OCCK, Inc. is currently seeking a dedicated, compassionate, conscientious, self-motivated individual to work with adults who have disabilities. Direct Support Professional support customers in home environments and the community to establish positive routines, and for the enhancement of daily living skills. This educator/instructor will provide support and guidance in a mentor-style relationship for the achievement of individual goals. On the job training and certifications are provided.

Apply online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.occk.com/" target="_blank">www.occk.com</a>&nbsp;and learn more about our mission and great benefits

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576544829259.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OCCK, Inc. is currently seeking a dedicated, compassionate, conscientious, self-motivated individual to work with adults who have disabilities. Direct Support Professional support customers in home environments and the community to establish positive routines, and for the enhancement of daily living skills. This educator/instructor will provide support and guidance in a mentor-style relationship for the achievement of individual goals. On the job training and certifications are provided.Apply online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.occk.com/" target="_blank">www.occk.com</a>&nbsp;and learn more about our mission and great benefitsEOEDrug testing required

Salina, Bennington men hospitalized after 3-vehicle crash

The Salina City Commission has new leadership.

Toward the end of Monday's meeting, outgoing Mayor Trent Davis and Commissioner Karl Ryan, both who were re-elected in November, as well as newcomer Rod Franz, were sworn in. Franz takes the place of former Commissioner Joe Hay, who declined to run for another term.

Then Commissioner Mike Hoppock, who had served as vice-mayor this past year, was elected as Salina's mayor for 2020. Commissioner Melissa Hodges was elected vice-mayor for 2020.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579041861125.jpeg" alt="Current Salina Mayor Mike Hoppock speaks during a joint meeting of the Salina City Commission and the Saline County Commission in December concerning the expo center lease agreement. Current Salina Vice-Mayor Melissa Hodges and Saline County Commissioner Roger Sparks are seen in the foreground. Salina Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Current Salina Mayor Mike Hoppock speaks during a joint meeting of the Salina City Commission and the Saline County Commission in December concerning the expo center lease agreement. Current Salina Vice-Mayor Melissa Hodges and Saline County Commissioner Roger Sparks are seen in the foreground. Salina Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The Salina City Commission has new leadership.Toward the end of Monday's meeting, outgoing Mayor Trent Davis and Commissioner Karl Ryan, both who were re-elected in November, as well as newcomer Rod Franz, were sworn in. Franz takes the place of former Commissioner Joe Hay, who declined to run for another term.Then Commissioner Mike Hoppock, who had served as vice-mayor this past year, was elected as Salina's mayor for 2020. Commissioner Melissa Hodges was elected vice-mayor for 2020.

Hoppock new Salina mayor; Davis, Ryan, Franz sworn in

The National Weather Service in Wichita wants to know whether you can&nbsp; find where breaks in the clouds occurred today? 

A wide range of afternoon temperatures are being observed across the area as of 3 p.m., from the upper 30s in central Kansas to near 60 in portions of southern Kansas!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579040801233.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The National Weather Service in Wichita wants to know whether you can&nbsp; find where breaks in the clouds occurred today? A wide range of afternoon temperatures are being observed across the area as of 3 p.m., from the upper 30s in central Kansas to near 60 in portions of southern Kansas!

NWS: Temperatures vary widely across the state

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Russell Stover Chocolates plans to close some facilities and stores nationwide but the expected loss of about 400 jobs will be offset by new jobs resulting from expansion in other areas, the company announced Tuesday.

The company will close distribution and fulfillment centers in Butler, Missouri, and Cookeville, Tennessee, with work from the Tennessee plant moving to a plant in Corsicana, Texas.

The candy maker plans to add a total of 300 jobs at plants in Corsicana, as well as in Iola and Abilene, Kansas.

A plant in Montrose, Colorado, will be closed in 2021, which will increase the workload at the two Kansas plants, according to a company statement. Russell Stover also plans to close some low-traffic stores during the next year but it did not specify where those stores were located.

The changes are part of a consolidation effort begun in 2018, four years after the Kansas City-based company was purchased by Lindt &amp; Sprungli of Switzerland.

Russell Stover had a “strong” fiscal year in 2019 but must adapt to changing tastes and preferences, CEO Andy Deister said.

“Just as consumers change their preferred flavor or package, they’re changing the way they shop for our products, and we’re making sure we have the infrastructure to deliver on their expectations,” Deister said.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Russell Stover Chocolates plans to close some facilities and stores nationwide but the expected loss of about 400 jobs will be offset by new jobs resulting from expansion in other areas, the company announced Tuesday.The company will close distribution and fulfillment centers in Butler, Missouri, and Cookeville, Tennessee, with work from the Tennessee plant moving to a plant in Corsicana, Texas.The candy maker plans to add a total of 300 jobs at plants in Corsicana, as well as in Iola and Abilene, Kansas.A plant in Montrose, Colorado, will be closed in 2021, which will increase the workload at the two Kansas plants, according to a company statement. Russell Stover also plans to close some low-traffic stores during the next year but it did not specify where those stores were located.The changes are part of a consolidation effort begun in 2018, four years after the Kansas City-based company was purchased by Lindt &amp; Sprungli of Switzerland.Russell Stover had a “strong” fiscal year in 2019 but must adapt to changing tastes and preferences, CEO Andy Deister said.“Just as consumers change their preferred flavor or package, they’re changing the way they shop for our products, and we’re making sure we have the infrastructure to deliver on their expectations,” Deister said.

Russell Stover to cut jobs in some areas, add jobs in Abilene

The Saline County Commission reorganized this morning, putting in place the same officers as last year.

Commissioner Mike White noted that the officers had "done an excellent job," and then moved that the officers be retained for another year. His motion was approved. 

Commissioner Robert Vidricksen will remain chairman, Commissioner Rodger Sparks will continue as the vice-chairman, and Commissioner James Weese will serve as secretary, according to a news release from the county about this morning's regular meeting.

Other meeting highlights, as provided by Saline County, include the following.

Jim DuBois, county treasurer, told commissioners of the amounts of interest that have been received on idle funds for the fourth quarter and all of 2019.  For the last quarter of 2019, a total of $169,236 was received in interest, making the total amount of interest received for the year $866,401.

Michelle Barkley, emergency management director, provided commissioners with a fourth-quarter update of her department. She noted that for 2019, 258 controlled burns were called into the emergency management office or the 911 dispatch center. Additionally, rural fire departments responded to a total of 546 calls for service.

Additionally, Barkley told commissioners that after evaluation, the fire on East Magnolia Road on Wednesday burned an estimated 80 acres, rather than the 100 acres originally reported. She estimated that more than 175 responders were involved in the incident, either by their response or standing by ready to assist.

Hannah Stambaugh, deputy county administrator, provided an update to commissioners on the status of the emergency radio communications system project. She said proposals are due at 3 p.m. Thursday. According to Stambaugh, the names of companies submitting proposals will be announced, however, the cost of each proposal will not be announced until the proposals are reviewed to make sure they meet the technical specifications and requirements as set by the county. The county’s consulting Team, TUSA, and staff representing the different public safety agencies will spend about 30 days reviewing the proposals to ensure compliance with the specifications, Stambaugh said. She noted that it is the intention to have a recommendation before the governing bodies on a recommended selection by the time budget preparations begin.

Commissioners voted unanimously to sign a charter resolution that will exempt them from K.S.A. 19-209 that requires counties with populations greater than 50,000 to meet twice weekly. This statue was last revised in 1923 and is not uniform to all counties. The charter resolution will be published twice and 60 days will pass before it is fully implemented, meaning that in March, the second meeting that usually occurs in room 107B will be eliminated and the county administrator’s update, study sessions, etc., will all be televised in the main meeting room. 

During the second meeting, commissioners met with David Arteberry of Stifel Public Finance, and Mitch Walter, Gilmore &amp; Bell, who will serve as the county's financial advisor and bond counsel. The men will join the collaborative team, including TreanorHL and Turner Construction for work on the Saline County Jail project.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579028786458.jpeg" alt="Saline County commissioners, from left, Monte Shadwick, Roger Sparks, Robert Vidricksen, Jim Weese, Mike White. Photo courtesy <a href="http://saline.org">Saline County</a>" />
 <figcaption>Saline County commissioners, from left, Monte Shadwick, Roger Sparks, Robert Vidricksen, Jim Weese, Mike White. Photo courtesy <a href="http://saline.org">Saline County</a></figcaption>
 </figure>The Saline County Commission reorganized this morning, putting in place the same officers as last year.Commissioner Mike White noted that the officers had "done an excellent job," and then moved that the officers be retained for another year. His motion was approved. Commissioner Robert Vidricksen will remain chairman, Commissioner Rodger Sparks will continue as the vice-chairman, and Commissioner James Weese will serve as secretary, according to a news release from the county about this morning's regular meeting.Other meeting highlights, as provided by Saline County, include the following.Jim DuBois, county treasurer, told commissioners of the amounts of interest that have been received on idle funds for the fourth quarter and all of 2019. For the last quarter of 2019, a total of $169,236 was received in interest, making the total amount of interest received for the year $866,401.Michelle Barkley, emergency management director, provided commissioners with a fourth-quarter update of her department. She noted that for 2019, 258 controlled burns were called into the emergency management office or the 911 dispatch center. Additionally, rural fire departments responded to a total of 546 calls for service.Additionally, Barkley told commissioners that after evaluation, the fire on East Magnolia Road on Wednesday burned an estimated 80 acres, rather than the 100 acres originally reported. She estimated that more than 175 responders were involved in the incident, either by their response or standing by ready to assist.Hannah Stambaugh, deputy county administrator, provided an update to commissioners on the status of the emergency radio communications system project. She said proposals are due at 3 p.m. Thursday. According to Stambaugh, the names of companies submitting proposals will be announced, however, the cost of each proposal will not be announced until the proposals are reviewed to make sure they meet the technical specifications and requirements as set by the county. The county’s consulting Team, TUSA, and staff representing the different public safety agencies will spend about 30 days reviewing the proposals to ensure compliance with the specifications, Stambaugh said. She noted that it is the intention to have a recommendation before the governing bodies on a recommended selection by the time budget preparations begin.Commissioners voted unanimously to sign a charter resolution that will exempt them from K.S.A. 19-209 that requires counties with populations greater than 50,000 to meet twice weekly. This statue was last revised in 1923 and is not uniform to all counties. The charter resolution will be published twice and 60 days will pass before it is fully implemented, meaning that in March, the second meeting that usually occurs in room 107B will be eliminated and the county administrator’s update, study sessions, etc., will all be televised in the main meeting room. During the second meeting, commissioners met with David Arteberry of Stifel Public Finance, and Mitch Walter, Gilmore &amp; Bell, who will serve as the county's financial advisor and bond counsel. The men will join the collaborative team, including TreanorHL and Turner Construction for work on the Saline County Jail project.

County: Vidricksen to continue as chairman; charter resolution OK'd

TOPEKA – Kathleen Zelenka of Wilson enjoys playing the Kansas Lottery and has been chasing a big prize. Her determination paid off recently with a $77,777 win on the Emerald 7’s instant scratch game!

“I like to play scratch tickets, and I especially liked the Emerald 7’s game,” said Zelenka. “The bonus spots on top of the ticket gave you extra chances to win. I like those kinds of games!”

Zelenka was waiting on a lunch order, so she decided to play some lottery to pass the time.

“I bought a $20 ticket and two $10 tickets, and took them back to my car. I only played the $20 game, though, and then my lunch order was ready. So I grabbed my lunch and took everything home,” she said. “When I finally scratched off the winning ticket, I just kind of stared at it for a moment. Finally, I called my husband and told him to hurry up and get home!”

“We took the ticket back to a store to check it to make sure we weren’t crazy,” Zelenka said with a laugh. “When the machine said we had to take the ticket to Topeka to claim it, that’s when we definitely knew.”

Zelenka says she already has plans for her winnings. “We’re going to pay off some credit cards, pay off a vehicle, and we’ll put some away for our grandchildren,” she said. “The rest will go into savings for us. It’s going to help us out in a big way!”

The winning ticket was sold at Casey’s General Store 1905 on 1315 10th&nbsp;Street in Great Bend. There are no top prizes left in the $10 Emerald 7’s instant scratch game. That game will be ended, and players will have six months to claim any remaining prizes within the game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579022108577.jpeg" alt="Kathleen Zalenka. Photo courtesy Kansas Lottery" />
 <figcaption>Kathleen Zalenka. Photo courtesy Kansas Lottery</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – Kathleen Zelenka of Wilson enjoys playing the Kansas Lottery and has been chasing a big prize. Her determination paid off recently with a $77,777 win on the Emerald 7’s instant scratch game!“I like to play scratch tickets, and I especially liked the Emerald 7’s game,” said Zelenka. “The bonus spots on top of the ticket gave you extra chances to win. I like those kinds of games!”Zelenka was waiting on a lunch order, so she decided to play some lottery to pass the time.“I bought a $20 ticket and two $10 tickets, and took them back to my car. I only played the $20 game, though, and then my lunch order was ready. So I grabbed my lunch and took everything home,” she said. “When I finally scratched off the winning ticket, I just kind of stared at it for a moment. Finally, I called my husband and told him to hurry up and get home!”“We took the ticket back to a store to check it to make sure we weren’t crazy,” Zelenka said with a laugh. “When the machine said we had to take the ticket to Topeka to claim it, that’s when we definitely knew.”Zelenka says she already has plans for her winnings. “We’re going to pay off some credit cards, pay off a vehicle, and we’ll put some away for our grandchildren,” she said. “The rest will go into savings for us. It’s going to help us out in a big way!”The winning ticket was sold at Casey’s General Store 1905 on 1315 10th&nbsp;Street in Great Bend. There are no top prizes left in the $10 Emerald 7’s instant scratch game. That game will be ended, and players will have six months to claim any remaining prizes within the game.

Wilson resident wins $77,777 from Kansas Lottery

Salina Regional Health Center has been awarded accreditation by the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP, the nation’s original independent, accreditation program recognized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). 

Accreditation confirms that Salina Regional is providing high-quality care as determined by an independent, external process of evaluation.

“Salina Regional Health Center clearly demonstrates a commitment to quality and patient safety,” said Meg Gravesmill, CEO of the Accreditation Association for Hospitals and Health Systems (AAHHS, HFAP’s non-profit parent company. “We base our decision on the findings of an extensive and thorough on-site review of the hospital and its affiliated clinics against recognized national standards for patient safety, quality improvement, and environmental safety. Salina Regional has earned the distinction of HFAP accreditation through its performance in successfully meeting those standards.”

“We’re proud to achieve this prestigious accreditation,” said Joel Phelps, CEO of Salina Regional Health Center. “Earning HFAP accreditation is a significant achievement that recognizes our commitment to providing outstanding care to our patients and our community. In fact, quality is consistently the priority focus in our strategic plans and goals.”

HFAP is a nationally recognized program of AAHHS offering accreditation and specialty certifications to serve a range of healthcare organizations. Originally established in 1945, HFAP is the original healthcare accreditation program in the United States. HFAP holds deeming authority from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and also is recognized by state governments and regulatory bodies, and insurers.

HFAP’s mission is to be the valued partner for healthcare organizations committed to improving their quality of care, through accreditation/certification standards and continuing education, with a focus on advancing the health and welfare of their communities. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.hfap.org">www.hfap.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579021775004.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Salina Regional Health Center has been awarded accreditation by the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP, the nation’s original independent, accreditation program recognized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Accreditation confirms that Salina Regional is providing high-quality care as determined by an independent, external process of evaluation.“Salina Regional Health Center clearly demonstrates a commitment to quality and patient safety,” said Meg Gravesmill, CEO of the Accreditation Association for Hospitals and Health Systems (AAHHS, HFAP’s non-profit parent company. “We base our decision on the findings of an extensive and thorough on-site review of the hospital and its affiliated clinics against recognized national standards for patient safety, quality improvement, and environmental safety. Salina Regional has earned the distinction of HFAP accreditation through its performance in successfully meeting those standards.”“We’re proud to achieve this prestigious accreditation,” said Joel Phelps, CEO of Salina Regional Health Center. “Earning HFAP accreditation is a significant achievement that recognizes our commitment to providing outstanding care to our patients and our community. In fact, quality is consistently the priority focus in our strategic plans and goals.”About HFAPHFAP is a nationally recognized program of AAHHS offering accreditation and specialty certifications to serve a range of healthcare organizations. Originally established in 1945, HFAP is the original healthcare accreditation program in the United States. HFAP holds deeming authority from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and also is recognized by state governments and regulatory bodies, and insurers.HFAP’s mission is to be the valued partner for healthcare organizations committed to improving their quality of care, through accreditation/certification standards and continuing education, with a focus on advancing the health and welfare of their communities. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.hfap.org">www.hfap.org</a>.

Salina Regional Health Center awarded HFAP accreditation

Salina Central High School has released the named of the students who have been named to the first-semester honor roll.

Benjamen J. Acheson, Blaise P. Alderson, Kaylah Alonso, Riley D. Anderson, Jackson H. Angell, Charlene D. Arrieta-Renteria, Valerie M. Baker, Hallie Berens, Leo M. Berkley, Brigitte G. Bolin, Dalton L. Boswell, Lilianna Brown, Jack R. Cain, Katerin Carrillo, Anthony I. Carter, Alondra R. Castillo, Joshua Chelvan, Chloe R. Chesney, Christopher O. Clark, Mason A. Clark, Trevon A. Cole, Alexandra C. Coykendall, Alison K. Coykendall, Amelia A. Coykendall, Sarah R. Crabtree, Mykayla Cunningham, Sam F. Cusick, Kamryn Derrick, Thomas D. Drane, Hank A. Ebel, Diana B. Espinosa, Haley Flaherty, Braeden J. Foley, Alora A. Franklin, Dane W. Free, Talan R. Gary, Aidan A. Glavin, Elizabeth Greer, Connor J. Griffith, Jacob R. Grimes, Abigail H. Hablitzel, Emmy M. Haller, Jentry J. Heath, Taylor N. Helton, Nicol M. Hernandez Lazo, Jamie M. Hernandez, Gavin R. Heysquierdo, Chloe A. Highsmith, Paige Hinca, Dawson R. Hogan, Trace M. Horniman, Mayci J. Ingram, Anna B. Ireton, Kelsey L. Jacobs, Audrey L. Jagodzinske, Teresa Jimenez, Blake K. Johnson, Harper R. Johnston, Cadence S. Lane, Jillian M. Lawson, Nils Lehnert, Hallee B. Long, Luz C. Lopez Galindo, Kaleb M. Marshall, Kenyon T. McMillan, Deion B. McNeal, Estrella M. Moncada Tejeda, Makail D. Nelson, Liliana V. Nunez, Cheyenne O'Connor, Brynn O'Hara, Alejandro R. JR Olivares, David L. Ortner, Kendale W. Paul, Zoe Penner, Maxwell K. Phachanla, Jacob J. Ray, Avery D. Richardson, Brooks Richardson, Faith C. Rost, Skyler H. Ruark, Alexus K. Rusch, Joanna I. Ryan-Torres, Janette M. Sanchez, Allison R. Scheck, Alfredo Serrano-Ortega, Emma R. Shuart, Sophia M. Springer, Quinton Z. Stenglemeier, Karrah E. Tatum, Zackary E. Tibbits, Olivia S. Tomson, Lillian F. Truelove, Shawn W. Weis, Beatrice M. Wellbrock-Talley, Alisha B. Will, JaShayla Z. Williams, Genisis N. Wilson

Bradley J. Akin, Wade A. Allen, Drew A. Alstatt, Karsyn Arnold, Israel J. Barlow, Rylee L. Barrett, Vidhi R. Bhakta, Jasmine Bledsoe, Katelyn M. Botz, Oriana L. Botz, Sarah A. Bowser, Karlyn P. Brecheisen, Zoe K. Burmaster, Nathaniel J. Cabada, Nathan J. Callahan, Tyler J. Campbell, Melissa Chavez, Nicholas J. Clayson II, Nickolas E. Clayton, Cooper Cobb, Benjamin T. Curtis, Araceli Davila, Tyrese W. Davison, Sergio De La Torre, Logan G. Dean, Ava R. Denning, Jillian DeVoe, Lexus A. DiLoreto, Ashley Drummer, Hadley S. Eaton, Brielle Eland, Trinity E. Ensz, Maddison L. Farthing, Andrew Fields, Alessandra A. Fischer, Lexie L. Fischer, Taylor E. Fishburn, Chloe N. Flener, Aaron French, Isaac French, Moira Henriette P. Galvez, Mason Gary, Charles R. Goldbach, Candace Marie T. Gomendoza, Kayson R. Graham, Payton N. Griep, William A. Griffith, Alejandro Guardado, Anna Gutierrez, Destin P. Hardin, Tristyn M. Hardin, Ethan Heis, Abigail N. Henning, Annzia P. Howard, Trinity J. Huffaker, Erin F. Jackson, Vanessa S. Jimenez, Harry F. III Johnson, Skyla R. Jost, Parker H. Kavanagh, Devante M. Keim-Owens, Aryan Kevat, Aubrie N. Kierscht, Layna E. Kinnaird, Jaxon D. Kolzow, Benjamin R. Kraft, Gage M. Kuntz, Inavion M. Lewis, Thaliah S. Lopez, Logan J. Losey, Annalise F. Loucks, Kylee N. Luchsinger, Juan A. Luna, Rosa M. Luna-Rodriguez, Valeria Martinez, Sabian K. Mills, Bailey Morales, Christopher S. Morton, Lillian K. Myers, Taya B. Nguyen, Lucas Nutter, Mackenzie Nutter, Carson W. Oxandale, Keaton A. Oxandale, Daisy J. Palomera, Starlet A. Parham, Xoe A. Parrish, Ella G. Payne, Brandon Phachanla, Collin D. Phelps, Connor A. Phelps, Anyah Polk-Darby, Brynlee M. Pollock, Jenavie R. Powers, Andin Price, Colton R. Prothro, Nolan Puckett, Hannah B. Reed, Fredrick L. Jr. Ruffin, Owen W. Sanderson, Kayna Y. Sandoval, Gracie L. Schneider, Bethany G. Schulte, Araceli N. Segura, Grant Sheppard, Constance E. Smith, Rashada R. Smith, Nolan P. Soukup, Landry H. Stewart, Alexandria K. Ulrich, Carson D. Vanderbilt, Trista L. Vanous, Hailey B. Vargas, Adam D. Vaupel, Hayden C. Vidricksen, Joshua J. Warner, Hannah G. Watkins, Madison R. Wedgewood, Cora R. White, Hampton A. Williams, Mallorie L. Wisbey, Peyton M. Wood, Elizabeth M. Young, Joshua A. Zrubek

Valerie Alonso, Spencer J. Angell, Melissa M. Baker, Shepard G. Basinger, Austin R. Beatty, Diya Bhakta, Emma N. Brady, Brooks Burgoon, Jaylese Burse, Anna M. Carano, Brianne R. Carlson, James E. Carter, Pahl W. Castner, Allie M. Chesney, Makenzie A. Clark, Neena J. Clayson, Sawyer H. Cole, Bridgit A. Conway, Chase A. Courbot, Sophie M. Craft, Joshua R. Cunningham, Kade Cyre, Breanna N. Dame, Shayla Dao, Avery A. Darby, Carlos M. De Leon, Isaiah J. Deckert, Cyric L. Dow, Meg L. Duckworth, Jake A. Eisenhauer, Nathan P. Farmer, Dawson M. Flax, Erin Flax, Liam J. Foley, Nolan C. Foley, Madison A. Freeman, Karter K. Fuller, Collin E. Geihsler, Reagan B. Geihsler, Cheyanne D. Gibson, Roise C. Ginn, Asia H. Gomes, Marcos Granado-Flores, Kaylee R. Graves, McCabe L. Green, Dominic E. Grimes, Gavin J. Gustavson, Nelson R. Gutsch, Makelti J. Hastings, Amanda Hays, Hal J. Heath, Charles M. Heizman, Emalee L. Henderson, Thalia A. Herrman, Dakota S. Hogan, Loren I. Houltberg, Alexis G. Jasso, Emily E. Jenkins, Katelee S. Jennings, Emily P. Johnson, Logan T. Johnson, Rianne C. Jordan, Reagan S. Kendall, Caden A. Kickhaefer, Emily J. Kvasnicka, Trent A. Laskowski, Sophie A. Lenkiewicz, Makenzie Maring, Trenton A. Marshall, Minerva C. Martinez, Sophia D. Martinez, Reed McHenry, Jose Miguel Pedro, Mialee A. Miller, Zoe A. Mitchell, Olivia D. Moore, Aaron Moreno, Brett L. Morgan, Yuliana Munoz Chavez, Capri S. Myers, Madelynn N. Nash, Reese T. Nesting, Hana R. North, Mercedez I. Nunez, Kelsie A. Pasley, Brennan C. Pavey, Joelle T. Pfannenstiel, Demitria R. Pfeifer, Jolie I. Pickrell, Kylah Pittenger, Kelli A. Potts, Charles F. Prough Jr., Hannah N. Queen, Auston C. Rageth, Emily Redding, Avery L. Regier, Kamee J. Robinson, Allexys V. Ronning-Franco, Isabella Rubino, Collister Ryan, William Ryan, Callie G. Sanborn, Anne M. Shadwick, Maxwell C. Shaffer, Simon K. Sheets, Zoe D. Sims, Avery L. Smith, Aidan K. Speer, Braden D. Stack, Reagan E. Stein, Emily R. Strommen, Cooper F. Taggart, Bailey M. Talbott, Heaven A. Turner, Emerson Turpin, Yasmin Valenzuela, Makayla D. Versluys, Lillian B. Welsch, Chloe D. White, Olivia A. Wright, Patrick A. Zrubek

Ashley L. Abbott, Anlyn V. Arb, Jose M. Arrieta Renteria, Autumn Barnes, Isaiah M. Barrett, Lauren M. Bell, Malcolm C. Berkley, Evan S. Bishop, Breanna M. Bolieu, Destiney L. Bolin, Jonnie K. Bonilla, Ethan Brown, James J. Budke, Miranda A. Burke, Maraya D. Burns, Concha Campa, Robert H. Campbell IV, Cooper Chard, Mariah A. Clark, Kadyn Cobb, Jessalyn R. Colborn, Mattison A. Cole, Marlie J. Coleman, Elizabeth R. Collins, Emily A. Collins, Tyler A. Corl, Zachary W. Daily, Austin D. Denney, John M. Denning, Jason T. Duong, Ella R. Eaton, Karen E. Eikleberry, Janice A. Ensz, Christian Fairclough-Vega, Gabriella A. Fischer, Jamie S. Flaherty, Andrea A. Flores, Annika J. Free, Lukas B. Freelove, Dyenna L. Garcia, Gael Garcia, Isaac C. George, Zoe G. Gilpin, Sophia Ginther, Lane M. Griffin, Peyton M. Griffin, Maysin C. Griffith, Houston M. Griffitts, Devon M. Grossardt, Destiny M. Hacker, Aleigha E. Haller, Kyson D. Harmison, Janessa Y. Harrison, Logan G. Heigele, Connor F. Heis, Joel J. Hernandez, Jonathan C. Hess, Kerrigan H. Hutton, Jesus A. Jasso, Donnie Johnson, Hannah M. Jones, Kaylee M. Jones, Jackson C. Kavanagh, Wesley I. Kinnaird, Caleb Kline, Blake A. Krob, Kim H. Le, Zachary M. Loffer, Jakob D. Marvin-Zoch, Ashley P. Matthews, Shelby T. Memmott, Amalia M. Michaelis, Ebony N. Moore, Jerzee M. Mullins, Ashlie Munoz, Cayman M. Munson, Emery G. Newton, Sara L. Opat, Madeline A. Paradis, Madison T. Pham, Camryn G. Phelps, Alora L. Pittenger, Gage A. Prester, Talus Price, Melissa J. Ramirez, Taiton G. Reed, Zoe S. Reno, Mayra C. Renteria, Kathleen F. Rhodes, Kayla M. Roberts, Yesica C. Roman Castro, Nicholas Rost, Gracie Schroeder, Ethan W. Schulte, Mackenzie R. Shea, Madelin E. Smith, Brianna L. Soifer, Sydney R. Sorell, Mason D. Soukup, Luke A. Stanford, Trista R. Stevenson, Anna M. Strait, Amaya R. Svendblad, Saria I. Taylor, Emma J. Tieking, Brianna Torres, Israel Torres, Kray A. True, Spencer C. Vanderbilt, Aaron K. Watson, Nathan J. Weis, Caleb M. Wiedeman, Kyra M. Williams, Gavin M. Williamson, Arran T. Wilson, Stoughton J. Wintholz, Tazwell J. Yates

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579020823693.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Salina Central High School has released the named of the students who have been named to the first-semester honor roll.Ninth&nbsp;GradeBenjamen J. Acheson, Blaise P. Alderson, Kaylah Alonso, Riley D. Anderson, Jackson H. Angell, Charlene D. Arrieta-Renteria, Valerie M. Baker, Hallie Berens, Leo M. Berkley, Brigitte G. Bolin, Dalton L. Boswell, Lilianna Brown, Jack R. Cain, Katerin Carrillo, Anthony I. Carter, Alondra R. Castillo, Joshua Chelvan, Chloe R. Chesney, Christopher O. Clark, Mason A. Clark, Trevon A. Cole, Alexandra C. Coykendall, Alison K. Coykendall, Amelia A. Coykendall, Sarah R. Crabtree, Mykayla Cunningham, Sam F. Cusick, Kamryn Derrick, Thomas D. Drane, Hank A. Ebel, Diana B. Espinosa, Haley Flaherty, Braeden J. Foley, Alora A. Franklin, Dane W. Free, Talan R. Gary, Aidan A. Glavin, Elizabeth Greer, Connor J. Griffith, Jacob R. Grimes, Abigail H. Hablitzel, Emmy M. Haller, Jentry J. Heath, Taylor N. Helton, Nicol M. Hernandez Lazo, Jamie M. Hernandez, Gavin R. Heysquierdo, Chloe A. Highsmith, Paige Hinca, Dawson R. Hogan, Trace M. Horniman, Mayci J. Ingram, Anna B. Ireton, Kelsey L. Jacobs, Audrey L. Jagodzinske, Teresa Jimenez, Blake K. Johnson, Harper R. Johnston, Cadence S. Lane, Jillian M. Lawson, Nils Lehnert, Hallee B. Long, Luz C. Lopez Galindo, Kaleb M. Marshall, Kenyon T. McMillan, Deion B. McNeal, Estrella M. Moncada Tejeda, Makail D. Nelson, Liliana V. Nunez, Cheyenne O'Connor, Brynn O'Hara, Alejandro R. JR Olivares, David L. Ortner, Kendale W. Paul, Zoe Penner, Maxwell K. Phachanla, Jacob J. Ray, Avery D. Richardson, Brooks Richardson, Faith C. Rost, Skyler H. Ruark, Alexus K. Rusch, Joanna I. Ryan-Torres, Janette M. Sanchez, Allison R. Scheck, Alfredo Serrano-Ortega, Emma R. Shuart, Sophia M. Springer, Quinton Z. Stenglemeier, Karrah E. Tatum, Zackary E. Tibbits, Olivia S. Tomson, Lillian F. Truelove, Shawn W. Weis, Beatrice M. Wellbrock-Talley, Alisha B. Will, JaShayla Z. Williams, Genisis N. Wilson10th&nbsp;GradeBradley J. Akin, Wade A. Allen, Drew A. Alstatt, Karsyn Arnold, Israel J. Barlow, Rylee L. Barrett, Vidhi R. Bhakta, Jasmine Bledsoe, Katelyn M. Botz, Oriana L. Botz, Sarah A. Bowser, Karlyn P. Brecheisen, Zoe K. Burmaster, Nathaniel J. Cabada, Nathan J. Callahan, Tyler J. Campbell, Melissa Chavez, Nicholas J. Clayson II, Nickolas E. Clayton, Cooper Cobb, Benjamin T. Curtis, Araceli Davila, Tyrese W. Davison, Sergio De La Torre, Logan G. Dean, Ava R. Denning, Jillian DeVoe, Lexus A. DiLoreto, Ashley Drummer, Hadley S. Eaton, Brielle Eland, Trinity E. Ensz, Maddison L. Farthing, Andrew Fields, Alessandra A. Fischer, Lexie L. Fischer, Taylor E. Fishburn, Chloe N. Flener, Aaron French, Isaac French, Moira Henriette P. Galvez, Mason Gary, Charles R. Goldbach, Candace Marie T. Gomendoza, Kayson R. Graham, Payton N. Griep, William A. Griffith, Alejandro Guardado, Anna Gutierrez, Destin P. Hardin, Tristyn M. Hardin, Ethan Heis, Abigail N. Henning, Annzia P. Howard, Trinity J. Huffaker, Erin F. Jackson, Vanessa S. Jimenez, Harry F. III Johnson, Skyla R. Jost, Parker H. Kavanagh, Devante M. Keim-Owens, Aryan Kevat, Aubrie N. Kierscht, Layna E. Kinnaird, Jaxon D. Kolzow, Benjamin R. Kraft, Gage M. Kuntz, Inavion M. Lewis, Thaliah S. Lopez, Logan J. Losey, Annalise F. Loucks, Kylee N. Luchsinger, Juan A. Luna, Rosa M. Luna-Rodriguez, Valeria Martinez, Sabian K. Mills, Bailey Morales, Christopher S. Morton, Lillian K. Myers, Taya B. Nguyen, Lucas Nutter, Mackenzie Nutter, Carson W. Oxandale, Keaton A. Oxandale, Daisy J. Palomera, Starlet A. Parham, Xoe A. Parrish, Ella G. Payne, Brandon Phachanla, Collin D. Phelps, Connor A. Phelps, Anyah Polk-Darby, Brynlee M. Pollock, Jenavie R. Powers, Andin Price, Colton R. Prothro, Nolan Puckett, Hannah B. Reed, Fredrick L. Jr. Ruffin, Owen W. Sanderson, Kayna Y. Sandoval, Gracie L. Schneider, Bethany G. Schulte, Araceli N. Segura, Grant Sheppard, Constance E. Smith, Rashada R. Smith, Nolan P. Soukup, Landry H. Stewart, Alexandria K. Ulrich, Carson D. Vanderbilt, Trista L. Vanous, Hailey B. Vargas, Adam D. Vaupel, Hayden C. Vidricksen, Joshua J. Warner, Hannah G. Watkins, Madison R. Wedgewood, Cora R. White, Hampton A. Williams, Mallorie L. Wisbey, Peyton M. Wood, Elizabeth M. Young, Joshua A. Zrubek11th&nbsp;GradeValerie Alonso, Spencer J. Angell, Melissa M. Baker, Shepard G. Basinger, Austin R. Beatty, Diya Bhakta, Emma N. Brady, Brooks Burgoon, Jaylese Burse, Anna M. Carano, Brianne R. Carlson, James E. Carter, Pahl W. Castner, Allie M. Chesney, Makenzie A. Clark, Neena J. Clayson, Sawyer H. Cole, Bridgit A. Conway, Chase A. Courbot, Sophie M. Craft, Joshua R. Cunningham, Kade Cyre, Breanna N. Dame, Shayla Dao, Avery A. Darby, Carlos M. De Leon, Isaiah J. Deckert, Cyric L. Dow, Meg L. Duckworth, Jake A. Eisenhauer, Nathan P. Farmer, Dawson M. Flax, Erin Flax, Liam J. Foley, Nolan C. Foley, Madison A. Freeman, Karter K. Fuller, Collin E. Geihsler, Reagan B. Geihsler, Cheyanne D. Gibson, Roise C. Ginn, Asia H. Gomes, Marcos Granado-Flores, Kaylee R. Graves, McCabe L. Green, Dominic E. Grimes, Gavin J. Gustavson, Nelson R. Gutsch, Makelti J. Hastings, Amanda Hays, Hal J. Heath, Charles M. Heizman, Emalee L. Henderson, Thalia A. Herrman, Dakota S. Hogan, Loren I. Houltberg, Alexis G. Jasso, Emily E. Jenkins, Katelee S. Jennings, Emily P. Johnson, Logan T. Johnson, Rianne C. Jordan, Reagan S. Kendall, Caden A. Kickhaefer, Emily J. Kvasnicka, Trent A. Laskowski, Sophie A. Lenkiewicz, Makenzie Maring, Trenton A. Marshall, Minerva C. Martinez, Sophia D. Martinez, Reed McHenry, Jose Miguel Pedro, Mialee A. Miller, Zoe A. Mitchell, Olivia D. Moore, Aaron Moreno, Brett L. Morgan, Yuliana Munoz Chavez, Capri S. Myers, Madelynn N. Nash, Reese T. Nesting, Hana R. North, Mercedez I. Nunez, Kelsie A. Pasley, Brennan C. Pavey, Joelle T. Pfannenstiel, Demitria R. Pfeifer, Jolie I. Pickrell, Kylah Pittenger, Kelli A. Potts, Charles F. Prough Jr., Hannah N. Queen, Auston C. Rageth, Emily Redding, Avery L. Regier, Kamee J. Robinson, Allexys V. Ronning-Franco, Isabella Rubino, Collister Ryan, William Ryan, Callie G. Sanborn, Anne M. Shadwick, Maxwell C. Shaffer, Simon K. Sheets, Zoe D. Sims, Avery L. Smith, Aidan K. Speer, Braden D. Stack, Reagan E. Stein, Emily R. Strommen, Cooper F. Taggart, Bailey M. Talbott, Heaven A. Turner, Emerson Turpin, Yasmin Valenzuela, Makayla D. Versluys, Lillian B. Welsch, Chloe D. White, Olivia A. Wright, Patrick A. Zrubek12th&nbsp;GradeAshley L. Abbott, Anlyn V. Arb, Jose M. Arrieta Renteria, Autumn Barnes, Isaiah M. Barrett, Lauren M. Bell, Malcolm C. Berkley, Evan S. Bishop, Breanna M. Bolieu, Destiney L. Bolin, Jonnie K. Bonilla, Ethan Brown, James J. Budke, Miranda A. Burke, Maraya D. Burns, Concha Campa, Robert H. Campbell IV, Cooper Chard, Mariah A. Clark, Kadyn Cobb, Jessalyn R. Colborn, Mattison A. Cole, Marlie J. Coleman, Elizabeth R. Collins, Emily A. Collins, Tyler A. Corl, Zachary W. Daily, Austin D. Denney, John M. Denning, Jason T. Duong, Ella R. Eaton, Karen E. Eikleberry, Janice A. Ensz, Christian Fairclough-Vega, Gabriella A. Fischer, Jamie S. Flaherty, Andrea A. Flores, Annika J. Free, Lukas B. Freelove, Dyenna L. Garcia, Gael Garcia, Isaac C. George, Zoe G. Gilpin, Sophia Ginther, Lane M. Griffin, Peyton M. Griffin, Maysin C. Griffith, Houston M. Griffitts, Devon M. Grossardt, Destiny M. Hacker, Aleigha E. Haller, Kyson D. Harmison, Janessa Y. Harrison, Logan G. Heigele, Connor F. Heis, Joel J. Hernandez, Jonathan C. Hess, Kerrigan H. Hutton, Jesus A. Jasso, Donnie Johnson, Hannah M. Jones, Kaylee M. Jones, Jackson C. Kavanagh, Wesley I. Kinnaird, Caleb Kline, Blake A. Krob, Kim H. Le, Zachary M. Loffer, Jakob D. Marvin-Zoch, Ashley P. Matthews, Shelby T. Memmott, Amalia M. Michaelis, Ebony N. Moore, Jerzee M. Mullins, Ashlie Munoz, Cayman M. Munson, Emery G. Newton, Sara L. Opat, Madeline A. Paradis, Madison T. Pham, Camryn G. Phelps, Alora L. Pittenger, Gage A. Prester, Talus Price, Melissa J. Ramirez, Taiton G. Reed, Zoe S. Reno, Mayra C. Renteria, Kathleen F. Rhodes, Kayla M. Roberts, Yesica C. Roman Castro, Nicholas Rost, Gracie Schroeder, Ethan W. Schulte, Mackenzie R. Shea, Madelin E. Smith, Brianna L. Soifer, Sydney R. Sorell, Mason D. Soukup, Luke A. Stanford, Trista R. Stevenson, Anna M. Strait, Amaya R. Svendblad, Saria I. Taylor, Emma J. Tieking, Brianna Torres, Israel Torres, Kray A. True, Spencer C. Vanderbilt, Aaron K. Watson, Nathan J. Weis, Caleb M. Wiedeman, Kyra M. Williams, Gavin M. Williamson, Arran T. Wilson, Stoughton J. Wintholz, Tazwell J. Yates

Salina Central releases first semester honor roll

A Salina man was cited after a one-vehicle accident early Monday morning.

Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester said this morning that first responders were dispatched to the intersection of North Ninth Street and West North Street at 5:25 a.m. for the report of a one-vehicle wreck. Mark Crawford, 62, of Salina, had crashed his 1999 Honda Odyssey into a power pole belonging to Evergy, snapping the pole and causing the power lines to fall onto the railroad tracks, Forrester said.

Crawford complained of neck pain and was taken to Salina Regional Health Center, he said.

A witness told police that the Honda was westbound on West North Street at a high rate of speed and ran the stop sign at the North Ninth Street intersection before striking the power pole, Forrester said. 

Crawford was cited for the following, Forrester said.

A Salina man was cited after a one-vehicle accident early Monday morning.Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester said this morning that first responders were dispatched to the intersection of North Ninth Street and West North Street at 5:25 a.m. for the report of a one-vehicle wreck. Mark Crawford, 62, of Salina, had crashed his 1999 Honda Odyssey into a power pole belonging to Evergy, snapping the pole and causing the power lines to fall onto the railroad tracks, Forrester said.Crawford complained of neck pain and was taken to Salina Regional Health Center, he said.A witness told police that the Honda was westbound on West North Street at a high rate of speed and ran the stop sign at the North Ninth Street intersection before striking the power pole, Forrester said. Crawford was cited for the following, Forrester said.No valid driver's licenseHaving an obstructed windshield (ice)Failing to stop at a stop sign

Salina man cited after one-vehicle accident early Monday morning

UPDATE 9:10 a.m.: The roadways are open, per Kansas Highway Patrol Troop C:

UPDATE 7:52 a.m.: An update concerning the accident:

The Kansas Highway Patrol's Trooper Ben Gardner offers safety reminders at the scene of an accident on Interstate 70 and U.S. Highway 81. From the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KHPTroopC/">Kansas Highway Patrol Troop C </a>Facebook page:

UPDATE 9:10 a.m.: The roadways are open, per Kansas Highway Patrol Troop C:<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKHPTroopC%2Fposts%2F2512577942390734&width=500" width="500" height="173" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div>UPDATE 7:52 a.m.: An update concerning the accident:<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKHPTroopC%2Fposts%2F2512542669060928&width=500" width="500" height="637" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div>----------------The Kansas Highway Patrol's Trooper Ben Gardner offers safety reminders at the scene of an accident on Interstate 70 and U.S. Highway 81. From the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KHPTroopC/">Kansas Highway Patrol Troop C </a>Facebook page:<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKHPTroopC%2Fvideos%2F657592828312990%2F&show_text=1&width=267" width="267" height="812" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>

UPDATED: Trooper Ben says be safe, slow down

OK, they’re back in Topeka now, choosing between which lobbyist’s dinner offer seems best, rather than reaching around you at the meat case of the local grocery store looking for a good deal on hamburger. Yes, it’s 2020 and the Kansas Legislature is back in business.

Much of these first few days will be settling in, finding out what new restaurants have opened in Topeka, and waiting not quite breathlessly for Gov. Laura Kelly’s Wednesday evening State of the State Address, and on Thursday getting the real meat of the session—her budget.

Expect that Medicaid expansion deal she’s made with Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, R-Overland Park, to be the lead, and most legislators – especially Republicans – are going to be listening to just how Kelly describes the bill, and whether she manages to convince lawmakers that she made some concessions to the Republican No. 2 man in the Senate. That’s important for Kelly picking up GOP votes for the deal and for moderate Republicans (not Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, who opposes the whole issue) to assert that they didn’t just take dictation from the Democrat governor, but actually hammered (pillow-fought?) the deal.

And then there’s that reamortization of the most politically important piece of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS). Kelly, as have previous governors, is suggesting that the $6.8 billion in unfunded liability of the teacher/state employee portion of the pension fund be re-amortized. That’s simply issuing bonds that will bring the fund to what they call “unfunded liability”&nbsp;which is what it’s going to cost to provide those pensions. That unfunded liability is essentially a promise of pensions that the state doesn’t have the money on hand to pay.

Republicans generally don’t like the re-amortization, which though it will cut year-to-year budget transfers to KPERS, includes lots of interest on that new re-amortization. Republicans, especially, don’t mind getting interest, but don’t like paying it. Look for that to create a loud, long fight this year.

And that re-amortization also frees up money in the governor’s proposed budget that means more money to spend…which she likes.

Medicaid and re-amortization are the big-dollar issues, but both are hard to make into exciting bullet points on a campaign brochure.

So…we get to the sexy stuff that people buy bumper stickers to champion.

There’s abortion, of course, which the Kansas Supreme Court says is a constitutional right in Kansas no matter what the federal government does, and abortion opponents want a Kansas constitutional amendment—if they can’t just remake the Kansas Supreme Court—to end abortion in Kansas.

And there’s guns, of course, always a political G-spot in election years. This year gun activists have targeted the state’s “red flag” provisions which so far haven’t been used publicly to have police seize the firearms of those who have threatened spouses, companions, or who have evidenced mental instability that may threaten others.

Nothing like a gun fight to divide the Legislature and the voters who send those legislators to Topeka for the winter.

Medicaid, budget, KPERS, guns, abortion. Those are just the leading issues, but there are dozens of smaller items on the menu, like sales tax on groceries and how to get it back to the state’s poor? And of course, the state is still muddling through that December 2017 federal tax law, which boosted the Kansas income tax of some Kansas-based international corporations and tied Kansas individual income taxes to federal standard deductions, costing the upper-middle class millions in lost Kansas tax deductions.

Oh, and of course, there’s figuring out how to vote on those issues, and explain it to voters this fall.

Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hawvernews.com/" target="_blank">www.hawvernews.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573590596307.png" alt="Martin Hawver" />
 <figcaption>Martin Hawver</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARTIN HAWVEROK, they’re back in Topeka now, choosing between which lobbyist’s dinner offer seems best, rather than reaching around you at the meat case of the local grocery store looking for a good deal on hamburger. Yes, it’s 2020 and the Kansas Legislature is back in business.Much of these first few days will be settling in, finding out what new restaurants have opened in Topeka, and waiting not quite breathlessly for Gov. Laura Kelly’s Wednesday evening State of the State Address, and on Thursday getting the real meat of the session—her budget.Expect that Medicaid expansion deal she’s made with Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, R-Overland Park, to be the lead, and most legislators – especially Republicans – are going to be listening to just how Kelly describes the bill, and whether she manages to convince lawmakers that she made some concessions to the Republican No. 2 man in the Senate. That’s important for Kelly picking up GOP votes for the deal and for moderate Republicans (not Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, who opposes the whole issue) to assert that they didn’t just take dictation from the Democrat governor, but actually hammered (pillow-fought?) the deal.And then there’s that reamortization of the most politically important piece of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS). Kelly, as have previous governors, is suggesting that the $6.8 billion in unfunded liability of the teacher/state employee portion of the pension fund be re-amortized. That’s simply issuing bonds that will bring the fund to what they call “unfunded liability”&nbsp;which is what it’s going to cost to provide those pensions. That unfunded liability is essentially a promise of pensions that the state doesn’t have the money on hand to pay.Republicans generally don’t like the re-amortization, which though it will cut year-to-year budget transfers to KPERS, includes lots of interest on that new re-amortization. Republicans, especially, don’t mind getting interest, but don’t like paying it. Look for that to create a loud, long fight this year.And that re-amortization also frees up money in the governor’s proposed budget that means more money to spend…which she likes.Medicaid and re-amortization are the big-dollar issues, but both are hard to make into exciting bullet points on a campaign brochure.So…we get to the sexy stuff that people buy bumper stickers to champion.There’s abortion, of course, which the Kansas Supreme Court says is a constitutional right in Kansas no matter what the federal government does, and abortion opponents want a Kansas constitutional amendment—if they can’t just remake the Kansas Supreme Court—to end abortion in Kansas.And there’s guns, of course, always a political G-spot in election years. This year gun activists have targeted the state’s “red flag” provisions which so far haven’t been used publicly to have police seize the firearms of those who have threatened spouses, companions, or who have evidenced mental instability that may threaten others.Nothing like a gun fight to divide the Legislature and the voters who send those legislators to Topeka for the winter.Medicaid, budget, KPERS, guns, abortion. Those are just the leading issues, but there are dozens of smaller items on the menu, like sales tax on groceries and how to get it back to the state’s poor? And of course, the state is still muddling through that December 2017 federal tax law, which boosted the Kansas income tax of some Kansas-based international corporations and tied Kansas individual income taxes to federal standard deductions, costing the upper-middle class millions in lost Kansas tax deductions.Oh, and of course, there’s figuring out how to vote on those issues, and explain it to voters this fall.Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hawvernews.com/" target="_blank">www.hawvernews.com</a>.

At the Rail: Legislature back in business

The manholes along South Ninth Street will be getting an adjustment during the next two weeks.

Beginning Wednesday, APAC
Shears of Salina will adjust manholes to create a smoother driving surface as
part of the City of Salina’s annual asphalt mill and inlay project.&nbsp; The work is anticipated to last two weeks,
weather permitting.

The work on South Ninth Street from West Walnut Street to West Crawford Street will be completed with lane closures; two way traffic will be maintained.&nbsp; Motorists are strongly encouraged to seek alternate routes to
their destinations, according to information from the city.

The $1.5 million project
is a major component of the city's $4.7 million 2019 maintenance
capital improvement program.

The manholes along South Ninth Street will be getting an adjustment during the next two weeks.Beginning Wednesday, APAC
Shears of Salina will adjust manholes to create a smoother driving surface as
part of the City of Salina’s annual asphalt mill and inlay project.&nbsp; The work is anticipated to last two weeks,
weather permitting.The work on South Ninth Street from West Walnut Street to West Crawford Street will be completed with lane closures; two way traffic will be maintained.&nbsp; Motorists are strongly encouraged to seek alternate routes to
their destinations, according to information from the city.The $1.5 million project
is a major component of the city's $4.7 million 2019 maintenance
capital improvement program.

Manholes along South Ninth Street to get adjustment



MANHATTAN — Kansas private well owners should test water quality annually, according to a recent Kansas State University study that revealed nitrate levels in shallow wells above U.S. Environment Protection Act standards.

"The changes we measured in the Great Bend Prairie Aquifer appear to be large relative to changes observed in a national study by the U.S. Geological Survey," said Matthew Kirk, Kansas State University associate professor of geology and the study's principal investigator.

The Great Bend Prairie Aquifer, a part of High Plains Aquifer, was the focus of a 40-year comparison study of rural water wells recently published in the&nbsp;<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z" target="_blank">Hydrogeology Journal</a>. Kirk and Alexandria "Allie" Richard Lane, Kansas State University 2018 master's degree graduate in geology, published the study along with Donald Whittemore, Kansas Geological Survey; Randy Stotler, University of Kansas Department of Geology; and John Hildebrand and Orrin Feril, both with Big Bend Groundwater Management District No. 5.

"The Great Bend Prairie Aquifer is very vulnerable to contamination and if rural well owners don't know there is a problem, they obviously can't do anything about it," Kirk said. "Municipalities are required to test and provide safe drinking water for city residents but private rural well owners should take responsibility to test their wells at least every year."

According to Lane, who now works for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, there are many kits that can be purchased online for under $40 that test for bacteria, pesticides, lead, copper, iron, nitrate and water hardness in water wells.

"Those kits are good to use for basic readings and if anything is concerning, then residents can send a sample to a lab for further testing," Lane said. "At KDHE, we try to inform private water well communities that it's important to test their wells annually."

Kirk and Lane's 2016 study measured water chemistries and compared them with 1970s measurements at the same sites. Twenty of 21 wells had increases of nitrate concentrations, or NO3-, compared to the 1970s samples. Seven wells exceeded the nitrate concentrations allowed by the EPA standard for drinking water. In the 1970s study, only one of the wells was above the current EPA standard.

"There hasn't been as much work on water quality as water quantity in the High Plains Aquifer," Kirk said. "Groundwater storage in the Great Bend Prairie Aquifer is relatively stable, but if the water is there and the quality degrades, that's also bad."

According to Kirk, high nitrate levels in drinking water can cause human and livestock health issues by interfering with transport of oxygen by blood and possibly causing a higher risk of cancer. Too much nitrate in groundwater can also stimulate a release of uranium and selenium from the sediment into the water. While water quantity may be a top concern for many rural areas currently, Kirk said water quality issues may soon rise to the top of the list of rural water problems.

"Other parts of the High Plains Aquifer are most likely going to see changes too but it's just taking it longer to show up because of transport time between the surface and the water table," Kirk said.

That transport time is fairly quick in the study area since the soil is sandy and the water table is closer to the surface, Kirk said. In addition, the aquifer and sandy soil are not ideal living environments for the microbes that help clean the water by consuming nitrate.

"Groundwater in the Great Bend Prairie Aquifer often has oxygen and where that is the case, microorganisms typically respire the oxygen instead of nitrate," Kirk said.

According to the study results, the wells with the highest contamination were those in fields used for crops, and the isotopic evidence — like a chemical signature — show that the nitrate in the aquifer is from fertilizer. Kirk said that fertilizers help farmers increase crop yields but excess fertilizer can contaminate water supplies.

"I don't know what the future looks like or how we balance these issues — growing food for the world and maintaining health of natural resources to grow that food — but we need to find ways to slow down nitrate accumulation and better manage nitrate into the future," Kirk said.

Kirk advocates for precision agriculture to apply fertilizer and planting cover crops — which use excess nitrate in the soil when planted in between the harvest of one food crop and the planting of the next. Kirk said these two practices help reduce runoff of excess fertilizer and are becoming more common with irrigated agriculture in the region. He also said that more studies are needed to evaluate if the drastic increase between the two time periods of the study is leveling off or if it has just ramped up in recent years.

"We need more data about the seasonal variation in nitrate levels and multiple years of data to really understand the trend of the increase," Kirk said. "We also hope to sample additional wells to evaluate change over more of the aquifer. We wanted to document this finding and try to spread the word because, at the end in the day, it's a big increase of nitrate and could affect people's health."

Support for the study was provided by a graduate&nbsp;student research grant from the Geological Society of America, the Kansas State University Department of Geology and the National&nbsp;Science Foundation.



--<a href="http://k-state.edu">k-state.edu</a>--

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578974322440.jpeg" alt="

Kansas State University master's in geology graduate Allie Richard Lane samples water from wells as part of a 40-year comparison study of wells in the Great Bend Prairie Aquifer. The study has revealed water quality issues. Photo courtesy K-State" />
 <figcaption>

Kansas State University master's in geology graduate Allie Richard Lane samples water from wells as part of a 40-year comparison study of wells in the Great Bend Prairie Aquifer. The study has revealed water quality issues. Photo courtesy K-State</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;STEPHANIE JACQUESKansas State University

MANHATTAN — Kansas private well owners should test water quality annually, according to a recent Kansas State University study that revealed nitrate levels in shallow wells above U.S. Environment Protection Act standards."The changes we measured in the Great Bend Prairie Aquifer appear to be large relative to changes observed in a national study by the U.S. Geological Survey," said Matthew Kirk, Kansas State University associate professor of geology and the study's principal investigator.The Great Bend Prairie Aquifer, a part of High Plains Aquifer, was the focus of a 40-year comparison study of rural water wells recently published in the&nbsp;<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-019-02083-z" target="_blank">Hydrogeology Journal</a>. Kirk and Alexandria "Allie" Richard Lane, Kansas State University 2018 master's degree graduate in geology, published the study along with Donald Whittemore, Kansas Geological Survey; Randy Stotler, University of Kansas Department of Geology; and John Hildebrand and Orrin Feril, both with Big Bend Groundwater Management District No. 5."The Great Bend Prairie Aquifer is very vulnerable to contamination and if rural well owners don't know there is a problem, they obviously can't do anything about it," Kirk said. "Municipalities are required to test and provide safe drinking water for city residents but private rural well owners should take responsibility to test their wells at least every year."According to Lane, who now works for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, there are many kits that can be purchased online for under $40 that test for bacteria, pesticides, lead, copper, iron, nitrate and water hardness in water wells."Those kits are good to use for basic readings and if anything is concerning, then residents can send a sample to a lab for further testing," Lane said. "At KDHE, we try to inform private water well communities that it's important to test their wells annually."Kirk and Lane's 2016 study measured water chemistries and compared them with 1970s measurements at the same sites. Twenty of 21 wells had increases of nitrate concentrations, or NO3-, compared to the 1970s samples. Seven wells exceeded the nitrate concentrations allowed by the EPA standard for drinking water. In the 1970s study, only one of the wells was above the current EPA standard."There hasn't been as much work on water quality as water quantity in the High Plains Aquifer," Kirk said. "Groundwater storage in the Great Bend Prairie Aquifer is relatively stable, but if the water is there and the quality degrades, that's also bad."According to Kirk, high nitrate levels in drinking water can cause human and livestock health issues by interfering with transport of oxygen by blood and possibly causing a higher risk of cancer. Too much nitrate in groundwater can also stimulate a release of uranium and selenium from the sediment into the water. While water quantity may be a top concern for many rural areas currently, Kirk said water quality issues may soon rise to the top of the list of rural water problems."Other parts of the High Plains Aquifer are most likely going to see changes too but it's just taking it longer to show up because of transport time between the surface and the water table," Kirk said.That transport time is fairly quick in the study area since the soil is sandy and the water table is closer to the surface, Kirk said. In addition, the aquifer and sandy soil are not ideal living environments for the microbes that help clean the water by consuming nitrate."Groundwater in the Great Bend Prairie Aquifer often has oxygen and where that is the case, microorganisms typically respire the oxygen instead of nitrate," Kirk said.According to the study results, the wells with the highest contamination were those in fields used for crops, and the isotopic evidence — like a chemical signature — show that the nitrate in the aquifer is from fertilizer. Kirk said that fertilizers help farmers increase crop yields but excess fertilizer can contaminate water supplies."I don't know what the future looks like or how we balance these issues — growing food for the world and maintaining health of natural resources to grow that food — but we need to find ways to slow down nitrate accumulation and better manage nitrate into the future," Kirk said.Kirk advocates for precision agriculture to apply fertilizer and planting cover crops — which use excess nitrate in the soil when planted in between the harvest of one food crop and the planting of the next. Kirk said these two practices help reduce runoff of excess fertilizer and are becoming more common with irrigated agriculture in the region. He also said that more studies are needed to evaluate if the drastic increase between the two time periods of the study is leveling off or if it has just ramped up in recent years."We need more data about the seasonal variation in nitrate levels and multiple years of data to really understand the trend of the increase," Kirk said. "We also hope to sample additional wells to evaluate change over more of the aquifer. We wanted to document this finding and try to spread the word because, at the end in the day, it's a big increase of nitrate and could affect people's health."Support for the study was provided by a graduate&nbsp;student research grant from the Geological Society of America, the Kansas State University Department of Geology and the National&nbsp;Science Foundation.

--<a href="http://k-state.edu">k-state.edu</a>--

High Plains Aquifer rural wells: large increase in nitrate levels



The recent massive federal spending bill just passed by the current administration mandates several federal government agencies proceed to shut down animal experimentation in the next few years.

The National Institutes of Health is required to report back for the next fiscal year on “...nonhuman primate use and efforts to reduce such research use specifically, an assessment of research alternatives, including benefits and limitations of such alternatives, cost estimates, and areas of further need for innovative alternatives. In the fiscal year 2021, the agreement requests NIH include a discussion of research alternatives in use and those in development.”

In the Veteran Affairs branch: “Not later than December 31, 2020, the Secretary shall submit to such Committees a plan under which the Secretary will eliminate or reduce the research conducted using canines, felines, or non-human primates by not later than five years after the date of the enactment of this Act.”

The Food and Drug Administration likewise is required to: “...deliver a report within 12 months of enactment of this Act that outlines a strategy, including a detailed timeline, for the reduction and replacement of nonhuman primates in FDA intramural testing and research with suitable alternative models.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is required to provide extensive records of all inspections and related documents on its website. In the past, these records have sometimes been used by animal rights groups to target protests, harass researchers and in some cases, directed animal rights extremists to destroy facilities.

These actions follow close on the heels of Environmental Protection Agency director Andrew Wheeler’s proclamation that the E.P.A. would reduce and eventually eliminate the use of mammals in toxicity tests by 2035. The basis for that retreat from science is animal rightists' claim that computer simulations and cell culture or “in vitro” methods can fully achieve the same results.

This nonsense comes not from scientists but from the White Coat Waste Project (WCW, an animal rights group that lobbied Washington lawmakers to introduce the above language, along with the Humane Society of the U.S. In December 2019, Justin Goodman, vice president of WCW, told the journal&nbsp;Science&nbsp;that “This is the first time in history, to our knowledge, that Congress has set hard deadlines for the elimination and reduction of experiments on dogs, cats, and primates. The science has been there, the public sentiment has been there, and now there’s the political will to make these things happen.”

To the contrary, science is nowhere near replacing the utter complexity of human and animal physiology with simplistic computer simulations and tissue cultures. The need for actual animal models is clearly understood in most of Europe and Asia where the biology education of citizens would make such a statement ludicrous.

Testing the effects of new drugs requires complex organisms because new pharmaceuticals often have adverse effects on non-target organs. And new drugs are often metabolized by some organs into additional chemicals that may or may not harm us. No computer programs or tissue cultures come close to being able to replace the need for complex animal models.

But White Coat Waste wants to go further to eliminate all animal use. Its next step is to get Congress to pass an “After Act” to force every federal agency to retire all research animals.

These regulations would have been rejected in pre-World War II America where the majority of Americans were intimately involved in farming, ranching or the food industry. But today, with less than one percent of Americans working in agriculture and understanding animals, and our U.S. science curriculum weak, we now risk shutting down animal research critical in biological and medical research.

Despite the last three years of federal hissy fits over Europe and Asia supposedly stealing American research, this federal legislation is now heading down a path that will drive medical research involving animal models to foreign countries. And the United States will have no alternative to relying on advances in science results coming from other countries.&nbsp;



John Richard Schrock has trained biology teachers for more than 30 years in Kansas. He also has lectured at 27 universities in 20 trips to China. He holds the distinction of “Faculty Emeritus” at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573490075841.jpeg" alt="John Richard Schrock" />
 <figcaption>John Richard Schrock</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN RICHARD SCHROCK

The recent massive federal spending bill just passed by the current administration mandates several federal government agencies proceed to shut down animal experimentation in the next few years.The National Institutes of Health is required to report back for the next fiscal year on “...nonhuman primate use and efforts to reduce such research use specifically, an assessment of research alternatives, including benefits and limitations of such alternatives, cost estimates, and areas of further need for innovative alternatives. In the fiscal year 2021, the agreement requests NIH include a discussion of research alternatives in use and those in development.”In the Veteran Affairs branch: “Not later than December 31, 2020, the Secretary shall submit to such Committees a plan under which the Secretary will eliminate or reduce the research conducted using canines, felines, or non-human primates by not later than five years after the date of the enactment of this Act.”The Food and Drug Administration likewise is required to: “...deliver a report within 12 months of enactment of this Act that outlines a strategy, including a detailed timeline, for the reduction and replacement of nonhuman primates in FDA intramural testing and research with suitable alternative models.”The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is required to provide extensive records of all inspections and related documents on its website. In the past, these records have sometimes been used by animal rights groups to target protests, harass researchers and in some cases, directed animal rights extremists to destroy facilities.These actions follow close on the heels of Environmental Protection Agency director Andrew Wheeler’s proclamation that the E.P.A. would reduce and eventually eliminate the use of mammals in toxicity tests by 2035. The basis for that retreat from science is animal rightists' claim that computer simulations and cell culture or “in vitro” methods can fully achieve the same results.This nonsense comes not from scientists but from the White Coat Waste Project (WCW, an animal rights group that lobbied Washington lawmakers to introduce the above language, along with the Humane Society of the U.S. In December 2019, Justin Goodman, vice president of WCW, told the journal&nbsp;Science&nbsp;that “This is the first time in history, to our knowledge, that Congress has set hard deadlines for the elimination and reduction of experiments on dogs, cats, and primates. The science has been there, the public sentiment has been there, and now there’s the political will to make these things happen.”To the contrary, science is nowhere near replacing the utter complexity of human and animal physiology with simplistic computer simulations and tissue cultures. The need for actual animal models is clearly understood in most of Europe and Asia where the biology education of citizens would make such a statement ludicrous.Testing the effects of new drugs requires complex organisms because new pharmaceuticals often have adverse effects on non-target organs. And new drugs are often metabolized by some organs into additional chemicals that may or may not harm us. No computer programs or tissue cultures come close to being able to replace the need for complex animal models.But White Coat Waste wants to go further to eliminate all animal use. Its next step is to get Congress to pass an “After Act” to force every federal agency to retire all research animals.These regulations would have been rejected in pre-World War II America where the majority of Americans were intimately involved in farming, ranching or the food industry. But today, with less than one percent of Americans working in agriculture and understanding animals, and our U.S. science curriculum weak, we now risk shutting down animal research critical in biological and medical research.Despite the last three years of federal hissy fits over Europe and Asia supposedly stealing American research, this federal legislation is now heading down a path that will drive medical research involving animal models to foreign countries. And the United States will have no alternative to relying on advances in science results coming from other countries.&nbsp;

John Richard Schrock has trained biology teachers for more than 30 years in Kansas. He also has lectured at 27 universities in 20 trips to China. He holds the distinction of “Faculty Emeritus” at Emporia State University.

Education Frontlines: U.S. moving toward ending animal research



MANHATTAN — More than 4,220 Kansas State University students have earned semester honors for their academic performance in the fall 2019 semester.

Students earning a grade point average for the semester of 3.75 or above on at least 12 graded credit hours receive semester honors along with commendations from their deans. The honors also are recorded on their permanent academic records.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Local and area students who received academic honors at K-State include the following.&nbsp;

Note from K-State: some cities may be listed outside of the geographical area of their county based on the student's records.

Clay Center:&nbsp;Michael Brinkman, Caden Brond, Kinzey Cott, Kirsten Dieckmann, Adam Ebert, Audrey Gaug, Chloe Gaug, Brigham Glaves, Riley Griggs, Caley Hartner, Joshua Kelley, Victoria Kimbrough, Lauren Lane, Karrin Larson, Mariah Larson, Lane Liby, Ty Pfizenmaier, Katelyn Pinkston, Evan Rosenow, Rachael Shelton, Katherine Sleichter, Rodney Tsoodle, Natalie Vesta, Kelby Wichman&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Clifton:&nbsp;Michaela Musselman&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Longford:&nbsp;Hayden Heigele&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Miltonvale:&nbsp;Amanda Blackwood&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Aurora:&nbsp;Ruth Garnas&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Clyde:&nbsp;Eli Ohlde&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Concordia:&nbsp;Beau Bonebrake, Rope Dorman, Jaxson Metzler, Corben Monzon, Connor James Reynolds, Kora Snavely, Karter Steinle, Jessica Williams, Lake Winter

Abilene:&nbsp;Turner&nbsp;Alderson,&nbsp;Bret Ambrosier, Codie Boyd, Sydney Burton, Lucas Cook, Mikiah Dykes, Joshua Evans, Olivia Gassman, Erin Jones, Tristen Kleinbeck, Miah Meuli, Sequoyah Morabito, Molly Myers, Garry Parzych, Riley Sleichter, Chase Stalder, Rebecca Swartz, Rogan Tokach, Rylie Volkman, Grant Weishaar, Jackson Welsh, Dustin Wilson, Isaac Wright&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Carlton:&nbsp;Josiah Schwarz&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Chapman:&nbsp;Erik Woodbury&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Herington:&nbsp;Madison Heitfield, Katharyn Roe, Mardi Traskowsky, Maria Traskowsky&nbsp;&nbsp;

Solomon:&nbsp;Kelli Ward, Rachel Werling&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brookville:&nbsp;Mika Bolton, Meghan Diehl, Tristan Ptacek&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ellsworth:&nbsp;Kailee Landon, Kara Rodriguez, Janae Schulte&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lorraine:&nbsp;Audrey Boeken&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Wilson:&nbsp;Ethan Dlabal, Lukas Sebesta

Esbon:&nbsp;Thayne Benoit&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Mankato:&nbsp;Josie Wilson&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Webber:&nbsp;Jenna Langer, Natalie McMeen, Michelle Unruh

Beverly:&nbsp;Colton Hillegeist&nbsp;

Hunter:&nbsp;Shiloh Brock&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lincoln:&nbsp;Elizabeth Huskey, Hunter Meier, Amanda Wollesen, Ashley Wollesen&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Goessel:&nbsp;Emily Meier&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hillsboro:&nbsp;Matthew Denholm, Stephanie Hiebert, Kennedy Klein, Jesse Meier, SaRae Roberts&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lincolnville:&nbsp;Kristin Vinduska&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Marion:&nbsp;Paige May, James Corona, Corbin Wheeler, Colin Williams&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Peabody:&nbsp;Brandon Entz&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Galva:&nbsp;Bryndalynn Lintecum, Dawson Vangoethem&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gypsum:&nbsp;Aaron Henne&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Inman:&nbsp;Cross Allen, Logan Druecker, Nathan Enns, Rachel Hagen, Maxwell Harman, Hannah Schriner&nbsp;

Lindsborg:&nbsp;Maria Apel, Cole Brumbaugh, Carter Couchman, Delaney Johnson, Timothy Lambert, Haley Peterson, Konrad Peterson, Nicholas Reinert&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Marquette:&nbsp;Madison Loder, Michelle Loder&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

McPherson:&nbsp;Katelyn Beam, Molly Black, Jeffrey Bohnenblust, Casey Cheek, Maisie Edmonson, Kari Ellet, Stephanie Farney, Nathan Grosland, Gretchen Heidebrecht, Rachel Ivers, Christopher Kirchner, Dustin Kynaston, Maria Martin, Janae McKinney, Leah Parker, Mercedes Payton, Jeffrey Reed, Zachary Spearman, Cody Starkel, Jake Strawn, Lane Wiens&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Moundridge:&nbsp;Cassidy Finley, Parker Lange, Mackenzie Porter&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Beloit:&nbsp;Adam Bates, Karson Brown, Colin Budke, Kail Dubbert, Kara Eilert, Logan Eilert, Mason Eilert, Avery Gates, Chance Kopsa, Tyler Long, Bryce Nichols, Sidney Odle, Breanna Schroeder, Aaron Shamburg

Bennington:&nbsp;Katie Dreiling, Reanna Masenthin, Ashley Oldham, Justin Zamecnik&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Delphos:&nbsp;Mykenzi Allison, Trenton Brubaker&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Miltonvale:&nbsp;Carlean Sanders&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Belleville:&nbsp;Lasondra Aurand, Jaycee Blazek, Trey Kuhlman, Grace Rieke, Kendra Scott, Zebulon Sjolander, Tiana Sothers, Christopher Strnad&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Concordia:&nbsp;Paul Rundus, Colby Trost, Delaney Trost&nbsp;

Courtland:&nbsp;Jony Dahl&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cuba:&nbsp;Tyler Popelka&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Scandia:&nbsp;Davante Hammer, Cole Strickler, Dane Thompson

Assaria:&nbsp;Laura Peterson, Shaylin Ptacek&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brookville:&nbsp;Rylee Schrock&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Falun:&nbsp;Kaylee Hansen, Elizabeth Motter&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gypsum:&nbsp;Morgan Kaniper, Taylor Weis, Mary Winship&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

New Cambria:&nbsp;Luke&nbsp;Ryan, Jenna Yarochowicz&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Salina:&nbsp;Emily Allen,&nbsp;Jonathan&nbsp;Andrew,&nbsp;Clifton Andrews, Dan Balaun, Noah Barton, Cortney Berndt, Noah Bradley, Reilly Brin, Kate Brull, Quinton Burger, Audrey Burgoon, Dakota Came, Makenzi Carlgren, Kailee Carter, Shealan Clark, Sydney Clements, John Coates, Jonathan Coleman,&nbsp;Alex&nbsp;Cosco,&nbsp;Riley Counts, Marcelle Cruz, Lauren Cullins, Morgan Dolton, Leslie Duenas-Galvan, Wesley Elliott, Alexandria Elmore, Kegan England, Zachary Farmer, Ethan Faunce, Hayden Frederiksen, Natalie Froetschner, John Garfolo, Jacey Goetz, Karter Granzella, Levi Harapat, Samuel Haynes, Paige Hieger, Zachary Hilbig, Rebecca Hough, Samantha Hyman, Levi Johnson, Maddison Johnson, Joshua Juenemann, Makenzie Kack, Joshua Kavanagh, Kelsey Ketcher, Logan Klein, Sadie Kossow, Kennedy Lancaster, Hanna Leiker, Dawson Maring, Colton Maxwell, Jenna McCartney, Jonathan Mraz, Trevor Mullen, Morgan Perez, Luke Pfannenstiel, Jose Pinzon, Tristan Piper, Noah Plank, Kolin Plush, Isabella Pullos, Jackson Reilly, Catelyn Richards, Jacob Rick, Raelynn Roe, Zechariah Rose, Jordan Ross, Reilly Ryan, Juan Sandoval-Andrade, Ashley Sankey, Meghan Sankey, Andrew Schubert, Jackson Shetlar, Madison Stack, Jace Stephenson, Luke Streit, Viet Ta, Annie Taggart, Saihara Taylor, Maddison Teschke, Ace Thompson, Bao Tran, Ethan Truong, Bailey Underwood, Levi Unruh, Alexandra Usher, Andrew Wallace, Joshua Walters,&nbsp;Kaylee&nbsp;Warren,&nbsp;Bryan Weikle, Dylan Wentzel, Zaine White, Thomas Williams, Drake Wolters, Ethan Zajac&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

MANHATTAN — More than 4,220 Kansas State University students have earned semester honors for their academic performance in the fall 2019 semester.Students earning a grade point average for the semester of 3.75 or above on at least 12 graded credit hours receive semester honors along with commendations from their deans. The honors also are recorded on their permanent academic records.&nbsp;&nbsp;Local and area students who received academic honors at K-State include the following.&nbsp;<h2>Note from K-State: some cities may be listed outside of the geographical area of their county based on the student's records.</h2>CLAY COUNTYClay Center:&nbsp;Michael Brinkman, Caden Brond, Kinzey Cott, Kirsten Dieckmann, Adam Ebert, Audrey Gaug, Chloe Gaug, Brigham Glaves, Riley Griggs, Caley Hartner, Joshua Kelley, Victoria Kimbrough, Lauren Lane, Karrin Larson, Mariah Larson, Lane Liby, Ty Pfizenmaier, Katelyn Pinkston, Evan Rosenow, Rachael Shelton, Katherine Sleichter, Rodney Tsoodle, Natalie Vesta, Kelby Wichman&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Clifton:&nbsp;Michaela Musselman&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Longford:&nbsp;Hayden Heigele&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Miltonvale:&nbsp;Amanda Blackwood&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wakefield:&nbsp;Garrett Craig<a></a>CLOUD COUNTYAurora:&nbsp;Ruth Garnas&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Clyde:&nbsp;Eli Ohlde&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Concordia:&nbsp;Beau Bonebrake, Rope Dorman, Jaxson Metzler, Corben Monzon, Connor James Reynolds, Kora Snavely, Karter Steinle, Jessica Williams, Lake WinterDICKINSON COUNTYAbilene:&nbsp;Turner&nbsp;Alderson,&nbsp;Bret Ambrosier, Codie Boyd, Sydney Burton, Lucas Cook, Mikiah Dykes, Joshua Evans, Olivia Gassman, Erin Jones, Tristen Kleinbeck, Miah Meuli, Sequoyah Morabito, Molly Myers, Garry Parzych, Riley Sleichter, Chase Stalder, Rebecca Swartz, Rogan Tokach, Rylie Volkman, Grant Weishaar, Jackson Welsh, Dustin Wilson, Isaac Wright&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Carlton:&nbsp;Josiah Schwarz&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chapman:&nbsp;Erik Woodbury&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Herington:&nbsp;Madison Heitfield, Katharyn Roe, Mardi Traskowsky, Maria Traskowsky&nbsp;&nbsp;Solomon:&nbsp;Kelli Ward, Rachel Werling&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Woodbine:&nbsp;Thomas AlvarezELLSWORTH COUNTYBrookville:&nbsp;Mika Bolton, Meghan Diehl, Tristan Ptacek&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ellsworth:&nbsp;Kailee Landon, Kara Rodriguez, Janae Schulte&nbsp;&nbsp;Lorraine:&nbsp;Audrey Boeken&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wilson:&nbsp;Ethan Dlabal, Lukas SebestaJEWELL COUNTYEsbon:&nbsp;Thayne Benoit&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mankato:&nbsp;Josie Wilson&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Webber:&nbsp;Jenna Langer, Natalie McMeen, Michelle UnruhLINCOLN COUNTYBeverly:&nbsp;Colton Hillegeist&nbsp;Hunter:&nbsp;Shiloh Brock&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lincoln:&nbsp;Elizabeth Huskey, Hunter Meier, Amanda Wollesen, Ashley Wollesen&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sylvan Grove:&nbsp;James ThaemertMARION COUNTYGoessel:&nbsp;Emily Meier&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hillsboro:&nbsp;Matthew Denholm, Stephanie Hiebert, Kennedy Klein, Jesse Meier, SaRae Roberts&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lincolnville:&nbsp;Kristin Vinduska&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Marion:&nbsp;Paige May, James Corona, Corbin Wheeler, Colin Williams&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Peabody:&nbsp;Brandon Entz&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tampa:&nbsp;Reece BerensMcPHERSON COUNTYGalva:&nbsp;Bryndalynn Lintecum, Dawson Vangoethem&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gypsum:&nbsp;Aaron Henne&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Inman:&nbsp;Cross Allen, Logan Druecker, Nathan Enns, Rachel Hagen, Maxwell Harman, Hannah Schriner&nbsp;Lindsborg:&nbsp;Maria Apel, Cole Brumbaugh, Carter Couchman, Delaney Johnson, Timothy Lambert, Haley Peterson, Konrad Peterson, Nicholas Reinert&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Marquette:&nbsp;Madison Loder, Michelle Loder&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;McPherson:&nbsp;Katelyn Beam, Molly Black, Jeffrey Bohnenblust, Casey Cheek, Maisie Edmonson, Kari Ellet, Stephanie Farney, Nathan Grosland, Gretchen Heidebrecht, Rachel Ivers, Christopher Kirchner, Dustin Kynaston, Maria Martin, Janae McKinney, Leah Parker, Mercedes Payton, Jeffrey Reed, Zachary Spearman, Cody Starkel, Jake Strawn, Lane Wiens&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Moundridge:&nbsp;Cassidy Finley, Parker Lange, Mackenzie Porter&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Windom:&nbsp;Kristin EkholmMITCHELL COUNTYBeloit:&nbsp;Adam Bates, Karson Brown, Colin Budke, Kail Dubbert, Kara Eilert, Logan Eilert, Mason Eilert, Avery Gates, Chance Kopsa, Tyler Long, Bryce Nichols, Sidney Odle, Breanna Schroeder, Aaron ShamburgOTTAWA COUNTYBennington:&nbsp;Katie Dreiling, Reanna Masenthin, Ashley Oldham, Justin Zamecnik&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Delphos:&nbsp;Mykenzi Allison, Trenton Brubaker&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Miltonvale:&nbsp;Carlean Sanders&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Minneapolis:&nbsp;Dalton WilsonREPUBLIC COUNTYBelleville:&nbsp;Lasondra Aurand, Jaycee Blazek, Trey Kuhlman, Grace Rieke, Kendra Scott, Zebulon Sjolander, Tiana Sothers, Christopher Strnad&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Concordia:&nbsp;Paul Rundus, Colby Trost, Delaney Trost&nbsp;Courtland:&nbsp;Jony Dahl&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cuba:&nbsp;Tyler Popelka&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Scandia:&nbsp;Davante Hammer, Cole Strickler, Dane ThompsonSALINE COUNTYAssaria:&nbsp;Laura Peterson, Shaylin Ptacek&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brookville:&nbsp;Rylee Schrock&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Falun:&nbsp;Kaylee Hansen, Elizabeth Motter&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gypsum:&nbsp;Morgan Kaniper, Taylor Weis, Mary Winship&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;New Cambria:&nbsp;Luke&nbsp;Ryan, Jenna Yarochowicz&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Salina:&nbsp;Emily Allen,&nbsp;Jonathan&nbsp;Andrew,&nbsp;Clifton Andrews, Dan Balaun, Noah Barton, Cortney Berndt, Noah Bradley, Reilly Brin, Kate Brull, Quinton Burger, Audrey Burgoon, Dakota Came, Makenzi Carlgren, Kailee Carter, Shealan Clark, Sydney Clements, John Coates, Jonathan Coleman,&nbsp;Alex&nbsp;Cosco,&nbsp;Riley Counts, Marcelle Cruz, Lauren Cullins, Morgan Dolton, Leslie Duenas-Galvan, Wesley Elliott, Alexandria Elmore, Kegan England, Zachary Farmer, Ethan Faunce, Hayden Frederiksen, Natalie Froetschner, John Garfolo, Jacey Goetz, Karter Granzella, Levi Harapat, Samuel Haynes, Paige Hieger, Zachary Hilbig, Rebecca Hough, Samantha Hyman, Levi Johnson, Maddison Johnson, Joshua Juenemann, Makenzie Kack, Joshua Kavanagh, Kelsey Ketcher, Logan Klein, Sadie Kossow, Kennedy Lancaster, Hanna Leiker, Dawson Maring, Colton Maxwell, Jenna McCartney, Jonathan Mraz, Trevor Mullen, Morgan Perez, Luke Pfannenstiel, Jose Pinzon, Tristan Piper, Noah Plank, Kolin Plush, Isabella Pullos, Jackson Reilly, Catelyn Richards, Jacob Rick, Raelynn Roe, Zechariah Rose, Jordan Ross, Reilly Ryan, Juan Sandoval-Andrade, Ashley Sankey, Meghan Sankey, Andrew Schubert, Jackson Shetlar, Madison Stack, Jace Stephenson, Luke Streit, Viet Ta, Annie Taggart, Saihara Taylor, Maddison Teschke, Ace Thompson, Bao Tran, Ethan Truong, Bailey Underwood, Levi Unruh, Alexandra Usher, Andrew Wallace, Joshua Walters,&nbsp;Kaylee&nbsp;Warren,&nbsp;Bryan Weikle, Dylan Wentzel, Zaine White, Thomas Williams, Drake Wolters, Ethan Zajac&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Solomon:&nbsp;Trenton Wood

K-State students earn fall semester honors

Congratulations to Jason Hopkins of Salina, the&nbsp;Week 19 winner in our Gridiron Glory contest! Jason wins a bouquet a month for a year from Salina Flowers By Pettle's.

The season is almost over, but with our great weekly prizes, you still have time to win! You can make picks through the Super Bowl!

<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/5dcac5e5897d147ad4bb0ba5#/registration/login" target="_blank">Click here</a>&nbsp;to sign up and play Anesthesia Associates’ Gridiron Glory on&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/" target="_blank">SalinaPost.com</a>.

Submit your weekly picks for great prizes including trips to Arrowhead, merchandise, and even $1,000 cash.&nbsp;

Win big all season long with Anesthesia Associates’ Gridiron Glory on&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/" target="_blank">SalinaPost.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577799102908.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Congratulations to Jason Hopkins of Salina, the&nbsp;Week 19 winner in our Gridiron Glory contest! Jason wins a bouquet a month for a year from Salina Flowers By Pettle's.The season is almost over, but with our great weekly prizes, you still have time to win! You can make picks through the Super Bowl!<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/5dcac5e5897d147ad4bb0ba5#/registration/login" target="_blank">Click here</a>&nbsp;to sign up and play Anesthesia Associates’ Gridiron Glory on&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/" target="_blank">SalinaPost.com</a>.Submit your weekly picks for great prizes including trips to Arrowhead, merchandise, and even $1,000 cash.&nbsp;Win big all season long with Anesthesia Associates’ Gridiron Glory on&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/" target="_blank">SalinaPost.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gridiron Glory: Congrats Jason Hopkins!

Dense fog advisories have been issued for overnight for multiple counties in our area.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Wichita has issued a dense fog advisory in effect until 9 a.m. Tuesday for the following counties in our area.

Dense fog with visibility one quarter mile or less is expected. In central Kansas, slick roads and highways are likely very early Tuesday morning, especially on elevated surfaces.

When driving, slow down, use your low-beam headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you. Expect longer than normal travel times.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578962634756.png" alt="fog 1132020.png" />
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 </figure>Dense fog advisories have been issued for overnight for multiple counties in our area.The National Weather Service (NWS) in Wichita has issued a dense fog advisory in effect until 9 a.m. Tuesday for the following counties in our area.Ellsworth CountyLincoln CountyMarion CountyMcPherson CountySaline CountyDense fog with visibility one quarter mile or less is expected. In central Kansas, slick roads and highways are likely very early Tuesday morning, especially on elevated surfaces.When driving, slow down, use your low-beam headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you. Expect longer than normal travel times.Additionally, NWS in Hastings, Neb., has issued a dense fog advisory in effect until 3 a.m. Tuesday for the following counties in our area.Jewell CountyMitchell CountyDense fog with visibility one quarter mile or less is expected.Visibility will vary somewhat tonight, and dense fog will probably not occur the entire time the advisory is in effect. As drier air moves in from the west, dense fog will likely improve, but is expected to linger the longest in counties such as Jewell and Mitchell.If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.NWS in Topeka has issued a dense fog advisory in effect from 9 p.m. Monday to 10 a.m. Tuesday for Dickinson County.Dense fog with visibility one quarter mile or less is expected.Hazardous driving conditions due to low visibility are expected. Freezing fog may also put down a light glaze of ice on untreated surfaces. If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.Additionally, NWS in Topeka has issued a dense fog advisory in effect until 6 a.m. Tuesday for the following counties in our area.Clay CountyCloud CountyOttawa CountyRepublic CountyDense fog with visibility one quarter mile or less is expected.Hazardous driving conditions due to low visibility are expected. Freezing fog may also put down a light glaze of ice on untreated surfaces. If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.