At its Tuesday meeting, The Saline County Board of Commissioners approved sending out a notice to exceed the Revenue Neutral Rate for the 2025 Saline County Budget.&nbsp;

"We need to know whether the county intends to exceed the revenue-neutral rate for next year because that is an answer that needs to be transmitted to the county clerk by July 20," Saline County Administrator Phil Smith Hanes said. "On Tuesday we will be in a study session and not meeting on the budget. So today is the magic day."

Smith-Hanes reminded commissioners that the current proposed 2025 County Budget does exceed the revenue-neutral rate. He assured commissioners that they could always come back and reduce certain elements of the budget.&nbsp;

"You can reduce it later in July or you can reduce it in August when we have the final hearing," Smith-Hanes said. "You just couldn't exceed those numbers if we don't provide that notice."

The motion to provide the notification to residents passed 5-0.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695675567531.jpeg" alt="Saline County and Salina City Building, on Iron Street in Salina, KS. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Saline County and Salina City Building, on Iron Street in Salina, KS. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTAt its Tuesday meeting, The Saline County Board of Commissioners approved sending out a notice to exceed the Revenue Neutral Rate for the 2025 Saline County Budget.&nbsp;"We need to know whether the county intends to exceed the revenue-neutral rate for next year because that is an answer that needs to be transmitted to the county clerk by July 20," Saline County Administrator Phil Smith Hanes said. "On Tuesday we will be in a study session and not meeting on the budget. So today is the magic day."Smith-Hanes reminded commissioners that the current proposed 2025 County Budget does exceed the revenue-neutral rate. He assured commissioners that they could always come back and reduce certain elements of the budget.&nbsp;"You can reduce it later in July or you can reduce it in August when we have the final hearing," Smith-Hanes said. "You just couldn't exceed those numbers if we don't provide that notice."The motion to provide the notification to residents passed 5-0.

County commission approves RNR exceed notice at Tuesday meeting

Astronaut Joe Engle, the first astronaut to fly in space aboard two different winged vehicles, died on July 10, 2024 at 91.

Engle was the commander of two&nbsp;Space Shuttle&nbsp;missions including&nbsp;STS-2&nbsp;in 1981, the program's second orbital flight. Engle also flew two flights in the Shuttle program's 1977&nbsp;Approach and Landing Tests. 

Engle, a Chapman, Kansas native, was one of just twelve pilots who flew the&nbsp;North American X-15, an experimental&nbsp;spaceplane&nbsp;jointly operated by the Air Force and NASA.

Joe Engle was born in Chapman, Kansas and attended the University of Kansas where he graduated with a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1955. Commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program, he earned his pilot's wings in 1958 and was assigned to fly F-100s for the 474th Fighter Day Squadron and, later, the 309th Tactical Fighter Squadron at George AFB, California.

Although in command of another squadron, then-Lt. Col. Chuck Yeager had frequent opportunities to fly with Engle -- and against him in mock dogfights -- and he was extremely impressed by the young fighter pilot's attitude and ability. When Engle applied for admission to the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards, Yeager recommended his selection. 

By the time he graduated from the school in 1962, Yeager had become the commandant and, because he considered Engle "one of the sharpest pilots we had in the program," he immediately selected him for admission to the new Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) which was being established at Edwards to train military astronauts. 

Engle graduated from ARPS in 1963 and was selected as a project pilot for the X-15 program. He completed 16 flights in the rocket-powered hypersonic airplane, exceeding Mach 5 on ten of those flights and attaining a top speed of Mach 5.71 (3,886 mph). In June of 1965, he also climbed to an altitude of 280,600 feet and became one of only eight pilots from the X-15 program-who have qualified for astronaut's wings by flying an airplane into space.

Engle went on to exceed the Air Force's 50-mile threshold for astronaut rating on two subsequent X-15 flights. At 32, he was the youngest man to become an astronaut. 

When NASA selected him as one of 19 new astronaut candidates in 1966, he was truly in an unusual position; he was the only one who had already engaged in spaceflight operations. First assigned to the Apollo program, he served on the support crew for Apollo X and then as backup lunar module pilot for Apollo XIV. In 1977, he was commander of one of two crews who were launched from atop a modified Boeing 747 in order to conduct approach and landing tests with the Space Shuttle Enterprise. 

Then in November 1981, he commanded the second flight of the Shuttle Columbia and manually flew the re-entry-performing 29 flight test maneuvers-from Mach 25 through landing roll out. This was the first and, so far, only time that a winged aerospace vehicle has been manually flown from orbit through landing. 

He accumulated the last of his 224 hours in space when he commanded the Shuttle Discovery during Mission 51-I in August of 1985.

In his retirement from NASA, the Air Force and the Kansas Air National Guard, he served as an engineering consultant and simulation evaluation pilot for Space Shuttle modifications and other advanced piloted re-entry vehicles.

Engle flew more than 180 different aircraft types and logged nearly 14,000 flight hours. His military decorations include the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, USAF Distinguished Service Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster. 

Among his many honors, he was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and Space Flight Medal, as well as the Harmon International, Collier, Lawrence Sperry, Iven C. Kinchloe, Robert H. Goddard and Thomas D. White aviation and space trophies. 

In 1992, he was inducted into the Aerospace Walk of Honor.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720720028168.jpeg" alt="Joe Engle in front of an X-15 hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft. Image Courtesy The Cosmosphere" />
 <figcaption>Joe Engle in front of an X-15 hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft. Image Courtesy The Cosmosphere</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTAstronaut Joe Engle, the first astronaut to fly in space aboard two different winged vehicles, died on July 10, 2024 at 91.Engle was the commander of two&nbsp;Space Shuttle&nbsp;missions including&nbsp;STS-2&nbsp;in 1981, the program's second orbital flight. Engle also flew two flights in the Shuttle program's 1977&nbsp;Approach and Landing Tests. Engle, a Chapman, Kansas native, was one of just twelve pilots who flew the&nbsp;North American X-15, an experimental&nbsp;spaceplane&nbsp;jointly operated by the Air Force and NASA.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720720147676.jpeg" alt="Joe Engle" />
 <figcaption>Joe Engle</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Joe Engle</h2>Information courtesy of NASAJoe Engle was born in Chapman, Kansas and attended the University of Kansas where he graduated with a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1955. Commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program, he earned his pilot's wings in 1958 and was assigned to fly F-100s for the 474th Fighter Day Squadron and, later, the 309th Tactical Fighter Squadron at George AFB, California.Although in command of another squadron, then-Lt. Col. Chuck Yeager had frequent opportunities to fly with Engle -- and against him in mock dogfights -- and he was extremely impressed by the young fighter pilot's attitude and ability. When Engle applied for admission to the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards, Yeager recommended his selection. By the time he graduated from the school in 1962, Yeager had become the commandant and, because he considered Engle "one of the sharpest pilots we had in the program," he immediately selected him for admission to the new Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) which was being established at Edwards to train military astronauts. Engle graduated from ARPS in 1963 and was selected as a project pilot for the X-15 program. He completed 16 flights in the rocket-powered hypersonic airplane, exceeding Mach 5 on ten of those flights and attaining a top speed of Mach 5.71 (3,886 mph). In June of 1965, he also climbed to an altitude of 280,600 feet and became one of only eight pilots from the X-15 program-who have qualified for astronaut's wings by flying an airplane into space.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fkscosmosphere%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02V1EWPeaWxHsBVsHeT9K3CYreFGiUDMVCi8hmu6tYppnp3qQAiuvBFSaKXVKGrAFNl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="250" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Engle went on to exceed the Air Force's 50-mile threshold for astronaut rating on two subsequent X-15 flights. At 32, he was the youngest man to become an astronaut. When NASA selected him as one of 19 new astronaut candidates in 1966, he was truly in an unusual position; he was the only one who had already engaged in spaceflight operations. First assigned to the Apollo program, he served on the support crew for Apollo X and then as backup lunar module pilot for Apollo XIV. In 1977, he was commander of one of two crews who were launched from atop a modified Boeing 747 in order to conduct approach and landing tests with the Space Shuttle Enterprise. Then in November 1981, he commanded the second flight of the Shuttle Columbia and manually flew the re-entry-performing 29 flight test maneuvers-from Mach 25 through landing roll out. This was the first and, so far, only time that a winged aerospace vehicle has been manually flown from orbit through landing. He accumulated the last of his 224 hours in space when he commanded the Shuttle Discovery during Mission 51-I in August of 1985.In his retirement from NASA, the Air Force and the Kansas Air National Guard, he served as an engineering consultant and simulation evaluation pilot for Space Shuttle modifications and other advanced piloted re-entry vehicles.Engle flew more than 180 different aircraft types and logged nearly 14,000 flight hours. His military decorations include the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal, USAF Distinguished Service Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster. Among his many honors, he was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and Space Flight Medal, as well as the Harmon International, Collier, Lawrence Sperry, Iven C. Kinchloe, Robert H. Goddard and Thomas D. White aviation and space trophies. In 1992, he was inducted into the Aerospace Walk of Honor.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Astronaut Joe Engle, pioneer of winged spacecraft — Kansas native, dies at 91

Today Sunny, with a high near 95. East wind 6 to 9 mph. Tonight Clear, with a low around 70. East wind 6 to 8 mph. Friday Sunny and hot, with a high near 102. South southeast wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 78. South wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 104. South wind 11 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 78. Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 105. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 79.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720709964281.png" alt="Four day weather forecast for Salina, Kansas" />
 <figcaption>Four day weather forecast for Salina, Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>Today Sunny, with a high near 95. East wind 6 to 9 mph. Tonight Clear, with a low around 70. East wind 6 to 8 mph. Friday Sunny and hot, with a high near 102. South southeast wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 78. South wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Saturday Sunny and hot, with a high near 104. South wind 11 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 78. Sunday Sunny and hot, with a high near 105. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 79.&nbsp;&nbsp;

NWS Wichita four day weather forecast

K-State Research and Extension news service

A common problem many homeowners face is wasps taking up residence outside their homes. Kansas State University entomologist Raymond Cloyd says, however, that not all wasps are harmful.

“Wasps are beneficial and they are part of the ecosystem,” Cloyd said. “They are predators of many caterpillar pests and are docile overall. They will usually only sting if disturbed or agitated.”

Mud daubers and paper wasps are commonly seen around homes and will generally not attack people. However, yellow jackets will actually attack people.

Despite the beneficial role of wasps, many people may want to remove wasp nests to avoid the possibility of getting stung when outdoors. When considering removing wasp nests, Cloyd advises determining whether the nest is new or mature.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/a7ab0d2d-a695-4033-bc32-af76bab9455e">Danger near the bird feeder? K-State wildlife expert urges caution</a>

“If the home has a history of wasps building nests, such as in late spring or early summer, physically remove the nest when you see the nest being initially built,” Cloyd said.

New nests can be removed with minimal risk of being stung because there are usually fewer wasps present inside the new nest. Wasps generally do not rebuild nests in the same location, so physically removing the nest will avoid having to deal with nests in the future.

Spraying nests with an insecticide should be done at night when the wasps are inside the nest, Cloyd said.

If the nest is large, mature, and has been around for some time, Cloyd recommends contacting a pest management professional.

“In order to avoid getting stung, it is best to contact a pest management professional,” he said.

Cloyd said that it is important to correctly identify the wasp that is creating the nest. He recommends contacting your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/statewide-locations.html">local K-State Research and Extension office</a>&nbsp;and either describing the insect over the phone or sending pictures via email.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720709369359.jpeg" alt="Homeowners often dread finding wasp nests around their houses due to their infamous stinging abilities. Raymond Cloyd, K-State entomologist, explains how to remove wasp nests and encourages people to contact pest control professionals before acting. Image Courtesy K-State Research and Extension news service" />
 <figcaption>Homeowners often dread finding wasp nests around their houses due to their infamous stinging abilities. Raymond Cloyd, K-State entomologist, explains how to remove wasp nests and encourages people to contact pest control professionals before acting. Image Courtesy K-State Research and Extension news service</figcaption>
 </figure>K-State Research and Extension news serviceA common problem many homeowners face is wasps taking up residence outside their homes. Kansas State University entomologist Raymond Cloyd says, however, that not all wasps are harmful.“Wasps are beneficial and they are part of the ecosystem,” Cloyd said. “They are predators of many caterpillar pests and are docile overall. They will usually only sting if disturbed or agitated.”Mud daubers and paper wasps are commonly seen around homes and will generally not attack people. However, yellow jackets will actually attack people.Despite the beneficial role of wasps, many people may want to remove wasp nests to avoid the possibility of getting stung when outdoors. When considering removing wasp nests, Cloyd advises determining whether the nest is new or mature.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/a7ab0d2d-a695-4033-bc32-af76bab9455e">Danger near the bird feeder? K-State wildlife expert urges caution</a>“If the home has a history of wasps building nests, such as in late spring or early summer, physically remove the nest when you see the nest being initially built,” Cloyd said.New nests can be removed with minimal risk of being stung because there are usually fewer wasps present inside the new nest. Wasps generally do not rebuild nests in the same location, so physically removing the nest will avoid having to deal with nests in the future.Spraying nests with an insecticide should be done at night when the wasps are inside the nest, Cloyd said.If the nest is large, mature, and has been around for some time, Cloyd recommends contacting a pest management professional.“In order to avoid getting stung, it is best to contact a pest management professional,” he said.Cloyd said that it is important to correctly identify the wasp that is creating the nest. He recommends contacting your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/statewide-locations.html">local K-State Research and Extension office</a>&nbsp;and either describing the insect over the phone or sending pictures via email.

K-State expert explains how to protect your home from wasps

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has released the 2023 Kansas Crime Index Report. The report compiles crime statistics reported to the KBI by state and local law enforcement agencies throughout Kansas.

The 2023 Kansas Crime Index Report indicated that violent crime in Kansas decreased by 3.7% from 2022, showing declines in each category of violent crime. A total of 13,294 violent crimes were reported in Kansas for the offenses of murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault and battery. Despite this decline, violent crime in the state remained 8.6% above the 10-year average. 

In 2023, overall property crimes increased by 2.6%. In Kansas, property offenses have steadily declined in recent years, making 2023 the first year since 2017 that the state experienced an uptick in property crime reports. Property crime offenses are assumed to be underreported to law enforcement.

Property index crimes have been declining for the past six years. n 2023, there were 49,754 theft offenses, which accounted for 74.5% of total property crimes reported. There were 17,028 burglary and motor vehicle thefts, which accounted for the remaining 25.5% of the property crimes reported.

Total Index Crimes: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines index crimes as murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault/battery, burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. In 2023, there were 66,782 property crimes and 13,294 violent crimes submitted by Kansas law enforcement agencies to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).

Total index crimes decreased 7.4% from the 10‐year average but increased 1.5% from 2022 to 2023. The total index crimes were heavily impacted by the total property index crimes due to the number of property crimes reported compared to violent crimes.

Crime Index Rate: The crime index rate is the number of all index crimes per 1,000 people. This increased from 26.7 offenses per 1,000 people in 2022, to 27.0 in 2023.

Violent Crime Index Rate: The violent crime index rate was 9.8% above the 10‐year average, but decreased 4.3% from 2022. In 2023, the violent crime index rate for Kansas was 4.5 offenses per 1,000 people. These include: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault/battery.

Murder: There were 157 murders reported in 2023, which was 3.3% above the 10‐year average, but 6.5% less than 2022. Despite this decrease, that may be a positive indicator, it was a 23.6% increase from the pre-COVID ten‐year average of 127 murders.

Finding a common circumstance for these murders is difficult, as 47.1% of the reports indicated “unknown circumstance.” Also, 16.6% of the murders listed an unknown suspect. Arguments, as a circumstance, accounted for 28.0% of murders; domestic violence murders accounted for 20.4%; illegal drug transactions totaled 1.9%; and gang activity and drive‐by incidents made up 1.9%. All other circumstances totaled 21.0% of the total murders in 2023.

Rape: Rapes were 6.0% below the 10‐year average. There was a decrease of 12.6% from 2022, and a 1.4% decrease from the 2019 pre‐COVID ten‐year average of 1,136.

Robbery: Robberies saw a 22.5% decline from the 10‐year average and a 0.6% decrease from 2022.

Aggravated Assault/Battery: Aggravated assaults and batteries have risen substantially since 2015. In 2023, they were 15.2% above the 10‐year average, but saw a 3.0% decrease from the 2022 totals. Notably, these numbers represent a 36.4% increase from the 2019 pre‐COVID ten‐year average of 8,005 per year.

Burglary: In 2023, there were 8,748 reported burglaries, which was 26.7% below the 10‐year average and 1.1% below 2022 numbers. This was the lowest number since 1966, when 10,712 were reported, and was 42.3% less than the 2019 pre‐COVID 10-year average of 15,164.

Theft: Reported thefts (other than motor vehicles) were 8.5% below the 10-year average, but 2.9% above 2022 numbers. This was a 15.6% decline from the 2019 pre‐COVID 10-year average of 58,942.

Motor Vehicle Thefts: Motor vehicle thefts were 4.9% above the 10-year average. This statistic is notable because motor vehicle thefts tend to have a higher rate of reporting compared to other property offenses, suggesting they would be a more accurate barometer of the actual number of property offenses occurring in our state. In 2023, there was a 4.8% increase from 2022, and a 15.8% increase from the 2019 pre‐COVID 10-year average of 7,149.

Arson: Arsons were 18.4% below the 10-year average and decreased by 7.7% compared to those reported in 2022. Arson figures are intended to stand apart from violent or property indices and are not included within those statistics. In 2023, there was a 31.2% decrease from the 2019 pre‐COVID 10-year average of 666.

NOTE: Data from the Kansas Crime Index report is derived from standard offense and arrest reports submitted to the Kansas Incident Based Reporting System (KIBRS) by local law enforcement agencies across Kansas. It is dependent on victims reporting crimes. The report is compiled to provide a historical assessment and snapshot of crime trends. It is often not possible to draw further interpretations or conclusions from the data. The KBI cautions against using data to make direct comparisons between jurisdictions. Often these comparisons are not valid as the factors influencing crime vary widely between communities.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720708396392.jpeg" alt="KBI LOGO" />
 <figcaption>KBI LOGO</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Bureau of InvestigationThe Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has released the 2023 Kansas Crime Index Report. The report compiles crime statistics reported to the KBI by state and local law enforcement agencies throughout Kansas.Violent crime analysisThe 2023 Kansas Crime Index Report indicated that violent crime in Kansas decreased by 3.7% from 2022, showing declines in each category of violent crime. A total of 13,294 violent crimes were reported in Kansas for the offenses of murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault and battery. Despite this decline, violent crime in the state remained 8.6% above the 10-year average. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720708439359.png" alt="Kansas Violent Index Crimes.png" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Violent Index Crimes.png</figcaption>
 </figure>Property crime analysisIn 2023, overall property crimes increased by 2.6%. In Kansas, property offenses have steadily declined in recent years, making 2023 the first year since 2017 that the state experienced an uptick in property crime reports. Property crime offenses are assumed to be underreported to law enforcement.Property index crimes have been declining for the past six years. n 2023, there were 49,754 theft offenses, which accounted for 74.5% of total property crimes reported. There were 17,028 burglary and motor vehicle thefts, which accounted for the remaining 25.5% of the property crimes reported.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720708468416.png" alt="Crime Comparison Chart 2023.PNG" />
 <figcaption>Crime Comparison Chart 2023.PNG</figcaption>
 </figure>Total Index Crimes: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines index crimes as murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault/battery, burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. In 2023, there were 66,782 property crimes and 13,294 violent crimes submitted by Kansas law enforcement agencies to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). Total index crimes decreased 7.4% from the 10‐year average but increased 1.5% from 2022 to 2023. The total index crimes were heavily impacted by the total property index crimes due to the number of property crimes reported compared to violent crimes.Crime Index Rate: The crime index rate is the number of all index crimes per 1,000 people. This increased from 26.7 offenses per 1,000 people in 2022, to 27.0 in 2023.Violent Crime Index Rate: The violent crime index rate was 9.8% above the 10‐year average, but decreased 4.3% from 2022. In 2023, the violent crime index rate for Kansas was 4.5 offenses per 1,000 people. These include: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault/battery.Murder: There were 157 murders reported in 2023, which was 3.3% above the 10‐year average, but 6.5% less than 2022. Despite this decrease, that may be a positive indicator, it was a 23.6% increase from the pre-COVID ten‐year average of 127 murders.Finding a common circumstance for these murders is difficult, as 47.1% of the reports indicated “unknown circumstance.” Also, 16.6% of the murders listed an unknown suspect. Arguments, as a circumstance, accounted for 28.0% of murders; domestic violence murders accounted for 20.4%; illegal drug transactions totaled 1.9%; and gang activity and drive‐by incidents made up 1.9%. All other circumstances totaled 21.0% of the total murders in 2023.Rape: Rapes were 6.0% below the 10‐year average. There was a decrease of 12.6% from 2022, and a 1.4% decrease from the 2019 pre‐COVID ten‐year average of 1,136.Robbery: Robberies saw a 22.5% decline from the 10‐year average and a 0.6% decrease from 2022.Aggravated Assault/Battery: Aggravated assaults and batteries have risen substantially since 2015. In 2023, they were 15.2% above the 10‐year average, but saw a 3.0% decrease from the 2022 totals. Notably, these numbers represent a 36.4% increase from the 2019 pre‐COVID ten‐year average of 8,005 per year.Burglary: In 2023, there were 8,748 reported burglaries, which was 26.7% below the 10‐year average and 1.1% below 2022 numbers. This was the lowest number since 1966, when 10,712 were reported, and was 42.3% less than the 2019 pre‐COVID 10-year average of 15,164.Theft: Reported thefts (other than motor vehicles) were 8.5% below the 10-year average, but 2.9% above 2022 numbers. This was a 15.6% decline from the 2019 pre‐COVID 10-year average of 58,942.Motor Vehicle Thefts: Motor vehicle thefts were 4.9% above the 10-year average. This statistic is notable because motor vehicle thefts tend to have a higher rate of reporting compared to other property offenses, suggesting they would be a more accurate barometer of the actual number of property offenses occurring in our state. In 2023, there was a 4.8% increase from 2022, and a 15.8% increase from the 2019 pre‐COVID 10-year average of 7,149.Arson: Arsons were 18.4% below the 10-year average and decreased by 7.7% compared to those reported in 2022. Arson figures are intended to stand apart from violent or property indices and are not included within those statistics. In 2023, there was a 31.2% decrease from the 2019 pre‐COVID 10-year average of 666.NOTE: Data from the Kansas Crime Index report is derived from standard offense and arrest reports submitted to the Kansas Incident Based Reporting System (KIBRS) by local law enforcement agencies across Kansas. It is dependent on victims reporting crimes. The report is compiled to provide a historical assessment and snapshot of crime trends. It is often not possible to draw further interpretations or conclusions from the data. The KBI cautions against using data to make direct comparisons between jurisdictions. Often these comparisons are not valid as the factors influencing crime vary widely between communities.

KBI releases 2023 statewide crime statistics

BY SALINA POST Online Enrollment opens today, July 11 for both new and returning Salina Public Schools students. Parents and guardians can log into Skyward&nbsp;July 11-25&nbsp;for convenient school registration.

Enrollment letters, through the United States Postal Service, should arrive in mailboxes this week.

· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Families who complete the online enrollment process&nbsp;before July 25&nbsp;will receive $10 off curriculum fees for each student enrolled.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Free or reduced meal applications are completed during online enrollment and determine eligibility for free or reduced fees.

Help with the online enrollment process will be available at walk-in enrollment. Walk-in enrollment for all schools and all students will be held at Central High School, 650 E. Crawford,&nbsp;from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. on July 23.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1720617715/usd305com/k803saqzhw0o3gzvhmqw/Calendar2425ENG.pdf">2024-2025 school calendar and students’ hours of attendance</a>&nbsp;are now available and can be found on the district website. Parents and guardians are encouraged to note changes to student attendance times:

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Elementary:&nbsp;8:25 a.m. – 3:35 p.m.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Secondary:&nbsp;7:45 a.m. – 2:55 p.m.

Additionally, six “no school” days have been added to the school calendar: three in November and one in the months of January, February and April. These changes to the school calendar were necessary because students will attend school 15 minutes more each day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694639848087.jpeg" alt="USD 305 Salina Public Schools District Office Building" />
 <figcaption>USD 305 Salina Public Schools District Office Building</figcaption>
 </figure>BY SALINA POST Online Enrollment opens today, July 11 for both new and returning Salina Public Schools students. Parents and guardians can log into Skyward&nbsp;July 11-25&nbsp;for convenient school registration.Enrollment letters, through the United States Postal Service, should arrive in mailboxes this week.· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Families who complete the online enrollment process&nbsp;before July 25&nbsp;will receive $10 off curriculum fees for each student enrolled.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Free or reduced meal applications are completed during online enrollment and determine eligibility for free or reduced fees.Help with the online enrollment process will be available at walk-in enrollment. Walk-in enrollment for all schools and all students will be held at Central High School, 650 E. Crawford,&nbsp;from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. on July 23.The&nbsp;<a href="https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1720617715/usd305com/k803saqzhw0o3gzvhmqw/Calendar2425ENG.pdf">2024-2025 school calendar and students’ hours of attendance</a>&nbsp;are now available and can be found on the district website. Parents and guardians are encouraged to note changes to student attendance times:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Elementary:&nbsp;8:25 a.m. – 3:35 p.m.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Secondary:&nbsp;7:45 a.m. – 2:55 p.m.Additionally, six “no school” days have been added to the school calendar: three in November and one in the months of January, February and April. These changes to the school calendar were necessary because students will attend school 15 minutes more each day.

USD 305 online enrollment begins, walk-in enrollment July 23

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail.

All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Outside warrant/NCIC hit

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Agg battery; Knowingly cause angry phys contact

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Criminal trespass; Unknown circumstance

Theft of prop/services;Value $1,500 to $25,000

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail.All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720700932028.jpeg" alt=" Andes,Martin Allen" />
 <figcaption> Andes,Martin Allen</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Andes,Martin Allen REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Outside warrant/NCIC hit<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720701031850.jpeg" alt=" Averitt,Ronald Eugene" />
 <figcaption> Averitt,Ronald Eugene</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Averitt,Ronald EugeneREQUESTED CHARGE(S): in transit<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720701115185.jpeg" alt="Davis,Stephen Antonio" />
 <figcaption>Davis,Stephen Antonio</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Davis,Stephen AntonioREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Agg battery; Knowingly cause angry phys contact<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720701194854.jpeg" alt=" Fitzgeralds,Madison Kay" />
 <figcaption> Fitzgeralds,Madison Kay</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Fitzgeralds,Madison KayREQUESTED CHARGE(S): failure to appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720701287231.png" alt=" Fernandez,Ricardo" />
 <figcaption> Fernandez,Ricardo</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Fernandez, RicardoREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Criminal trespass; Unknown circumstance<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720701359515.jpeg" alt=" Dillon,Blayde Xylen" />
 <figcaption> Dillon,Blayde Xylen</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Dillon,Blayde XylenREQUESTED CHARGE(S): probation violation<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720705252831.png" alt="Glover, Camron Don" />
 <figcaption>Glover, Camron Don</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Glover,Camron DonREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Failure to appearTheft of prop/services;Value $1,500 to $25,000<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720705362568.png" alt="Kolb, Christopher William" />
 <figcaption>Kolb, Christopher William</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Kolb,Christopher WilliamREQUESTED CHARGE(S): Probation Violation<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720701600553.jpeg" alt=" Miller,Hevan Leighann" />
 <figcaption> Miller,Hevan Leighann</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Miller,Hevan LeighannREQUESTED CHARGE(S): Probation Violation<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720701671363.jpeg" alt=" Milleson,Vicky Mae" />
 <figcaption> Milleson,Vicky Mae</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Milleson,Vicky MaeREQUESTED CHARGE(S): Failure to appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720701731161.jpeg" alt=" Phommachanh,William Kao" />
 <figcaption> Phommachanh,William Kao</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Phommachanh,William KaoREQUESTED CHARGE(S): failure to appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720705440560.png" alt="Poole, David Delana" />
 <figcaption>Poole, David Delana</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Poole,David DelanaREQUESTED CHARGE(S): Probation Violation

Saline County Jail Bookings, July 11

Click the play button above to listen to Nate's interview with Lori Trow.

In this episode of King in the Community, Salina Post News Director Nate King interviews Lori Trow, president of the Sa<a href="https://www.lwvsalina.org/">lina League of Women Voters</a>. Lori discusses the League's mission to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented. She explains how the local chapter empowers voters through advocacy, education, and litigation.

Lori also shares the need-to-know information for the upcoming Salina League of Women Voters "Speed Dating with the Candidate" event scheduled to take place on Sunday July 14 at from 3-5 p.m. at Sunrise Presbyterian Church, 825 East Beloit.&nbsp;Primary candidates with opponents on the August 6 primary ballot are invited to the two-hour event.&nbsp; They are: U.S. House District 1, Kansas House District 107, Saline County Commission Districts 2 and 3, Saline County Register of Deeds and Saline County Attorney.

The program will follow the speed dating format, which offers candidates and voters the opportunity to quickly meet, ask questions and exchange ideas. Candidates will answer questions with those sitting at a table for 10 minutes, then move to the next table, and the next, until they meet with people at all tables in the room. They will also make opening and closing statements and may meet individually with citizens afterwards.

Trow said the local league chose to repeat the Speed Dating with the Candidates format based on favorable comments for a similar event last October.&nbsp;

Refreshments will be served at the program, which is free and open to all.

Listen in for reminders of crucial dates and deadlines for the 2024 primary and general elections in Salina, Kansas. Additionally, Lori addresses recent changes in local government proclamation procedures and shares her perspective on the impact these changes may have on citizen participation in meetings. 

Tune in for an informative discussion on voter involvement and local government.

<div><iframe title="Lori Trow, president of Salina League of Women Voters" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=k4ymz-166380c-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=60a0c8" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>Click the play button above to listen to Nate's interview with Lori Trow.By SALINA POSTIn this episode of King in the Community, Salina Post News Director Nate King interviews Lori Trow, president of the Sa<a href="https://www.lwvsalina.org/">lina League of Women Voters</a>. Lori discusses the League's mission to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented. She explains how the local chapter empowers voters through advocacy, education, and litigation.Lori also shares the need-to-know information for the upcoming Salina League of Women Voters "Speed Dating with the Candidate" event scheduled to take place on Sunday July 14 at from 3-5 p.m. at Sunrise Presbyterian Church, 825 East Beloit.&nbsp;Primary candidates with opponents on the August 6 primary ballot are invited to the two-hour event.&nbsp; They are: U.S. House District 1, Kansas House District 107, Saline County Commission Districts 2 and 3, Saline County Register of Deeds and Saline County Attorney.The program will follow the speed dating format, which offers candidates and voters the opportunity to quickly meet, ask questions and exchange ideas. Candidates will answer questions with those sitting at a table for 10 minutes, then move to the next table, and the next, until they meet with people at all tables in the room. They will also make opening and closing statements and may meet individually with citizens afterwards.Trow said the local league chose to repeat the Speed Dating with the Candidates format based on favorable comments for a similar event last October.&nbsp;Refreshments will be served at the program, which is free and open to all.Listen in for reminders of crucial dates and deadlines for the 2024 primary and general elections in Salina, Kansas. Additionally, Lori addresses recent changes in local government proclamation procedures and shares her perspective on the impact these changes may have on citizen participation in meetings. Tune in for an informative discussion on voter involvement and local government.<h2>More from King in the Community</h2><div><iframe title="King in the Community" allowtransparency="true" height="315" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:315px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=skmut-558a99-pbblog-playlist&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&order=episodic&limit=11&filter=publish_time&publish_start=2024-01-01&publish_end=2024-07-08&ss=1412047e5eb0022ae7bf983c408f5f5b&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

🎙King in the Community — Lori Trow, president of Salina League of Women Voters

WASHINGTON D.C. — Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann spoke Wednesday on the House floor about the southern border crisis.

"Since President Biden was sworn in, his open border policies have created a national security and humanitarian crisis," Mann said. "House Republicans continue to urge the White House and our Democrat colleagues in Congress to work with us to identify a solution. Again and again, we are met with silence. I understand border security may not be politically convenient for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, but at some point, they must stop pretending that this crisis doesn’t exist."

Mann pushed back against spin coming out of the White House on the situation.

"I found it telling that over the July 4th&nbsp;holiday, the White House touted that illegal crossings along the U.S. southern border decreased following President Biden’s executive order," Mann said. "What they conveniently left out is that even with this executive order, May was still the 39th&nbsp;straight month where illegal immigrant encounters have been higher than even the highest month under President Trump. I understand that the White House is in desperate need of good press, but with all due respect, Mr. Speaker, the facts are the facts. Our borders are far from secure, and no feel-good story or graphic from the White House Communications team is going to change that."

Mann is asking for a change in approach, in Congress and in the White House.

"We must change our tone and send a clear message: do NOT come to the U.S. illegally," Mann said. "At the start of his presidency, President Biden promised outright citizenship to more than 11 million illegal immigrants. America is a nation of legal immigrants, and the President’s false promise was a slap in the face to the 2 million people who legally migrate to the U.S. each year the right way."

Below is the full video of Mann's floor speech.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720632395737.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Office of Congressman Tracey MannWASHINGTON D.C. — Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann spoke Wednesday on the House floor about the southern border crisis."Since President Biden was sworn in, his open border policies have created a national security and humanitarian crisis," Mann said. "House Republicans continue to urge the White House and our Democrat colleagues in Congress to work with us to identify a solution. Again and again, we are met with silence. I understand border security may not be politically convenient for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, but at some point, they must stop pretending that this crisis doesn’t exist."Mann pushed back against spin coming out of the White House on the situation."I found it telling that over the July 4th&nbsp;holiday, the White House touted that illegal crossings along the U.S. southern border decreased following President Biden’s executive order," Mann said. "What they conveniently left out is that even with this executive order, May was still the 39th&nbsp;straight month where illegal immigrant encounters have been higher than even the highest month under President Trump. I understand that the White House is in desperate need of good press, but with all due respect, Mr. Speaker, the facts are the facts. Our borders are far from secure, and no feel-good story or graphic from the White House Communications team is going to change that."Mann is asking for a change in approach, in Congress and in the White House."We must change our tone and send a clear message: do NOT come to the U.S. illegally," Mann said. "At the start of his presidency, President Biden promised outright citizenship to more than 11 million illegal immigrants. America is a nation of legal immigrants, and the President’s false promise was a slap in the face to the 2 million people who legally migrate to the U.S. each year the right way."Below is the full video of Mann's floor speech.<div><iframe width="1280" height="720" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vDNDhhgVq24" title="Rep. Mann Urges Democrats, President Biden to Secure America’s Borders" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

WATCH: Mann discusses open border on House floor

By NATE KING Salina Post

Salina Police Department (SPD) officers reported to a residence located in the 400 block of Baker Street on Monday after a 34-year-old Salina woman called 911 after a man choked and bit her.

Feldman said officers arrived at the scene on Monday, July 8 at 5 p.m.&nbsp;

"She indicated that she had an associate and that he had been at the residence," said SPD Cpt. James Feldman. "She left one of the rooms, when she heard glass breaking in another room."

When she came out of the room, she had her cell phone in her hand. The associate came up and ripped it out of her hands, Feldman said. 

SPD later identified the man as 29-year-old Joseph Daulton.

The 34-year-old woman became afraid of Daulton and began to hit him so she could run away. She then went to another room, and he followed her.

"He told her she would not be leaving. She put her shoes on and said she needed to drink," Feldman said. "He then came up around from behind her, put his arm around her neck and choked her. She had difficulty breathing. As he continued, he ended up biting her ear and the left side of her back."

Daulton told the woman he would return her phone if she did not call the police.

"She was still not let out of the room. She again asked for a drink," Feldman said. "She attempted to get out of the bathroom window, when he grabbed her and pulled her back in."

According to the report from the SPD, Daulton allowed her to go into another room to talk. She told Daulton she was leaving. He responded by grabbing her from behind again and bit her on the cheek. 

"She then grabbed a rod and hit him and kicked him to get him away from her. She grabbed her bag and got outside, where she called the police," Feldman said.

Daulton was not at the scene when officers arrived Monday evening. 

"We tried to locate him, but he had left before our arrival," Feldman said. "Yesterday [July 9] at around 7 p.m. We had information he [Daulton] was in the 200 block of North Phillips."

Officers found Daulton at the residence and took him into custody without incident. 

Daulton was booked into the Saline County Jail with the following requested charges: aggravated domestic battery, robbery, kidnapping, criminal restraint, domestic battery, and criminal damage to property

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593100812148.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By NATE KING Salina PostSalina Police Department (SPD) officers reported to a residence located in the 400 block of Baker Street on Monday after a 34-year-old Salina woman called 911 after a man choked and bit her.Feldman said officers arrived at the scene on Monday, July 8 at 5 p.m.&nbsp;"She indicated that she had an associate and that he had been at the residence," said SPD Cpt. James Feldman. "She left one of the rooms, when she heard glass breaking in another room."When she came out of the room, she had her cell phone in her hand. The associate came up and ripped it out of her hands, Feldman said. SPD later identified the man as 29-year-old Joseph Daulton.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720614356343.png" alt="Daulton, Joseph Theodore" />
 <figcaption>Daulton, Joseph Theodore</figcaption>
 </figure>The 34-year-old woman became afraid of Daulton and began to hit him so she could run away. She then went to another room, and he followed her."He told her she would not be leaving. She put her shoes on and said she needed to drink," Feldman said. "He then came up around from behind her, put his arm around her neck and choked her. She had difficulty breathing. As he continued, he ended up biting her ear and the left side of her back."Daulton told the woman he would return her phone if she did not call the police."She was still not let out of the room. She again asked for a drink," Feldman said. "She attempted to get out of the bathroom window, when he grabbed her and pulled her back in."According to the report from the SPD, Daulton allowed her to go into another room to talk. She told Daulton she was leaving. He responded by grabbing her from behind again and bit her on the cheek. "She then grabbed a rod and hit him and kicked him to get him away from her. She grabbed her bag and got outside, where she called the police," Feldman said.Daulton was not at the scene when officers arrived Monday evening. "We tried to locate him, but he had left before our arrival," Feldman said. "Yesterday [July 9] at around 7 p.m. We had information he [Daulton] was in the 200 block of North Phillips."Officers found Daulton at the residence and took him into custody without incident. Daulton was booked into the Saline County Jail with the following requested charges: aggravated domestic battery, robbery, kidnapping, criminal restraint, domestic battery, and criminal damage to property

Salina man arrested for allegedly choking and biting woman in domestic incident

The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad is experiencing its best summer in the organization's 31 year history. After the long Independence Day weekend, the A&amp;SV has hauled 6,233 passengers so far this year, compared to just over 3,000 a year ago, and 1,500 for the same period in 2022. The A&amp;SV has drawn passengers from five countries, 37 states, and 246 Kansas communities.

 The passenger totals reflect ridership on A&amp;SV excursions, dinners and charter trains.

 "We've been overwhelmed," said A&amp;SV President Ross Boelling, citing increased marketing efforts and an ambitious 2024 schedule that featured running more trains than in previous seasons as reasons for the uptick in passenger totals. Another factor has been the 2024 Kansas Legislature's designation of the A&amp;SV as the state's official heritage railroad and the railroad's prized steam engine, Santa Fe 3415, as an official state symbol.

The biggest factor explaining the A&amp;SV's popularity this season is Kansas Tourism's "Sunflower Summer," a program that offers free summer rides on the Flint Hills Express excursion trains to Kansas families with pre-K through 12th grade home, public or private school students. 

 "We have been overwhelmed by the folk's response to this program. We are just halfway through the season and our ridership is well over 100% higher than for the same period in 2023," said Bolling, who noted that the A&amp;SV has already hosted 2,372 Summer Sunflower passengers from 115 communities across the state.

 With six weeks remaining in the program, Boelling sees no sign of the demand for train rides waning. 

 "We have been operating near our 140-rider capacity and have sold out a few trains," Boelling said. 

Anyone with the Sunflower app can only get their tickets within one hour before train departure times, and Sunflower Summer tickets are issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

"It's advisable to arrive at the depot early," he added, noting that tickets for passengers not eligible for the Sunflower Summer program can be purchased in advance at the railroad's website,<a target="_blank" href="http:// asvrr.org"> asvrr.org</a>.

The Dickinson County Heritage Center and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum also participate in the program, which concludes on August 11. Tickets can be used once per attraction per season. More information about the program is available at <a target="_blank" href="http://SunflowerSummer.org">SunflowerSummer.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706541791911.jpeg" alt="Abilene Smoky Valley Railroad's restored 1945 diesel engine." />
 <figcaption>Abilene Smoky Valley Railroad's restored 1945 diesel engine.</figcaption>
 </figure>Abilene Smoky Valley RailroadThe Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad is experiencing its best summer in the organization's 31 year history. After the long Independence Day weekend, the A&amp;SV has hauled 6,233 passengers so far this year, compared to just over 3,000 a year ago, and 1,500 for the same period in 2022. The A&amp;SV has drawn passengers from five countries, 37 states, and 246 Kansas communities. The passenger totals reflect ridership on A&amp;SV excursions, dinners and charter trains. "We've been overwhelmed," said A&amp;SV President Ross Boelling, citing increased marketing efforts and an ambitious 2024 schedule that featured running more trains than in previous seasons as reasons for the uptick in passenger totals. Another factor has been the 2024 Kansas Legislature's designation of the A&amp;SV as the state's official heritage railroad and the railroad's prized steam engine, Santa Fe 3415, as an official state symbol.The biggest factor explaining the A&amp;SV's popularity this season is Kansas Tourism's "Sunflower Summer," a program that offers free summer rides on the Flint Hills Express excursion trains to Kansas families with pre-K through 12th grade home, public or private school students. "We have been overwhelmed by the folk's response to this program. We are just halfway through the season and our ridership is well over 100% higher than for the same period in 2023," said Bolling, who noted that the A&amp;SV has already hosted 2,372 Summer Sunflower passengers from 115 communities across the state. With six weeks remaining in the program, Boelling sees no sign of the demand for train rides waning. "We have been operating near our 140-rider capacity and have sold out a few trains," Boelling said. Anyone with the Sunflower app can only get their tickets within one hour before train departure times, and Sunflower Summer tickets are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. "It's advisable to arrive at the depot early," he added, noting that tickets for passengers not eligible for the Sunflower Summer program can be purchased in advance at the railroad's website,<a target="_blank" href="http:// asvrr.org"> asvrr.org</a>.The Dickinson County Heritage Center and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum also participate in the program, which concludes on August 11. Tickets can be used once per attraction per season. More information about the program is available at <a target="_blank" href="http://SunflowerSummer.org">SunflowerSummer.org</a>.

Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad experiencing best summer on record

&nbsp;The Greater Salina Community Foundation is excited to announce a community-wide giving pledge to raise future funds for local nonprofits through the Give Back 5 Community Giving Pledge Campaign. 

The campaign challenges individuals to commit to donating at least 5% of their retirement or other investment accounts to local nonprofits by designating nonprofits as charitable beneficiaries. The beneficiary designation allows donors to designate their money directly to charity to be used by the charity immediately, or to a fund at the Greater Salina Community Foundation that will provide the charity with annual long-term support.

“Our goal is to secure 125 individual pledges by June 30, 2025,” said Jessica Martin, President and Executive Director of the Greater Salina Community Foundation. “The Community Foundation was established 25 years ago by over 100 founding donors coming together to create a platform for charitable giving. We see this as a fun way to engage the next generation to carry on that legacy and support our local nonprofits that make our community a great place to call home!”

The Give Back 5 Community Giving Pledge was started by a local committee made up of financial advisors, nonprofits and the Greater Salina Community Foundation to inspire local giving and strengthen our community’s future resources for the next generation. They believe nonprofits contribute to the community’s social, economic, and cultural wellbeing and are committed to helping build nonprofit capacity through the Community Giving Pledge.

“Wedel Financial Group has always prided itself on giving back to the community that has given so much to us as individuals and professionals,” said Aaron Wedel, Committee Member and Financial Advisor at Wedel Financial Group. “We are supporting the Give Back 5 campaign because it is a great way for people of all ages to participate in the charitable values that make Salina such a great place to live. We are confident this campaign will allow local non-profits to provide the much needed services in our community for generations to come.”

Last year, over $13M was granted to local charities and projects by donors through funds held at the Community Foundation. Having funds that nonprofits can count on enables them to not only keep the lights on but also to focus on their mission and dream big.

“Planned gifts have a significant impact on nonprofits like Catholic Charities, ensuring that vital services such as emergency financial assistance, basic needs distribution, and mental health programs continue to support our neighbors in need today and for generations to come, without worrying about funding,” said Megan Robl, Committee Member and Executive Director of Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas. “The Salina community thrives because of the dedication of many nonprofit organizations that make it a special place. This type of giving empowers all of us to evolve and grow our crucial missions alongside the community's changing needs. These funds are instrumental in preserving the unique spirit of our community.”

One of the great things about the Community Giving Pledge, is that because the nonprofit is listed as a beneficiary of the retirement account, individuals still have access to their funds during retirement years when it’s needed the most. After they are gone, the charity will receive 5% of the remaining balance.

“I chose to donate to the Give Back 5 campaign through my 401K because I love Hyllningsfest and Lindsborg,” said Jenell Hulse. “When I co-chaired Svensk Hyllningsfest, the financial situation was a stressor. I want to help eliminate that stress for future chairs so that this event will continue forever. Donating via my 401K allows me to give back to the Lindsborg community long after I am no longer able to physically serve.”

Donating an IRA or other retirement assets to charity may also result in substantial tax savings for an individual’s heirs and estate. Because charities do not pay income tax, the charity will receive the full amount designated through the account. It’s also an opportunity to create a meaningful and lasting legacy that represents your life’s work, passions and values.

Signing up for the pledge is easy. People can fill out a pledge card at their financial advisor’s office or online at <a href="http://www.giveback5.org">www.giveback5.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660923055537.png" alt="Greater Salina Community Foundation logo as of 8192022.PNG" />
 <figcaption>Greater Salina Community Foundation logo as of 8192022.PNG</figcaption>
 </figure>Submitted&nbsp;The Greater Salina Community Foundation is excited to announce a community-wide giving pledge to raise future funds for local nonprofits through the Give Back 5 Community Giving Pledge Campaign. The campaign challenges individuals to commit to donating at least 5% of their retirement or other investment accounts to local nonprofits by designating nonprofits as charitable beneficiaries. The beneficiary designation allows donors to designate their money directly to charity to be used by the charity immediately, or to a fund at the Greater Salina Community Foundation that will provide the charity with annual long-term support.“Our goal is to secure 125 individual pledges by June 30, 2025,” said Jessica Martin, President and Executive Director of the Greater Salina Community Foundation. “The Community Foundation was established 25 years ago by over 100 founding donors coming together to create a platform for charitable giving. We see this as a fun way to engage the next generation to carry on that legacy and support our local nonprofits that make our community a great place to call home!”<h2>Strengthening Nonprofits</h2>The Give Back 5 Community Giving Pledge was started by a local committee made up of financial advisors, nonprofits and the Greater Salina Community Foundation to inspire local giving and strengthen our community’s future resources for the next generation. They believe nonprofits contribute to the community’s social, economic, and cultural wellbeing and are committed to helping build nonprofit capacity through the Community Giving Pledge.“Wedel Financial Group has always prided itself on giving back to the community that has given so much to us as individuals and professionals,” said Aaron Wedel, Committee Member and Financial Advisor at Wedel Financial Group. “We are supporting the Give Back 5 campaign because it is a great way for people of all ages to participate in the charitable values that make Salina such a great place to live. We are confident this campaign will allow local non-profits to provide the much needed services in our community for generations to come.”Last year, over $13M was granted to local charities and projects by donors through funds held at the Community Foundation. Having funds that nonprofits can count on enables them to not only keep the lights on but also to focus on their mission and dream big.“Planned gifts have a significant impact on nonprofits like Catholic Charities, ensuring that vital services such as emergency financial assistance, basic needs distribution, and mental health programs continue to support our neighbors in need today and for generations to come, without worrying about funding,” said Megan Robl, Committee Member and Executive Director of Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas. “The Salina community thrives because of the dedication of many nonprofit organizations that make it a special place. This type of giving empowers all of us to evolve and grow our crucial missions alongside the community's changing needs. These funds are instrumental in preserving the unique spirit of our community.”<h2>Pledge Now, Give Later</h2>One of the great things about the Community Giving Pledge, is that because the nonprofit is listed as a beneficiary of the retirement account, individuals still have access to their funds during retirement years when it’s needed the most. After they are gone, the charity will receive 5% of the remaining balance.“I chose to donate to the Give Back 5 campaign through my 401K because I love Hyllningsfest and Lindsborg,” said Jenell Hulse. “When I co-chaired Svensk Hyllningsfest, the financial situation was a stressor. I want to help eliminate that stress for future chairs so that this event will continue forever. Donating via my 401K allows me to give back to the Lindsborg community long after I am no longer able to physically serve.”Donating an IRA or other retirement assets to charity may also result in substantial tax savings for an individual’s heirs and estate. Because charities do not pay income tax, the charity will receive the full amount designated through the account. It’s also an opportunity to create a meaningful and lasting legacy that represents your life’s work, passions and values.Signing up for the pledge is easy. People can fill out a pledge card at their financial advisor’s office or online at <a href="http://www.giveback5.org">www.giveback5.org</a>.

GSCF announces Give Back 5 community giving pledge campaign

NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Allen, Justice Lyle Lee

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; Probation violation

NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Daulton, Joseph Theodore

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;&nbsp;Agg Domestic Battery: impede breathing/choke, Crim damage to prop;w/o consent &lt;$1K, Criminal restraint, Domestic battery: Knowing/reckless bodily harm, Kidnapping; Inflict bodily harm or terrorize the victim, Robbery, Agg battery; Knowingly use deadly weapon, Crim damage to prop;w/o consent &lt;$1K and Domestic Battery: rude physical contact

NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Garcia Chirinos, Jose Antonio

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; &nbsp;No Proof Of Insurance and Operate a MV w/o a valid license

NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Henderson, Jason Alan

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; Failure to Appear

NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Jones, Jayreece Tyrell

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Probation Violation, Criminal Damage to Property; Misdemeanor and Theft of prop/services:Value less than $1,500

NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Lanzrath, Joseph Eugene

NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Lawrence, Nathan Lovejoy

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Probation Violation, Use/poss drug paraphernalian/human body and Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant

NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Sales-Kendrex, Niia Simone

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; &nbsp;Outside warrant/NCIC hit

NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Thayer, Penny Sue

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;&nbsp;Probation Violation and Interf w/LEO; obstr/resist/oppose misd warrant

NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Thompson, Rickey Gene

NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Webb, Robert Vincent

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; Failure to Appear and&nbsp;Contempt of Court; Direct

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail.All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720614307178.png" alt="Allen, Justice Lyle Lee" />
 <figcaption>Allen, Justice Lyle Lee</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Allen, Justice Lyle LeeREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; Probation violation<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720614356343.png" alt="Daulton, Joseph Theodore" />
 <figcaption>Daulton, Joseph Theodore</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Daulton, Joseph TheodoreREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;&nbsp;Agg Domestic Battery: impede breathing/choke, Crim damage to prop;w/o consent &lt;$1K, Criminal restraint, Domestic battery: Knowing/reckless bodily harm, Kidnapping; Inflict bodily harm or terrorize the victim, Robbery, Agg battery; Knowingly use deadly weapon, Crim damage to prop;w/o consent &lt;$1K and Domestic Battery: rude physical contact<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720614455693.png" alt="Garcia Chirinos, Jose Antonio" />
 <figcaption>Garcia Chirinos, Jose Antonio</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Garcia Chirinos, Jose AntonioREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; &nbsp;No Proof Of Insurance and Operate a MV w/o a valid license<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720614539842.png" alt="Henderson, Jason Alan" />
 <figcaption>Henderson, Jason Alan</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Henderson, Jason AlanREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; Failure to Appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720614581494.png" alt="Jones, Jayreece Tyrell" />
 <figcaption>Jones, Jayreece Tyrell</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Jones, Jayreece TyrellREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Probation Violation, Criminal Damage to Property; Misdemeanor and Theft of prop/services:Value less than $1,500<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720614717306.png" alt="Lanzrath, Joseph Eugene" />
 <figcaption>Lanzrath, Joseph Eugene</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Lanzrath, Joseph EugeneREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; Failure to Appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720614762940.png" alt="Lawrence, Nathan Lovejoy" />
 <figcaption>Lawrence, Nathan Lovejoy</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Lawrence, Nathan LovejoyREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Probation Violation, Use/poss drug paraphernalian/human body and Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720614814367.png" alt="Sales-Kendrex, Niia Simone" />
 <figcaption>Sales-Kendrex, Niia Simone</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Sales-Kendrex, Niia SimoneREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; &nbsp;Outside warrant/NCIC hit<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720614862297.png" alt="Thayer, Penny Sue" />
 <figcaption>Thayer, Penny Sue</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Thayer, Penny SueREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;&nbsp;Probation Violation and Interf w/LEO; obstr/resist/oppose misd warrant<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720614910558.png" alt="Thompson, Rickey Gene" />
 <figcaption>Thompson, Rickey Gene</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Thompson, Rickey GeneREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; &nbsp;Outside warrant/NCIC hit<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720614959791.png" alt="Webb, Robert Vincent" />
 <figcaption>Webb, Robert Vincent</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Webb, Robert VincentREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp; Failure to Appear and&nbsp;Contempt of Court; Direct

Saline County Jail Bookings, July 10

This is day 13 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.

With harvest down to the final few days, this will be the last report for the 2024 Kansas wheat harvest. Rain delays continue to stretch out the season, but producers welcome the moisture as they turn their attention to planting fall crops and managing the weeds coming up rapidly in wheat stubble.

Moisture over the weekend continues to prevent harvest from wrapping up in northwest Kansas, but no one is complaining about the beneficial moisture for fall crops, according to Jeanne Falk Jones, Multi-County agronomist with the Northwest Research-Extension Center in Colby.&nbsp;

Area producers started test cutting after Father’s Day and harvest kicked into full gear the following weekend. The end of harvest is now in sight - maybe three days more if the skies stay clear. This last push feels more like last year’s harvest - foggy mornings and tough wheat that can’t be cut until late in the day.&nbsp;

Yields are all over the board - from 20 to 100 bushels per acre - across the northwest region, not surprising given the challenges to get stands established last fall. Weather during the grain fill period was much more favorable with moisture, fewer triple-digit days and especially cooler night temperatures.&nbsp;

As a result, Falk-Jones reported average test weights between 58 to 62 pounds per bushel and proteins between 9 and 11.5 percent, depending on field fertility and conditions during grain fill.&nbsp;

“Everybody is pleasantly surprised on how good our wheat has been,” she said, adding that the wheat looked pretty tough for the majority of the growing season. “Now, not every field has been that way.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Falk-Jones did investigate a fair amount of wheat disease this year, including Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus, Triticum mosaic and High Plains disease, all of which are transmitted by the wheat curl mite. She sent several samples off to the diagnostic labs in Manhattan to determine which virus was on the rise after seeing the characteristic yellow leaves in fields planted to varieties with decent resistance to WSMV. The result was a bit of uptake in Triticum mosaic. The earlier the infection of viral disease, the more impacts on yields, but a good number of fields already had yield potential set when symptoms showed at heading.&nbsp;

She attributes the uptick in disease pressure to severe hail last year after kernels were formed. As a result, there were more shattered kernels in the field and continual flushes of volunteer wheat after catching little rain showers. While folks tried hard to control volunteer wheat, even kernels left in wheels tracks were enough to harbor the disease vector - wheat curl mites - over the fall.

In Sherman County, Brian Linin has about five or six days left to cut near Goodland, after starting harvest on June 26 - three to five days earlier than normal and three weeks earlier than last year.&nbsp;

Expectations were low after the wheat did not have good stand last fall, thinking this year would be a repeat of the last. Blowing fields this spring added to the anticipated disappointment. Linin noted he went ahead and applied fungicide and did not see a lot of rust or Wheat Streak Mosaic virus, but controlling volunteer wheat will be essential to prevent the spread into next year’s crop.&nbsp;

While the cooler days and nights during grainfill helped the wheat do better than expected, this year will still be about 20 percent below an average yield. Linin reported yields on dryland wheat ranging from 30 to 70 bushels per acre, with most in the 40s. Test weights were averaging 58.5 to 59 pounds per bushel, but this weekend’s rain may cause them to lose a bit. Protein ranges from 12 to 14 percent.&nbsp;

“Growing wheat has a lot of value for our farm,” Linin said. “Wheat stubble once again has proven its value. Not only is wheat a good cash crop, if you are able to get a good price with forward contracting, but the importance of the stubble to plant into makes such a huge difference on fall crops. There are a lot of factors that going into profitability.”

In Smith County in north-central Kansas, Bryce Wiehl finished wheat harvest near Smith Center on Monday, July 8, after a week-long weather delay on his last 100 acres. He’s not complaining about the rain, which will benefit double-cropped soybeans on all his now-harvested wheat fields.

The wet conditions are in stark contrast to how the growing season started last fall, when Wiehl harvested bone-dry soybeans last September and October then drilled wheat in an absolute desert. The good fields were barely 50 percent up when the area had a rare rain in December that brought 1.5 to 1.75 inches of moisture. The wheat had snow on it through most of the winter, emerging from dormancy in February. Wiehl noted he had more moisture this past winter than the last seven years.

After starting on Monday, June 24, harvest is above average with a final farm yield of 65 bushels per acre and average test weights of 58 to 59 pounds per bushel. He noted other producers reported test weights clear up to 63 to 64 pounds per bushel.

Last year, his wheat averaged seven bushels per acre, well behind the 38 to 39 bushel-per-acre average he aims for with wheat behind soybeans. While the moisture and the bushels are welcome, the commodity prices are half what they were, driven more by investment funds than fundamentals.

“It was a wheat year; we caught early spring rains, and the wheat will do what it will do,” he said. “But it looked like a total train wreck in the fall.”

In southwest Kansas, wheat harvest is 98 percent complete in Finney County, down to the last few mud holes, according to Jeff Boyd, CEO/general manager of Garden City Co-op.&nbsp;Wheat harvest started earlier than the normal on June 20 this year, meaning many folks were finished up and able to enjoy the July 4th holiday weekend.&nbsp;

The wheat came in dry this year with moisture at 9 to 13 percent, solid test weights between 60 and 62 pounds per bushel and average protein for the area. Yields were all over the place depending on cropping rotation. Wheat after fallow did really well, thanks to the additional moisture, while wheat planted after corn or milo was not as good. Irrigated and dryland yields were comparable.&nbsp;

“No year is the same and that keeps getting reiterated,” he said. “The volatility we see goes from one extreme to the other.”&nbsp;

Taking out the last couple drought years, Boyd reported the cooperative’s overall take is back up to the five and 10-year average. In general, folks are surprised and happy with their harvest, although he noted some area producers were hit by hailstorms.&nbsp;

“It wasn’t until that wheat was really drying down that it really started to look good,” Boyd said. “That wheat in the field just looked thicker the more mature it got.”&nbsp;

The draw area for Garden City Co-op extends down to Hooker, Oklahoma, where substantial five to 10 inches of rain will continue to affect test weights and delay harvest, but Boyd said no one is going to scare the rain away.&nbsp;

As harvest finishes, he noted the next priority for producers is going to be managing the weeds coming in fast into the wheat stubble. For the elevator, Boyd explained that with a thin international market, domestic mills in Kansas and California are driving the final destination for those bushels - along with increasing demand from the wheat gluten plants in Phillipsburg and Russell.

Look for a final round-up and quality reports as the data is crunched from the 2024 wheat harvest. Producers are also encouraged to start controlling weeds and volunteer wheat now as the much-appreciated moisture will bring plenty of green to harbor wheat curl mites – the vector that will foster WSMV infections next harvest.

The 2024 Harvest Reports are brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council. To follow along with harvest updates, use #<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23wheatharvest24&amp;src=typed_query&amp;f=live">wheatharvest24</a>&nbsp;on social media. Tag us at @kansaswheat on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/kansaswheat">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kswheat">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/KansasWheat">Twitter</a>&nbsp;to share your harvest story and photos.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app.</a> <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720602435064.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>JULIA DEBES Kansas WheatThis is day 13 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.With harvest down to the final few days, this will be the last report for the 2024 Kansas wheat harvest. Rain delays continue to stretch out the season, but producers welcome the moisture as they turn their attention to planting fall crops and managing the weeds coming up rapidly in wheat stubble.Moisture over the weekend continues to prevent harvest from wrapping up in northwest Kansas, but no one is complaining about the beneficial moisture for fall crops, according to Jeanne Falk Jones, Multi-County agronomist with the Northwest Research-Extension Center in Colby.&nbsp;Area producers started test cutting after Father’s Day and harvest kicked into full gear the following weekend. The end of harvest is now in sight - maybe three days more if the skies stay clear. This last push feels more like last year’s harvest - foggy mornings and tough wheat that can’t be cut until late in the day.&nbsp;Yields are all over the board - from 20 to 100 bushels per acre - across the northwest region, not surprising given the challenges to get stands established last fall. Weather during the grain fill period was much more favorable with moisture, fewer triple-digit days and especially cooler night temperatures.&nbsp;As a result, Falk-Jones reported average test weights between 58 to 62 pounds per bushel and proteins between 9 and 11.5 percent, depending on field fertility and conditions during grain fill.&nbsp;“Everybody is pleasantly surprised on how good our wheat has been,” she said, adding that the wheat looked pretty tough for the majority of the growing season. “Now, not every field has been that way.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Falk-Jones did investigate a fair amount of wheat disease this year, including Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus, Triticum mosaic and High Plains disease, all of which are transmitted by the wheat curl mite. She sent several samples off to the diagnostic labs in Manhattan to determine which virus was on the rise after seeing the characteristic yellow leaves in fields planted to varieties with decent resistance to WSMV. The result was a bit of uptake in Triticum mosaic. The earlier the infection of viral disease, the more impacts on yields, but a good number of fields already had yield potential set when symptoms showed at heading.&nbsp;She attributes the uptick in disease pressure to severe hail last year after kernels were formed. As a result, there were more shattered kernels in the field and continual flushes of volunteer wheat after catching little rain showers. While folks tried hard to control volunteer wheat, even kernels left in wheels tracks were enough to harbor the disease vector - wheat curl mites - over the fall.In Sherman County, Brian Linin has about five or six days left to cut near Goodland, after starting harvest on June 26 - three to five days earlier than normal and three weeks earlier than last year.&nbsp;Expectations were low after the wheat did not have good stand last fall, thinking this year would be a repeat of the last. Blowing fields this spring added to the anticipated disappointment. Linin noted he went ahead and applied fungicide and did not see a lot of rust or Wheat Streak Mosaic virus, but controlling volunteer wheat will be essential to prevent the spread into next year’s crop.&nbsp;While the cooler days and nights during grainfill helped the wheat do better than expected, this year will still be about 20 percent below an average yield. Linin reported yields on dryland wheat ranging from 30 to 70 bushels per acre, with most in the 40s. Test weights were averaging 58.5 to 59 pounds per bushel, but this weekend’s rain may cause them to lose a bit. Protein ranges from 12 to 14 percent.&nbsp;“Growing wheat has a lot of value for our farm,” Linin said. “Wheat stubble once again has proven its value. Not only is wheat a good cash crop, if you are able to get a good price with forward contracting, but the importance of the stubble to plant into makes such a huge difference on fall crops. There are a lot of factors that going into profitability.”In Smith County in north-central Kansas, Bryce Wiehl finished wheat harvest near Smith Center on Monday, July 8, after a week-long weather delay on his last 100 acres. He’s not complaining about the rain, which will benefit double-cropped soybeans on all his now-harvested wheat fields.The wet conditions are in stark contrast to how the growing season started last fall, when Wiehl harvested bone-dry soybeans last September and October then drilled wheat in an absolute desert. The good fields were barely 50 percent up when the area had a rare rain in December that brought 1.5 to 1.75 inches of moisture. The wheat had snow on it through most of the winter, emerging from dormancy in February. Wiehl noted he had more moisture this past winter than the last seven years.After starting on Monday, June 24, harvest is above average with a final farm yield of 65 bushels per acre and average test weights of 58 to 59 pounds per bushel. He noted other producers reported test weights clear up to 63 to 64 pounds per bushel.Last year, his wheat averaged seven bushels per acre, well behind the 38 to 39 bushel-per-acre average he aims for with wheat behind soybeans. While the moisture and the bushels are welcome, the commodity prices are half what they were, driven more by investment funds than fundamentals.“It was a wheat year; we caught early spring rains, and the wheat will do what it will do,” he said. “But it looked like a total train wreck in the fall.”In southwest Kansas, wheat harvest is 98 percent complete in Finney County, down to the last few mud holes, according to Jeff Boyd, CEO/general manager of Garden City Co-op.&nbsp;Wheat harvest started earlier than the normal on June 20 this year, meaning many folks were finished up and able to enjoy the July 4th holiday weekend.&nbsp;The wheat came in dry this year with moisture at 9 to 13 percent, solid test weights between 60 and 62 pounds per bushel and average protein for the area. Yields were all over the place depending on cropping rotation. Wheat after fallow did really well, thanks to the additional moisture, while wheat planted after corn or milo was not as good. Irrigated and dryland yields were comparable.&nbsp;“No year is the same and that keeps getting reiterated,” he said. “The volatility we see goes from one extreme to the other.”&nbsp;Taking out the last couple drought years, Boyd reported the cooperative’s overall take is back up to the five and 10-year average. In general, folks are surprised and happy with their harvest, although he noted some area producers were hit by hailstorms.&nbsp;“It wasn’t until that wheat was really drying down that it really started to look good,” Boyd said. “That wheat in the field just looked thicker the more mature it got.”&nbsp;The draw area for Garden City Co-op extends down to Hooker, Oklahoma, where substantial five to 10 inches of rain will continue to affect test weights and delay harvest, but Boyd said no one is going to scare the rain away.&nbsp;As harvest finishes, he noted the next priority for producers is going to be managing the weeds coming in fast into the wheat stubble. For the elevator, Boyd explained that with a thin international market, domestic mills in Kansas and California are driving the final destination for those bushels - along with increasing demand from the wheat gluten plants in Phillipsburg and Russell.Look for a final round-up and quality reports as the data is crunched from the 2024 wheat harvest. Producers are also encouraged to start controlling weeds and volunteer wheat now as the much-appreciated moisture will bring plenty of green to harbor wheat curl mites – the vector that will foster WSMV infections next harvest.The 2024 Harvest Reports are brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council. To follow along with harvest updates, use #<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23wheatharvest24&amp;src=typed_query&amp;f=live">wheatharvest24</a>&nbsp;on social media. Tag us at @kansaswheat on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/kansaswheat">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kswheat">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/KansasWheat">Twitter</a>&nbsp;to share your harvest story and photos.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile&nbsp;app.</a> <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.</a>

Final Kansas Wheat Harvest Report 2024

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By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Lead Reporter - Salina Post

After a red 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 drove over a stump and through an apartment complex yard, Salina Police Department (SPD) officers searched for the vehicle and found a driver who had stolen it. 

On Saturday, July 6, at about 3:20 p.m., a witness reported that someone drove a red truck through a yard in the 700 block of Guernsey Drive and caused damage to about 120 feet of grass but drove away. 

SPD officers then broadcast the truck's description to other SPD officers so they could attempt to find the vehicle.

"Shortly thereafter, that vehicle was stopped, and it was driven by a Nicole Hoffschneider, who is a 39-year-old from Bennington, Kansas," said SPD Capt. James Feldman. "As the officers began speaking with her and investigating a possible DUI ( case, we received a call from a 40-year-old male of Salina who stated that at approximately 2:30 [p.m.], his truck, which was the aforementioned truck, had been stolen from the Super Eight Motel where he was working."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574355645622.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Lead Reporter - Salina PostAfter a red 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 drove over a stump and through an apartment complex yard, Salina Police Department (SPD) officers searched for the vehicle and found a driver who had stolen it. On Saturday, July 6, at about 3:20 p.m., a witness reported that someone drove a red truck through a yard in the 700 block of Guernsey Drive and caused damage to about 120 feet of grass but drove away. SPD officers then broadcast the truck's description to other SPD officers so they could attempt to find the vehicle."Shortly thereafter, that vehicle was stopped, and it was driven by a Nicole Hoffschneider, who is a 39-year-old from Bennington, Kansas," said SPD Capt. James Feldman. "As the officers began speaking with her and investigating a possible DUI ( case, we received a call from a 40-year-old male of Salina who stated that at approximately 2:30 [p.m.], his truck, which was the aforementioned truck, had been stolen from the Super Eight Motel where he was working."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720357179886.jpeg" alt="Hoffschneider, Nicole Lynn" />
 <figcaption>Hoffschneider, Nicole Lynn</figcaption>
 </figure>Feldman said SPD officers determined that Hoffschneider stole the truck and arrested her. Officers then requested charges of felony theft, criminal damage to property and driving under the influence.READ MORE: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/c4ee0ab9-6d2d-4b60-bbeb-b88482f18c80">SPD searches for suspects after resident reports he was robbed at Walmart</a>

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