United Way (SAUW) COVID-19 Relief Fund.The SAUW COVID-19 Relief Fund raised&nbsp;$105,690&nbsp;and awarded funds to 33 non-profits in the SAUW 10-county service area.&nbsp; &nbsp;The most recent grants awarded are as follows.Volunteers of America (Salina)&nbsp;- $5,000 to purchase 73 essential food baskets with cleaning supplies for senior living in low-income housing at Market Place and Salina Apartments.CAPS (Salina)&nbsp;- $5,000 to purchase technology equipment to continue to provide services remotely and cleaning supplies for increased sanitation requirements that were not expected&nbsp;&nbsp;DVACK (Salina)&nbsp;- $5,000 to assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault with hotel vouchers, toiletries, and household cleaning supplies.Gopherwood Community Foundation (Salina)&nbsp;- $5,000 to materials for volunteers to make masks to give free of charge to nursing homes, home healthcare, and senior living facilities.CKF (Salina)&nbsp;– An additional $1,306 was given due to only being able to partially fund original grant because of limited funds.Central Kansas Mental Health (Salina)&nbsp;– An additional $1,306 was given due to only being able to partially fund original grant because of limited funds.Downs Food Bank (Downs)&nbsp;- $5,000 to provide food assistance to individuals and families in Downs, Cawker City, and Tipton.North Salina Community Development (Salina)&nbsp;- $3,763 to purchase food only gift cards from Save-A-Lot for residents of Hawthorne and Lakewood low-income apartments.Sisters of St. Joseph (Concordia)&nbsp;- $2,500 to purchase food, diapers, formula, and provide assistance with medical bills, prescriptions, and utility payments.&nbsp;People In Need (Salina)&nbsp;- $3,740 to purchase food, and provide assistance with rent and utilities.Concordia Senior Center (Concordia)&nbsp;- $500 to purchase food to provide Meals on Wheels to seniors that are not able to leave their due to COVID."Our community partners have provided direct services, on the ground, helping those affected by COVID-19.&nbsp; Salina Area United Way has been a leader in raising funds so they can continue their good work.&nbsp; My hope is that the community is seeing a glimpse of what Salina Area United Way does for our community partners and going into this upcoming campaign we can continue to build on what we’ve started," said Claire Mullen, SAUW executive director."Through the quick response of our Staff and Board, we were able to provide immediate relief quickly and effectively to those in our community most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,"&nbsp;said Amy Schreiner, SAUW board president. "We are especially grateful for the generous donations that made the SAUW COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund so successful. Our service area has remarkable donors that have shown their willingness to step up and strengthen our community during this difficult time."

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