By NATE KING Salina Post

In this episode of King in the Community, I spoke with Esther Kency, Director of Crisis Services at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ckmhc.org/" target="_blank">Central Kansas Mental Health Center</a>&nbsp;(CKMHC), and Megan Willis, mental health first aid youth coordinator for CKMHC.

Our discussion centered around the importance of being aware of mental health issues and ways the Salina community can raise awareness about suicide prevention. Kency and Willis provided valuable insights into upcoming&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/take-a-course/what-you-learn/" target="_blank">Mental Health First Aid</a>&nbsp;trainings that empower individuals to respond effectively to someone experiencing a mental health crisis.

Suicide is a heavy topic that most people do their best to avoid.&nbsp;<a href="https://988lifeline.org/promote-national-suicide-prevention-month/" target="_blank">However, research shows that people who are having thoughts of suicide feel relief when someone asks after them in a caring way.</a>

"It's a hard topic for a lot of people to talk about, because for so many years it was against the law to commit suicide," Willis said. "It's against a lot of people's culture and their religion."

When it comes to discussing suicide, Willis said that changing our language is a significant part of changing our attitudes toward mental health.&nbsp;

" The word 'committing', When we are saying that someone might be 'committing suicide', we are attaching an even bigger stigma because we say that people commit fraud, commit abuse, commit robbery, larceny, all of those things are being committed, and there is a very negative perspective on those things. Our big goal is to reduce the stigma and get more people talking about it."&nbsp;

Kency stressed the significance of CKMHC's collaborative efforts and partnerships with law enforcement and rural communities.

"We are fortunate we have a great working relationship with our local law enforcement and they have been amazing to work with and we actually have an opening for another co-responder position that we are trying to hire for just to branch out that program," Kency said. "We also have a mobile crisis program that we are working on, where instead of everyone having to come to us when they're in crisis, we are able to go out with a clinician and a case manager."&nbsp;

The upcoming Mental Health First Aid training will equip participants with essential skills to respond to individuals in a mental health crisis. The Mental Health First Aid training is an eight-hour session covering topics such as risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for assisting individuals in crisis and non-crisis situations, and guidance on where to seek help.

"You are valued, you are important. Your life means so much, and you are loved," Willis said. "You are loved by people who probably don't even know you, and reach out to somebody, talk to someone, give somebody else the chance to be there for you."

Our conversation covers misconceptions and stigmas surrounding suicide and mental health. Kency and Willis also share their experiences and insights on effectively supporting individuals struggling with mental health issues and how to foster effective communication with them.

<div><iframe title="Central Kansas Mental Health Center, Suicide Prevention Month" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=kvd5f-14a5b2c-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By NATE KING Salina PostIn this episode of King in the Community, I spoke with Esther Kency, Director of Crisis Services at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ckmhc.org/" target="_blank">Central Kansas Mental Health Center</a>&nbsp;(CKMHC), and Megan Willis, mental health first aid youth coordinator for CKMHC.Our discussion centered around the importance of being aware of mental health issues and ways the Salina community can raise awareness about suicide prevention. Kency and Willis provided valuable insights into upcoming&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/take-a-course/what-you-learn/" target="_blank">Mental Health First Aid</a>&nbsp;trainings that empower individuals to respond effectively to someone experiencing a mental health crisis.Suicide is a heavy topic that most people do their best to avoid.&nbsp;<a href="https://988lifeline.org/promote-national-suicide-prevention-month/" target="_blank">However, research shows that people who are having thoughts of suicide feel relief when someone asks after them in a caring way.</a>"It's a hard topic for a lot of people to talk about, because for so many years it was against the law to commit suicide," Willis said. "It's against a lot of people's culture and their religion."When it comes to discussing suicide, Willis said that changing our language is a significant part of changing our attitudes toward mental health.&nbsp;" The word 'committing', When we are saying that someone might be 'committing suicide', we are attaching an even bigger stigma because we say that people commit fraud, commit abuse, commit robbery, larceny, all of those things are being committed, and there is a very negative perspective on those things. Our big goal is to reduce the stigma and get more people talking about it."&nbsp;Kency stressed the significance of CKMHC's collaborative efforts and partnerships with law enforcement and rural communities."We are fortunate we have a great working relationship with our local law enforcement and they have been amazing to work with and we actually have an opening for another co-responder position that we are trying to hire for just to branch out that program," Kency said. "We also have a mobile crisis program that we are working on, where instead of everyone having to come to us when they're in crisis, we are able to go out with a clinician and a case manager."&nbsp;The upcoming Mental Health First Aid training will equip participants with essential skills to respond to individuals in a mental health crisis. The Mental Health First Aid training is an eight-hour session covering topics such as risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for assisting individuals in crisis and non-crisis situations, and guidance on where to seek help."You are valued, you are important. Your life means so much, and you are loved," Willis said. "You are loved by people who probably don't even know you, and reach out to somebody, talk to someone, give somebody else the chance to be there for you."Our conversation covers misconceptions and stigmas surrounding suicide and mental health. Kency and Willis also share their experiences and insights on effectively supporting individuals struggling with mental health issues and how to foster effective communication with them.

PODCAST: Central Kansas Mental Health Center, Suicide Prevention Month

Have you ever wondered why your garden isn't producing the way you thought it would? How about questions about landscaping or yard maintenance? Have pests you don't know how to get rid of?

K-State Research and Extension has the answers.&nbsp;

On this episode of King in the Community, I sit down for a conversation with Jason Graves, Horticulture Agent for <a href="https://www.centralkansas.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/">K-State Research and Extension- Central District.</a>&nbsp;

Graves shares with us tips on how to build a compost pile, K-State Research and Extension resources for perfecting your lawn, the importance of PH soil levels when growing trees, the unique Kansas Climate, and what is included in the word "horticulture."

For more information regarding lawns and gardens from K-State Research Extension<a href="https://www.centralkansas.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/"> click here.&nbsp;</a>

<div><iframe title="Jason Graves, Horticulture Agent, K-State Research Extension" 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=sfqiv-148a5c8-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>By NATE KING Salina PostHave you ever wondered why your garden isn't producing the way you thought it would? How about questions about landscaping or yard maintenance? Have pests you don't know how to get rid of?K-State Research and Extension has the answers.&nbsp;On this episode of King in the Community, I sit down for a conversation with Jason Graves, Horticulture Agent for <a href="https://www.centralkansas.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/">K-State Research and Extension- Central District.</a>&nbsp;Graves shares with us tips on how to build a compost pile, K-State Research and Extension resources for perfecting your lawn, the importance of PH soil levels when growing trees, the unique Kansas Climate, and what is included in the word "horticulture."For more information regarding lawns and gardens from K-State Research Extension<a href="https://www.centralkansas.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/"> click here.&nbsp;</a>

🎙PODCAST: KSRE Horticulturist Jason Graves, preparing your lawn for fall

In this first episode of our monthly series with Saline County Administrator, Phil Smith-Hanes, we discuss Saline County's innovative uses of Federal COVID-19 ARPA funds, the soon-to-be-completed Saline County Jail, and the duties and responsibilities of the county administrator.&nbsp;

Learn about what led, Phil, a Kansas native, to pursue a career in local government and hear him express why it is a great time to be a resident of Saline County.

"I grew up in a really small town in south-central Kansas about an hour from Salina and I always felt like, community was just sort of a really big part of my life," Smith-Hanes said.

"I think to the extent possible, we need to make sure that we're serving the common interests and the common good of the community and looking forward to that kind of a future. So it's a really neat time to be in Saline County. We've had so many different economic development announcements and major projects that have been announced in the four years that I've been in the community. It's really great to see," Smith-Hanes said.&nbsp;

Check out the King in the Community podcast library to stay informed, engaged, and connected with your community.

<div><iframe title="Phil Smith-Haines, Saline County Administrator" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=hxjbr-14adf5b-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By SALINA POSTIn this first episode of our monthly series with Saline County Administrator, Phil Smith-Hanes, we discuss Saline County's innovative uses of Federal COVID-19 ARPA funds, the soon-to-be-completed Saline County Jail, and the duties and responsibilities of the county administrator.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695221351517.jpeg" alt="Phillip Smith-Hanes, Saline County Administrator&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Phillip Smith-Hanes, Saline County Administrator&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Learn about what led, Phil, a Kansas native, to pursue a career in local government and hear him express why it is a great time to be a resident of Saline County."I grew up in a really small town in south-central Kansas about an hour from Salina and I always felt like, community was just sort of a really big part of my life," Smith-Hanes said."I think to the extent possible, we need to make sure that we're serving the common interests and the common good of the community and looking forward to that kind of a future. So it's a really neat time to be in Saline County. We've had so many different economic development announcements and major projects that have been announced in the four years that I've been in the community. It's really great to see," Smith-Hanes said.&nbsp;Check out the King in the Community podcast library to stay informed, engaged, and connected with your community.<div><iframe title="King in the Community" allowtransparency="true" height="315" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" 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=10&filter=all&ss=a713390a017602015775e868a2cf26b0&btn-skin=1b1b1b&size=315" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</div>

PODCAST: Phil Smith-Hanes, Saline County Administrator

On this episode of King in the Community, Mike Peterson, executive director for the Community Housing Development Corporation of Central Kansas, discusses the Saline County&nbsp;Weatherization Assistance Program.

<div><iframe title="Mike Peterson, Community Housing Development" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=dh677-13e593f-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b"></iframe></div>On this episode of King in the Community, Mike Peterson, executive director for the Community Housing Development Corporation of Central Kansas, discusses the Saline County&nbsp;Weatherization Assistance Program.

🎙King in the Community: Housing nonprofit helps weatherize homes

K-State cattle experts share management options for open and pregnant cows

When making an important decision, many people prefer to gather as much information as they can to make the most informed choice possible.

For cow-calf producers, knowing the pregnancy status of the cows is important information to have as they decide which animals they are going to keep and which ones they are going to sell, according to the experts at Kansas State Univeristy’s Beef Cattle Institute. This was the topic for a recent discussion on the&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/09/15/research-heat-impacts-goals-with-pregnancy-checking-how-to-best-handle-heat-stress/">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast.

“As forage availability becomes more limited, pregnancy checking in the first 60 to 90 days of gestation allows producers to make the culling decision sooner rather than later, and that helps keep the feed costs down,” said AJ Tarpoff, K-State Research and Extension beef cattle veterinarian.

Along with knowing if they are pregnant or open (not pregnant), K-State veterinarian Bob Larson also stresses the importance of knowing when the cows are conceived.

“I want as many cows as possible to get pregnant in the first 21 days of the breeding season because they will raise the biggest calves to sell at weaning,” Larson said. He also shared that the cows that calve early are more likely to resume their heat cycles on time for the next breeding season.

Another benefit of bringing the cows off the pasture for pregnancy checking is that producers can also evaluate the body condition of the cows, said K-State beef cattle nutritionist Phillip Lancaster.

“Body condition scoring the cows at weaning allows producers to make decisions about how to manage the cows nutritionally ahead of the calving season,” Lancaster said. “At the start of the calving season, mature cows should be at a body condition score between five and six and first calf heifers should be at a body condition score of six.”

If the cows are thin at weaning, there is still time for them to add weight ahead of calving, Lancaster said.

“It is a lot cheaper and easier to put weight on the thin cows going through the fall than in the winter when bad weather can make it a challenge for them to overcome the additional maintenance requirements,” Lancaster said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695139687382.jpeg" alt="Body condition is one factor that can be evaluated when the cows are pregnancy-checked. KSRE Photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Body condition is one factor that can be evaluated when the cows are pregnancy-checked. KSRE Photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By LISA MOSER KSRE<h2>K-State cattle experts share management options for open and pregnant cows</h2>When making an important decision, many people prefer to gather as much information as they can to make the most informed choice possible.For cow-calf producers, knowing the pregnancy status of the cows is important information to have as they decide which animals they are going to keep and which ones they are going to sell, according to the experts at Kansas State Univeristy’s Beef Cattle Institute. This was the topic for a recent discussion on the&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/09/15/research-heat-impacts-goals-with-pregnancy-checking-how-to-best-handle-heat-stress/">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast.“As forage availability becomes more limited, pregnancy checking in the first 60 to 90 days of gestation allows producers to make the culling decision sooner rather than later, and that helps keep the feed costs down,” said AJ Tarpoff, K-State Research and Extension beef cattle veterinarian.Along with knowing if they are pregnant or open (not pregnant), K-State veterinarian Bob Larson also stresses the importance of knowing when the cows are conceived.“I want as many cows as possible to get pregnant in the first 21 days of the breeding season because they will raise the biggest calves to sell at weaning,” Larson said. He also shared that the cows that calve early are more likely to resume their heat cycles on time for the next breeding season.Another benefit of bringing the cows off the pasture for pregnancy checking is that producers can also evaluate the body condition of the cows, said K-State beef cattle nutritionist Phillip Lancaster.“Body condition scoring the cows at weaning allows producers to make decisions about how to manage the cows nutritionally ahead of the calving season,” Lancaster said. “At the start of the calving season, mature cows should be at a body condition score between five and six and first calf heifers should be at a body condition score of six.”If the cows are thin at weaning, there is still time for them to add weight ahead of calving, Lancaster said.“It is a lot cheaper and easier to put weight on the thin cows going through the fall than in the winter when bad weather can make it a challenge for them to overcome the additional maintenance requirements,” Lancaster said.

Cattle Chat: Reasons to check for pregnancy

On this episode, I hear from LaNay Meier, of Salina, about her newly published book titled, "The Feelings Umbrella." Meier is holding a book-read event at Ad Astra Coffee House in Salina on September 16 at 2:00 p.m.&nbsp;

Meier told Salina Post that she invites both children and grown-ups alike to attend because in her words-"adults, especially, need to talk about their feelings."

During our conversation, Meier shares her own insights on how parenting has evolved over the years, her inspiration for creating the book, and the importance of teaching children about emotions in a fun and engaging way.

Mark your calendars, on Sept. 16 for an event that promises to be a lot of fun and a great opportunity to meet a local children's book author.&nbsp;

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of "The Feelings Umbrella"<a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&amp;rh=p_27%3ALaNay+Meier&amp;s=relevancerank&amp;text=LaNay+Meier&amp;ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1"> click here.</a>

<div><iframe title="LaNay Meier, Author of ”The Feelings Umbrella”" 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=76qb9-14a28f8-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=60a0c8" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>By NATE KING Salina PostOn this episode, I hear from LaNay Meier, of Salina, about her newly published book titled, "The Feelings Umbrella." Meier is holding a book-read event at Ad Astra Coffee House in Salina on September 16 at 2:00 p.m.&nbsp;Meier told Salina Post that she invites both children and grown-ups alike to attend because in her words-"adults, especially, need to talk about their feelings."During our conversation, Meier shares her own insights on how parenting has evolved over the years, her inspiration for creating the book, and the importance of teaching children about emotions in a fun and engaging way.Mark your calendars, on Sept. 16 for an event that promises to be a lot of fun and a great opportunity to meet a local children's book author.&nbsp;If you are interested in purchasing a copy of "The Feelings Umbrella"<a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&amp;rh=p_27%3ALaNay+Meier&amp;s=relevancerank&amp;text=LaNay+Meier&amp;ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1"> click here.</a>

🎙King in the Community: LaNay Meier, author of "The Feelings Umbrella"

K-State cattle experts offer tips on how to make this choice

When making a big life decision, many people turn to making a pros and cons list to help them logically work through the process.

In agriculture, that often leads to creating a spreadsheet to calculate costs, depreciation and potential for a return on the investment, say cattle experts at Kansas State University.

One of the decisions that many cow-calf producers face at fall weaning is determining which heifers to keep and which ones to sell. This was the topic of a&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/09/08/replacement-heifers-feeding-soybean-hay-what-is-compounding/" target="_blank">recent Cattle Chat podcast</a>, produced through the Beef Cattle Institute at K-State.

“Every operation is going to be a little different, but when deciding whether to keep or sell replacement heifers, producers need to assess if they have the labor and resources available to raise them,” said Dustin Pendell, K-State agricultural economist.

Along with that, K-State veterinarian Brian Lubbers said the current market price is also a factor worth considering.

“Calf prices are high right now and so that makes the opportunity cost really high,” Lubbers said. “If you are thinking about contracting the herd a little bit, now might be a good time to sell a few extra calves.”

For those who prefer to raise their replacement heifers, K-State veterinarian Bob Larson said he prioritizes keeping heifers that give him the best odds of success.

“The best bet heifers that have the highest likelihood of being a long-term cow are ones that were born early in the calving season to a dam that has a good disposition and high genetic quality and are daughters of a quality sire,” Larson said. “I need her to be born early because she will be the most likely to get pregnant early and stay in the herd a long time.”

Even if the heifer meets the genetic and temperament criteria, Larson said if she was born late in the calving season she falls to his sell-list.

When thinking about resources, the experts agree that it is important to think about the amount of weight the heifers need to gain between weaning and breeding.

“Depending on the mature size of the cowherd, most heifers will need to gain 300 pounds between weaning and breeding,” said K-State beef cattle nutritionist Phillip Lancaster.

He recommends producers calculate the expected daily gain and compare that to what feed resources are available.

“In some parts of the country, there aren’t ample feed supplies to carry cattle through the winter. In that case, producers may need to sell the heifers and look to buy bred heifers and cows in the spring and summer after this time of limited feed resources has passed,” Lancaster said.

K-State veterinarian Brad White encouraged producers to start thinking now about their management plan for the fall.

“You need to pencil it out because keeping this year’s heifers is going to make them be more expensive cows as compared to other years,” White said. “Producers need to dive into the spreadsheets now to calculate the right number of heifers to keep before running the cattle through the chutes at weaning.”

To hear the full discussion,&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/09/08/replacement-heifers-feeding-soybean-hay-what-is-compounding/" target="_blank">listen to the Cattle Chat podcast</a>&nbsp;online or through your preferred streaming platform.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694524356937.jpeg" alt="Fall weaning is the time when some producers make keep/sell decisions for the herd. Photo Courtesy KSRE" />
 <figcaption>Fall weaning is the time when some producers make keep/sell decisions for the herd. Photo Courtesy KSRE</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>K-State cattle experts offer tips on how to make this choice</h2>By LISA MOSER KSREWhen making a big life decision, many people turn to making a pros and cons list to help them logically work through the process.In agriculture, that often leads to creating a spreadsheet to calculate costs, depreciation and potential for a return on the investment, say cattle experts at Kansas State University.One of the decisions that many cow-calf producers face at fall weaning is determining which heifers to keep and which ones to sell. This was the topic of a&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/09/08/replacement-heifers-feeding-soybean-hay-what-is-compounding/" target="_blank">recent Cattle Chat podcast</a>, produced through the Beef Cattle Institute at K-State.“Every operation is going to be a little different, but when deciding whether to keep or sell replacement heifers, producers need to assess if they have the labor and resources available to raise them,” said Dustin Pendell, K-State agricultural economist.Along with that, K-State veterinarian Brian Lubbers said the current market price is also a factor worth considering.“Calf prices are high right now and so that makes the opportunity cost really high,” Lubbers said. “If you are thinking about contracting the herd a little bit, now might be a good time to sell a few extra calves.”For those who prefer to raise their replacement heifers, K-State veterinarian Bob Larson said he prioritizes keeping heifers that give him the best odds of success.“The best bet heifers that have the highest likelihood of being a long-term cow are ones that were born early in the calving season to a dam that has a good disposition and high genetic quality and are daughters of a quality sire,” Larson said. “I need her to be born early because she will be the most likely to get pregnant early and stay in the herd a long time.”Even if the heifer meets the genetic and temperament criteria, Larson said if she was born late in the calving season she falls to his sell-list.When thinking about resources, the experts agree that it is important to think about the amount of weight the heifers need to gain between weaning and breeding.“Depending on the mature size of the cowherd, most heifers will need to gain 300 pounds between weaning and breeding,” said K-State beef cattle nutritionist Phillip Lancaster.He recommends producers calculate the expected daily gain and compare that to what feed resources are available.“In some parts of the country, there aren’t ample feed supplies to carry cattle through the winter. In that case, producers may need to sell the heifers and look to buy bred heifers and cows in the spring and summer after this time of limited feed resources has passed,” Lancaster said.K-State veterinarian Brad White encouraged producers to start thinking now about their management plan for the fall.“You need to pencil it out because keeping this year’s heifers is going to make them be more expensive cows as compared to other years,” White said. “Producers need to dive into the spreadsheets now to calculate the right number of heifers to keep before running the cattle through the chutes at weaning.”To hear the full discussion,&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/09/08/replacement-heifers-feeding-soybean-hay-what-is-compounding/" target="_blank">listen to the Cattle Chat podcast</a>&nbsp;online or through your preferred streaming platform.

Cattle Chat: Deciding to keep or sell heifers

By NATE KING Salina Post

The Salina Fire Department has announced that the second annual Central Kansas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb and Family Fun Walk will take place next month at Kansas Wesleyan University.

Salina Fire Chief Tony Sneidar said although planning for the climb last year was on a time crunch, there was still great support for the event.&nbsp;

"At last year's inaugural event we had some great support," Sneidar said. "We put the event together in about seven weeks and I got confirmation in March that of the 50 climbs around the country last year, we were 14th in funds raised at $25,800. So I'm looking forward to this year eclipsing that - not by a little bit, but by a lot."

Event check-in and on-site registration is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. Sept. 9 at Graves Family Sports Complex, 231 E. Cloud Street. The event is scheduled to begin with an opening ceremony at 9 a.m. The cost is $30 per person.&nbsp;

All proceeds will benefit the FDNY Counseling Services Unit and the programs provided by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (501c3) which have provided much needed assistance to the surviving families and co-workers of the firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice on Sept. 11, 2001.

"We are commemorating the fallen firefighters and completing their mission. The stair climb is symbolic of climbing to the top of the World Trade Center and it really is an awesome site," Sneidar said. "Also what we will do is everybody that participates will get to carry a pictured card of one of the 343 firefighters that we lost on 9/11." 

The Central Kansas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb &amp; Family Walk is a way to honor and remember the FDNY firefighters who selflessly gave their lives so that others might live on Sept. 11, 2001. Each participant pays tribute to an FDNY firefighter by climbing or walking the equivalent of the 110 stories of the World Trade Center. Your individual tribute not only remembers the sacrifice of an FDNY member, but it symbolically completes their heroic journey to save others.

Firefighter and community participation can ensure that each of the 343 firefighters is honored and that the world knows that we will never forget. Since that fateful day, there have been an additional 300+ firefighters who have succumbed to 9/11 related injuries or illness.

The 9-11 Memorial Stair Climb &amp; Family Walk are not a timed race event, but a way for firefighters, police officers, EMS personnel, families, friends and the entire community to honor and remember. 

All participants will have the honor of carrying the name badge of one of the fallen 343 firefighters and will also receive a 9/11 Stair Climb/Family Walk T-shirt to commemorate the event.

Following the stair climb and family walk, an after-party event will be held from 6-11 p.m. at the Tumbleweed event Center, 5680 W. Old Highway 40, Salina, Kansas.&nbsp; This year, the event will host Lieutenant Joe Minogue, FDNY Ret., as a special guest. His insight into the events of 9/11 and its global aftermath, will inspire all who hear him speak that night or catch one of his appearances at various civic groups a few days beforehand.

Sneidar said Martinelli's Little Italy will provide free food from 6-7 p.m. Music guests Jake Gill and Lix will perform live at the event. The&nbsp;Central Kansas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb &amp; 5K Family Fun Walk&nbsp;are&nbsp;not timed events.&nbsp;It is&nbsp;a way for the&nbsp;entire&nbsp;community, firefighters, police officers, EMS personnel, families, and friends to honor and remember&nbsp;those who served and sacrificed on that day, and all that meant to American citizens. Each local and regional&nbsp;participant&nbsp;will honor the fallen by carrying the name badge of one of the 343 firefighters. Participants who pre-register also&nbsp;will receive a&nbsp;complimentary&nbsp;9/11 Stair Climb / Family Fun Walk t-shirt to commemorate&nbsp;their time at&nbsp;the event.&nbsp; &nbsp; All&nbsp;event donations and&nbsp;proceeds benefit the FDNY Counseling Services&nbsp;Unit,&nbsp;and the programs provided by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (501(c)(3),&nbsp;which provide&nbsp;much-needed assistance to the surviving families and co-workers of&nbsp;9/11 late&nbsp;firefighters. There&nbsp;are event-sponsorship opportunities available.

&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;For details on how to&nbsp;make a donation&nbsp;to the Stair Climb/Fun Walk,&nbsp;go to&nbsp;<a href="https://nfff.akaraisin.com/ui/centralkansas23">https://nfff.akaraisin.com/ui/centralkansas23</a>

&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;For details on how to participate in the virtual Stair Climb, visit<a href="https://www.salinaymca.org/">https://www.salinaymca.org</a>

<div><iframe title="Chief Tony Sneidar, Salina Fire Department" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=2xtc6-141a116-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b"></iframe></div>By NATE KING Salina PostThe Salina Fire Department has announced that the second annual Central Kansas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb and Family Fun Walk will take place next month at Kansas Wesleyan University.Salina Fire Chief Tony Sneidar said although planning for the climb last year was on a time crunch, there was still great support for the event.&nbsp;"At last year's inaugural event we had some great support," Sneidar said. "We put the event together in about seven weeks and I got confirmation in March that of the 50 climbs around the country last year, we were 14th in funds raised at $25,800. So I'm looking forward to this year eclipsing that - not by a little bit, but by a lot."Event check-in and on-site registration is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. Sept. 9 at Graves Family Sports Complex, 231 E. Cloud Street. The event is scheduled to begin with an opening ceremony at 9 a.m. The cost is $30 per person.&nbsp;All proceeds will benefit the FDNY Counseling Services Unit and the programs provided by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (501c3) which have provided much needed assistance to the surviving families and co-workers of the firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice on Sept. 11, 2001."We are commemorating the fallen firefighters and completing their mission. The stair climb is symbolic of climbing to the top of the World Trade Center and it really is an awesome site," Sneidar said. "Also what we will do is everybody that participates will get to carry a pictured card of one of the 343 firefighters that we lost on 9/11." The Central Kansas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb &amp; Family Walk is a way to honor and remember the FDNY firefighters who selflessly gave their lives so that others might live on Sept. 11, 2001. Each participant pays tribute to an FDNY firefighter by climbing or walking the equivalent of the 110 stories of the World Trade Center. Your individual tribute not only remembers the sacrifice of an FDNY member, but it symbolically completes their heroic journey to save others.Firefighter and community participation can ensure that each of the 343 firefighters is honored and that the world knows that we will never forget. Since that fateful day, there have been an additional 300+ firefighters who have succumbed to 9/11 related injuries or illness.The 9-11 Memorial Stair Climb &amp; Family Walk are not a timed race event, but a way for firefighters, police officers, EMS personnel, families, friends and the entire community to honor and remember. All participants will have the honor of carrying the name badge of one of the fallen 343 firefighters and will also receive a 9/11 Stair Climb/Family Walk T-shirt to commemorate the event.Following the stair climb and family walk, an after-party event will be held from 6-11 p.m. at the Tumbleweed event Center, 5680 W. Old Highway 40, Salina, Kansas.&nbsp; This year, the event will host Lieutenant Joe Minogue, FDNY Ret., as a special guest. His insight into the events of 9/11 and its global aftermath, will inspire all who hear him speak that night or catch one of his appearances at various civic groups a few days beforehand. Sneidar said Martinelli's Little Italy will provide free food from 6-7 p.m. Music guests Jake Gill and Lix will perform live at the event. The&nbsp;Central Kansas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb &amp; 5K Family Fun Walk&nbsp;are&nbsp;not timed events.&nbsp;It is&nbsp;a way for the&nbsp;entire&nbsp;community, firefighters, police officers, EMS personnel, families, and friends to honor and remember&nbsp;those who served and sacrificed on that day, and all that meant to American citizens. Each local and regional&nbsp;participant&nbsp;will honor the fallen by carrying the name badge of one of the 343 firefighters. Participants who pre-register also&nbsp;will receive a&nbsp;complimentary&nbsp;9/11 Stair Climb / Family Fun Walk t-shirt to commemorate&nbsp;their time at&nbsp;the event.&nbsp; &nbsp; All&nbsp;event donations and&nbsp;proceeds benefit the FDNY Counseling Services&nbsp;Unit,&nbsp;and the programs provided by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (501(c)(3),&nbsp;which provide&nbsp;much-needed assistance to the surviving families and co-workers of&nbsp;9/11 late&nbsp;firefighters. There&nbsp;are event-sponsorship opportunities available.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;For details on how to&nbsp;make a donation&nbsp;to the Stair Climb/Fun Walk,&nbsp;go to&nbsp;<a href="https://nfff.akaraisin.com/ui/centralkansas23">https://nfff.akaraisin.com/ui/centralkansas23</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;For details on how to participate in the virtual Stair Climb, visit<a href="https://www.salinaymca.org/">https://www.salinaymca.org</a>

🎙Salina Fire Chief: 9/11 memorial stair climb Saturday 

Aug. 1 marks the kickoff for World Breastfeeding Week (Aug. 1-7). Each year the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) requests a Congressional Proclamation to declare August as National Breastfeeding Month in the United States.

On this episode, I sit down with Kori Powell, Breastfeeding Peer Consultant for the Saline County Health Department to talk about the Breastfeeding Bash taking place on Aug. 4, as well as, breaking down the stigmas associated with breastfeeding, and generational differences of opinion when it comes to using formula.&nbsp;

 In 2021, the USBC piloted a toolkit that individuals could use to urge their governor to proclaim August as "Breastfeeding Month" in their state or territory. Kansas has joined the list! Governor Kelly signed the proclamation for Kansas on July 29, 2023. The theme this year is “This is Our Why.”

National Breastfeeding Month 2023 Weekly Observances Week 1 (August 1-7): World Breastfeeding Week Theme: Enabling Breastfeeding: Making a difference for working parents

<div><iframe title="Kori Powell, Breastfeeding Awareness Week, Saline County Health Department" 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=ba44m-146dc07-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>By NATE KING Salina PostAug. 1 marks the kickoff for World Breastfeeding Week (Aug. 1-7). Each year the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) requests a Congressional Proclamation to declare August as National Breastfeeding Month in the United States.On this episode, I sit down with Kori Powell, Breastfeeding Peer Consultant for the Saline County Health Department to talk about the Breastfeeding Bash taking place on Aug. 4, as well as, breaking down the stigmas associated with breastfeeding, and generational differences of opinion when it comes to using formula.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1690918626002.jpeg" alt="Powell, Kori Breastfeeding Peer Consultant for the Saline County Health Department" />
 <figcaption>Powell, Kori Breastfeeding Peer Consultant for the Saline County Health Department</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>More about Breastfeeding Awareness&nbsp;</h2> In 2021, the USBC piloted a toolkit that individuals could use to urge their governor to proclaim August as "Breastfeeding Month" in their state or territory. Kansas has joined the list! Governor Kelly signed the proclamation for Kansas on July 29, 2023. The theme this year is “This is Our Why.”National Breastfeeding Month 2023 Weekly Observances Week 1 (August 1-7): World Breastfeeding Week Theme: Enabling Breastfeeding: Making a difference for working parents

🎙King in the Community: Aug 1-7 Breastfeeding Awareness Week

BY NATE KING Salina Post

On this episode of "King in the Community" I sit down with screenwriter and Salina local, Ed Harlowe to discuss a screenplay he has written that could possibly be filmed right here in Salina.

The heartfelt and hilarious movie, "FRED", is the story of an older gentleman whose name is, you guessed it, Fred.&nbsp;

The film spins a compelling tale of love and laughter during the later years of life.

FRED, a refreshing and unique comedy, explores the journey of a former class clown, whose life takes an unexpected turn when he suffers a heart attack.&nbsp;

While&nbsp;he recuperates in a nursing home, he meets the love of his life, Mary, and the two embark on an unforgettable adventure. According to Harlowe the story is punctuated by sharp, witty and unforgettable one-liners, as it also shines a light on the struggles and triumphs in the twilight years.

The movie's backdrop will look especially familiar for Salina locals. Harlowe said several locations in Salina are &nbsp;expected to be featured in the movie. Locations include the Walmart, a nursing home, the downtown area and more.

Harlowe told Salina Post he is wanting Ted Danson to play the role of FRED. He also said if the film is given the green light, &nbsp;there will be a casting call for the film-giving locals a chance to be part of telling Fred’s story.&nbsp;

Directed by the accomplished Shedrack Anderson Ill, FRED promises a heartwarming, hilarious, and poignant cinematic experience. However, due to the current writers' strike and subsequent delays, the movie's production is on hold for now.

 In this episode we'll uncover the inspiration behind this captivating story, and explore the vibrant characters that will make FRED a must-watch movie.&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Salina Screenwriter, Ed Harlowe" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=i3vvh-142c525-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b"></iframe></div>BY NATE KING Salina PostOn this episode of "King in the Community" I sit down with screenwriter and Salina local, Ed Harlowe to discuss a screenplay he has written that could possibly be filmed right here in Salina.The heartfelt and hilarious movie, "FRED", is the story of an older gentleman whose name is, you guessed it, Fred.&nbsp; The film spins a compelling tale of love and laughter during the later years of life.FRED, a refreshing and unique comedy, explores the journey of a former class clown, whose life takes an unexpected turn when he suffers a heart attack.&nbsp; While&nbsp;he recuperates in a nursing home, he meets the love of his life, Mary, and the two embark on an unforgettable adventure. According to Harlowe the story is punctuated by sharp, witty and unforgettable one-liners, as it also shines a light on the struggles and triumphs in the twilight years. The movie's backdrop will look especially familiar for Salina locals. Harlowe said several locations in Salina are &nbsp;expected to be featured in the movie. Locations include the Walmart, a nursing home, the downtown area and more.Harlowe told Salina Post he is wanting Ted Danson to play the role of FRED. He also said if the film is given the green light, &nbsp;there will be a casting call for the film-giving locals a chance to be part of telling Fred’s story.&nbsp;Directed by the accomplished Shedrack Anderson Ill, FRED promises a heartwarming, hilarious, and poignant cinematic experience. However, due to the current writers' strike and subsequent delays, the movie's production is on hold for now. In this episode we'll uncover the inspiration behind this captivating story, and explore the vibrant characters that will make FRED a must-watch movie.&nbsp;

King in the Community: Ed Harlowe, local screenwriter

On this episode of "King in the Community" I sit down with <a href="https://asvrr.org/?utm_source=paidsearchad&amp;utm_medium=google&amp;utm_campaign=ASVRR2023&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw4s-kBhDqARIsAN-ipH3rTsjF7RHwxj59T9rCcZZcc7gpx-uvXe1nF_GNa0Th-fScqs1MJLQaAie3EALw_wcB">Abilene Smoky Valley Railroad </a>(A&amp;SVR) volunteer, Steve Smethers, to discuss volunteer opportunities, the history of the Abilene Smoky Valley and Rock Island Railroad, upcoming dinner train events and information about the famous A&amp;SVR Santa Fe 3415 steam engine.&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Steve Smethers, Abilene Smoky Valley Railroad" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ccuzs-143d377-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b"></iframe></div>BY NATE KING Salina Post On this episode of "King in the Community" I sit down with <a href="https://asvrr.org/?utm_source=paidsearchad&amp;utm_medium=google&amp;utm_campaign=ASVRR2023&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw4s-kBhDqARIsAN-ipH3rTsjF7RHwxj59T9rCcZZcc7gpx-uvXe1nF_GNa0Th-fScqs1MJLQaAie3EALw_wcB">Abilene Smoky Valley Railroad </a>(A&amp;SVR) volunteer, Steve Smethers, to discuss volunteer opportunities, the history of the Abilene Smoky Valley and Rock Island Railroad, upcoming dinner train events and information about the famous A&amp;SVR Santa Fe 3415 steam engine.&nbsp;

🎙 King in the Community Podcast: Abilene Smoky Valley Railroad

BY NATE KING Salina Post&nbsp;

On this episode of "King in the Community" I speak with Salina Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, Renee Duxler, about the following topics:

●Duxler's Smoky River Festival reflections ●An update on the Chamber's<a href="https://www.salinakansas.org/legislative-advocacy.html"> legislative priorities</a>&nbsp;from the most recent legislative session ●Information about <a href="https://www.salinakansas.org/leadership-salina.html">LEAD Salina</a>&nbsp;coming in August ●Upcoming Chamber after hours <a href="https://web.salinakansas.org/events">events </a>and ribbon cuttings

<div><iframe title="Renee Duxler, Salina Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=p4amu-1433906-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b"></iframe></div>BY NATE KING Salina Post&nbsp;On this episode of "King in the Community" I speak with Salina Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, Renee Duxler, about the following topics:●Duxler's Smoky River Festival reflections ●An update on the Chamber's<a href="https://www.salinakansas.org/legislative-advocacy.html"> legislative priorities</a>&nbsp;from the most recent legislative session ●Information about <a href="https://www.salinakansas.org/leadership-salina.html">LEAD Salina</a>&nbsp;coming in August ●Upcoming Chamber after hours <a href="https://web.salinakansas.org/events">events </a>and ribbon cuttings<h2>More "King in the Community" episodes</h2><div><iframe title="King in the Community" allowtransparency="true" height="315" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" 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=&logo_link=episode_page&order=episodic&limit=10&filter=all&ss=a713390a017602015775e868a2cf26b0&btn-skin=1b1b1b&size=315" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</div>

🎙 King in the Community Podcast: Renee Duxler, Salina Area Chamber

On this episode of the "King in the Community" podcast, I meet up with Salina City Manager Mike Schrage to talk about a range of topics.&nbsp;

Topics discussed in this episode: ● City's budget season ●&nbsp;The City's financial standing and the ways the commission is saving money on how it acquires city vehicles ● What he sees as the greatest challenges facing the city ● The tennis courts in Kenwood Park the progress made to make them more accessible to the public ● Arts and humanities investments. ● Schrage's professional relationship with the city commission

Throughout our conversation, we gain insight into the role of Salina's City Manager and the inner workings of city government. Join us each month for an update from City Manager Mike Schrage right here on "King in the Community."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685990553365.png" alt="Salina City Commissioner Mike Schrage. Photo by Nate King" />
 <figcaption>Salina City Commissioner Mike Schrage. Photo by Nate King</figcaption>
 </figure>BY NATE KING Salina PostOn this episode of the "King in the Community" podcast, I meet up with Salina City Manager Mike Schrage to talk about a range of topics.&nbsp;<div><iframe title="Mike Schrage, Salina City Manager" allowtransparency="true" height="315" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=fr9jr-1427cab-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b&size=315" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>Topics discussed in this episode: ● City's budget season ●&nbsp;The City's financial standing and the ways the commission is saving money on how it acquires city vehicles ● What he sees as the greatest challenges facing the city ● The tennis courts in Kenwood Park the progress made to make them more accessible to the public ● Arts and humanities investments. ● Schrage's professional relationship with the city commissionThroughout our conversation, we gain insight into the role of Salina's City Manager and the inner workings of city government. Join us each month for an update from City Manager Mike Schrage right here on "King in the Community."

🎙King in the Community: Salina City Manager, Mike Schrage 

During the May 15 Salina City Commission meeting, Mayor Hoppock proclaimed May as Mental Health Awareness Month. The proclamation was read by Julie Clayson, Central Kansas Mental Health's community based services coordinator.&nbsp;

On this episode of "King in the Community" I sit down with Clayson and Gretchen Boyum from Central Kansas Mental Health Center (CKMHC) to discuss the importance of prioritizing mental health wellness, the ways CKMHC is partnering up with private businesses during the month of May, the different services and mental health support groups CKMHC provides, and the issues surrounding veterans suffering from depression and anxiety.

"I don't know anybody who hasn't gone through a mental health challenge, meaning that you had a moment in life when things were hard. It's just a matter of having the courage to say so and to be able to share your testimony. What we've found out is that being with one another, being in a group, checking in on one another, is one of the greatest things you can do to support mental health," Clayson said.

 "Having a village, having people that can surround you, and you can share with them when you need it. Find your village and if you need one, come see us at Central Kansas Mental Health Center, we'd be happy to help you find a group or providers that can support you in finding what that village looks like for you."

<div><iframe title="Gretchen Boyum and Julie Clayson, Central Kansas Mental Health Center" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=x5jds-1417487-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b"></iframe></div>By NATE KING Salina PostDuring the May 15 Salina City Commission meeting, Mayor Hoppock proclaimed May as Mental Health Awareness Month. The proclamation was read by Julie Clayson, Central Kansas Mental Health's community based services coordinator.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684874793809.jpeg" alt="The proclamation that was read by Clayson at the May 15 city commission meeting. Image Courtesy City of Salina.&nbsp; &nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The proclamation that was read by Clayson at the May 15 city commission meeting. Image Courtesy City of Salina.&nbsp; &nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>On this episode of "King in the Community" I sit down with Clayson and Gretchen Boyum from Central Kansas Mental Health Center (CKMHC) to discuss the importance of prioritizing mental health wellness, the ways CKMHC is partnering up with private businesses during the month of May, the different services and mental health support groups CKMHC provides, and the issues surrounding veterans suffering from depression and anxiety."I don't know anybody who hasn't gone through a mental health challenge, meaning that you had a moment in life when things were hard. It's just a matter of having the courage to say so and to be able to share your testimony. What we've found out is that being with one another, being in a group, checking in on one another, is one of the greatest things you can do to support mental health," Clayson said. "Having a village, having people that can surround you, and you can share with them when you need it. Find your village and if you need one, come see us at Central Kansas Mental Health Center, we'd be happy to help you find a group or providers that can support you in finding what that village looks like for you."<h2>"King the Community" episode list</h2><div><iframe title="King in the Community" allowtransparency="true" height="315" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" 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=10&filter=all&ss=a713390a017602015775e868a2cf26b0&btn-skin=1b1b1b&size=315" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</div>

🎙King in the Community: Central Kansas Mental Health

By NATE KING&nbsp; Salina Post

The month of May, what does it make you think about? Summer vacation, community BBQs, road trips to see relatives, going to baseball/softball tournaments, finally packing away your winter coat, or if you are like me celebrating your birthday.

There is however one important day which honors and remembers those men and women who gave their lives in order for us to live in a free country- I'm talking about Memorial Day.&nbsp;

This year, on May 29, the Salina American Legion Post 92 in partnership with the City of Salina, will honor a unique set of veterans, MIA-POWs.&nbsp;

The POW/MIA recognition project was spearheaded by Jason McIntire, commander of the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 62 and fellow squadron members Kirk Cibolsk (vice commander) and Adam Hummel (treasure). McIntire came up with the idea last year after wondering how many Salina/Saline County residents became POW/MIAs in the wars, according to Sons of the American Legion Squadron 62.

The 11 POWs from Saline County will be honored with inscribed paving bricks at the site south of the war memorial in Sunset Park. See below for a list of POWs from Saline County.&nbsp;

● Donald A. Achenbach, WWII/AF BS452 BG

● Robert H. Maxey, Korea, Vietnam/Army Co G 32 Regt 7 Div

● Charlie A. Stanley, WWII/Army AF B24 Bomber Pilot

● Ernest V. Swanson, WWII/Army AF ETO 44BG

Additionally, Dennis Pugh, Vietnam, 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, 7th U.S. Air Force, is the only service member from Saline County who remains missing in action. He will be honored with a monument to the south of the war memorial, according to information in the news release.

"I am incredibly moved and honored that Jason and his group did this," Dale Pugh, brother of Major Pugh said. "Not at my suggestion or direction, we have bought some memorials to my brother all around Kansas and all around the country, in fact, but they've been put there because my family wanted them there. Now here's an opportunity for Salina and Saline County to honor one of their own because at least Jason McIntire and the sons of the American Legion believe it was the right thing to do. And so we hope that anyone that goes out to the memorial in the future will actually think about what all those names represent. And the fact that there's kind of a unique recognition of Dennis, because he is in kind of an interesting category being missing an action, it means that you just never found out you don't know."

McIntire and committee members had fundraisers to benefit the project, which will cost more than $10,000.

"To myself, it is very important to not only learn history but also to remember those who have fought and died to give people the freedom we have today. The POW/MIA monument we are building, thanks those veterans from Salina/Saline county and to make sure they are never forgotten," McIntire said.

Also in attendance for the Memorial Day ceremony will be Ann Mills-Griffiths, chairman of the board of directors of the National League of POW/MIA Families. She will offer her presentation at 6 p.m. May 28 at the American/Legion Post 62/VFW Post 1432.

Commander James B. Mills, USNR, Mills-Griffiths’ brother, was listed as MIA on Sept. 21, 1966, when the Navy F4B on which he served as Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) disappeared on a night, low-flying bombing mission over North Vietnam.  He was on his second tour, assigned to Fighter Squadron 21, USS Coral Sea.

According to information from Veterans Affairs, 140,000 American service members were captured and served time as POWs, and more than 81,500 Americans remain missing from WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the Gulf Wars/other conflicts. Out of the more than 81,500 missing, 75 percent of the losses are located in the Indo-Pacific, and more than 41,000 of the missing are presumed lost at sea (i.e. ship losses, known aircraft water losses, etc.).

<div><iframe title="Dale Pugh, Brother of POW MIA Maj. Dennis Pugh" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=bzzdg-140148e-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b"></iframe></div>By NATE KING&nbsp; Salina PostThe month of May, what does it make you think about? Summer vacation, community BBQs, road trips to see relatives, going to baseball/softball tournaments, finally packing away your winter coat, or if you are like me celebrating your birthday.There is however one important day which honors and remembers those men and women who gave their lives in order for us to live in a free country- I'm talking about Memorial Day.&nbsp;This year, on May 29, the Salina American Legion Post 92 in partnership with the City of Salina, will honor a unique set of veterans, MIA-POWs.&nbsp;The POW/MIA recognition project was spearheaded by Jason McIntire, commander of the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 62 and fellow squadron members Kirk Cibolsk (vice commander) and Adam Hummel (treasure). McIntire came up with the idea last year after wondering how many Salina/Saline County residents became POW/MIAs in the wars, according to Sons of the American Legion Squadron 62.The 11 POWs from Saline County will be honored with inscribed paving bricks at the site south of the war memorial in Sunset Park. See below for a list of POWs from Saline County.&nbsp;● Lewis J. Wehr, WWII/Army 31INF● Donald A. Achenbach, WWII/AF BS452 BG● James Cole, WWII/Air Force● Harold Fulton, WWII/Army AF 15AF● Wilbur D. Gott, WWII/Army 28INF● Robert H. Maxey, Korea, Vietnam/Army Co G 32 Regt 7 Div● Thomas A. McGinness, WWII/Army● Vernon K. Rawlings, WWII/8AF 92BG● Kenneth Schoshke, WWII/Army 34INF● Charlie A. Stanley, WWII/Army AF B24 Bomber Pilot● Ernest V. Swanson, WWII/Army AF ETO 44BG<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681691275351.jpeg" alt="Major Dennis Pugh the day before his aircraft was shot down on March 19, 1970.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Major Dennis Pugh the day before his aircraft was shot down on March 19, 1970.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Additionally, Dennis Pugh, Vietnam, 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, 7th U.S. Air Force, is the only service member from Saline County who remains missing in action. He will be honored with a monument to the south of the war memorial, according to information in the news release."I am incredibly moved and honored that Jason and his group did this," Dale Pugh, brother of Major Pugh said. "Not at my suggestion or direction, we have bought some memorials to my brother all around Kansas and all around the country, in fact, but they've been put there because my family wanted them there. Now here's an opportunity for Salina and Saline County to honor one of their own because at least Jason McIntire and the sons of the American Legion believe it was the right thing to do. And so we hope that anyone that goes out to the memorial in the future will actually think about what all those names represent. And the fact that there's kind of a unique recognition of Dennis, because he is in kind of an interesting category being missing an action, it means that you just never found out you don't know."McIntire and committee members had fundraisers to benefit the project, which will cost more than $10,000."To myself, it is very important to not only learn history but also to remember those who have fought and died to give people the freedom we have today. The POW/MIA monument we are building, thanks those veterans from Salina/Saline county and to make sure they are never forgotten," McIntire said.Also in attendance for the Memorial Day ceremony will be Ann Mills-Griffiths, chairman of the board of directors of the National League of POW/MIA Families. She will offer her presentation at 6 p.m. May 28 at the American/Legion Post 62/VFW Post 1432.Commander James B. Mills, USNR, Mills-Griffiths’ brother, was listed as MIA on Sept. 21, 1966, when the Navy F4B on which he served as Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) disappeared on a night, low-flying bombing mission over North Vietnam. He was on his second tour, assigned to Fighter Squadron 21, USS Coral Sea.According to information from Veterans Affairs, 140,000 American service members were captured and served time as POWs, and more than 81,500 Americans remain missing from WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the Gulf Wars/other conflicts. Out of the more than 81,500 missing, 75 percent of the losses are located in the Indo-Pacific, and more than 41,000 of the missing are presumed lost at sea (i.e. ship losses, known aircraft water losses, etc.).

🎙King in the Community: Dale Pugh, brother of MIA/POW Dennis Pugh

What makes someone a "good" storyteller? Is it the vast and interesting vocabulary they use? What about the style of story they tell? Or is it their ability to wrap up a story by neatly connecting multiple themes into one concise narrative?

According to Kansas Storytelling Festival storyteller, Mo Reynolds, there is no gatekeeping when it comes to storytelling - anyone can tell a story.

On this episode of King in the Community, Reynolds talks about the way she got started telling stories, her first experience attending the <a href="https://www.kansasstorytellingfestival.com/">annual Kansas Storytelling Festival</a>&nbsp;in Downs, and her storytelling visits to regional grade schools in April.&nbsp;

"Storytelling festivals are a beautiful place of community and connection. A lot of times storytelling festivals will have a set of storytellers that will each do like a 15 to maybe 20 minute story. But this is a different kind of festival," Reynolds said. "I'll have a 45 minute block. So you'll be able to see different tellers, and they have a really nice, stretch of time to take you on a ride. And so I was really wanting to write this experience in kind of a cool fluid way, and wrap it up with some other stories. So I was really thankful for how Kansas has it set up because it gave me that challenge and opportunity."

The Kansas Storytelling Festival is made possible each year by a dedicated group of volunteers who coordinate the event, the entertainment, and the business of the Kansas Storytelling Festival. The committee functions underneath the guidance of the Downs Arts Council Board. Former Kansas Governor Bill Graves officially recognized Downs in 1998 as "The Storytelling Capital of Kansas," and has proclaimed the last week of April as "The Kansas Storytelling Festival."&nbsp;

Each year storytellers from all across the country gather in Downs to showcase their talents and share their stories.&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Mo Reynolds, Kansas Storytelling Festival" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=3fb62-13fe49a-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b"></iframe>
</div>By NATE KING Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683318867928.jpeg" alt="Mo Reynolds tells a story at the 2023 Kansas Storytelling festival. Photos courtesy Brenda Gutierrez" />
 <figcaption>Mo Reynolds tells a story at the 2023 Kansas Storytelling festival. Photos courtesy Brenda Gutierrez</figcaption>
 </figure>What makes someone a "good" storyteller? Is it the vast and interesting vocabulary they use? What about the style of story they tell? Or is it their ability to wrap up a story by neatly connecting multiple themes into one concise narrative?According to Kansas Storytelling Festival storyteller, Mo Reynolds, there is no gatekeeping when it comes to storytelling - anyone can tell a story.On this episode of King in the Community, Reynolds talks about the way she got started telling stories, her first experience attending the <a href="https://www.kansasstorytellingfestival.com/">annual Kansas Storytelling Festival</a>&nbsp;in Downs, and her storytelling visits to regional grade schools in April.&nbsp;"Storytelling festivals are a beautiful place of community and connection. A lot of times storytelling festivals will have a set of storytellers that will each do like a 15 to maybe 20 minute story. But this is a different kind of festival," Reynolds said. "I'll have a 45 minute block. So you'll be able to see different tellers, and they have a really nice, stretch of time to take you on a ride. And so I was really wanting to write this experience in kind of a cool fluid way, and wrap it up with some other stories. So I was really thankful for how Kansas has it set up because it gave me that challenge and opportunity."The Kansas Storytelling Festival is made possible each year by a dedicated group of volunteers who coordinate the event, the entertainment, and the business of the Kansas Storytelling Festival. The committee functions underneath the guidance of the Downs Arts Council Board. Former Kansas Governor Bill Graves officially recognized Downs in 1998 as "The Storytelling Capital of Kansas," and has proclaimed the last week of April as "The Kansas Storytelling Festival."&nbsp;Each year storytellers from all across the country gather in Downs to showcase their talents and share their stories.&nbsp;

🎙King in the Community: Mo Reynolds, Kansas storytelling

National Technical College Signing Day was on April 20. The day is designed to honor students who are entering a technical field and to celebrate the dignity of their work. I sat down with Brenda Gutierrez, executive director of the Salina Tech Foundation, to talk about the signing event and a $1.8 million grant awarded to Salina Tech by the Kansas Department of Commerce.

READ: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/cff9a1f4-913e-4d58-9886-ff8eae19cb92">Salina Tech celebrates National Tech Signing Day</a>

The grant will fund roughly half of the cost of the college's new 15,000 square-foot building which will house the new Industrial Maintenance and Automation program. Find out more on this episode of King in the Community.&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Brenda Gutierrez, Salina Technical College Foundation Director" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=di69g-13e5287-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b"></iframe></div>By NATE KING Salina PostNational Technical College Signing Day was on April 20. The day is designed to honor students who are entering a technical field and to celebrate the dignity of their work. I sat down with Brenda Gutierrez, executive director of the Salina Tech Foundation, to talk about the signing event and a $1.8 million grant awarded to Salina Tech by the Kansas Department of Commerce.READ: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/cff9a1f4-913e-4d58-9886-ff8eae19cb92">Salina Tech celebrates National Tech Signing Day</a>The grant will fund roughly half of the cost of the college's new 15,000 square-foot building which will house the new Industrial Maintenance and Automation program. Find out more on this episode of King in the Community.&nbsp;

🎙King in the Community: Salina Tech's Brenda Gutierrez

On this episode of King in the Community, I sat down with April Rickman, president of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SalinaKSOptimistClub">Salina Optimist Club</a>,&nbsp;to hear why folks in the Salina community should consider joining the organization.

Optimist Club is an international organization with the goal of developing an optimistic philosophy of life utilizing the tenets of the Optimist Creed: “to promote an active interest in good government and civic affairs; to inspire respect for the law; to promote patriotism and work for international accord and friendship among all people; to aid and encourage the development of youth, in the belief that the giving of one’s self in service to others will advance the well-being of humankind, community life and the world.”

Earlier this month, the club held its Unsung Heroes award ceremony. The event recognizes local area high school students who have overcome a hardship and remain optimistic in light of their struggles. Learn about the banquet and more in this episode of King in the Community.&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="April Rickman, Salina Optimist Club" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=6bvb9-13ee860-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b"></iframe></div>By NATE KING Salina PostOn this episode of King in the Community, I sat down with April Rickman, president of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SalinaKSOptimistClub">Salina Optimist Club</a>,&nbsp;to hear why folks in the Salina community should consider joining the organization.Optimist Club is an international organization with the goal of developing an optimistic philosophy of life utilizing the tenets of the Optimist Creed: “to promote an active interest in good government and civic affairs; to inspire respect for the law; to promote patriotism and work for international accord and friendship among all people; to aid and encourage the development of youth, in the belief that the giving of one’s self in service to others will advance the well-being of humankind, community life and the world.”Earlier this month, the club held its Unsung Heroes award ceremony. The event recognizes local area high school students who have overcome a hardship and remain optimistic in light of their struggles. Learn about the banquet and more in this episode of King in the Community.&nbsp;

🎙King in the Community: April Rickman, Salina Optimist Club

On this episode of King in the Community, I sat down with Dustin Schlefli,&nbsp; director of customer engagement at Nex-Tech. Nex-Tech, a Kansas company and leader in technology, announced the grand reopening of its retail Salina location at 104 N. Santa Fe Avenue, Suite B.

READ: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/c1b4fe38-8eb6-415a-bfda-d36c9bb1bf59">Nex-Tech announces grand reopening in Salina</a>

In 2016, Nex-Tech started the deployment of fiber along key business routes in Salina and has continued to expand its fiber footprint in Salina. Listen and find out where fiber optic access will be available and how Nex-Tech is working with community members to expand access to high speed internet.  &nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Dustin Schlaefli, Nex-Tech" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=dy5ah-13edf56-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b"></iframe></div>On this episode of King in the Community, I sat down with Dustin Schlefli,&nbsp; director of customer engagement at Nex-Tech. Nex-Tech, a Kansas company and leader in technology, announced the grand reopening of its retail Salina location at 104 N. Santa Fe Avenue, Suite B.READ: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/c1b4fe38-8eb6-415a-bfda-d36c9bb1bf59">Nex-Tech announces grand reopening in Salina</a>In 2016, Nex-Tech started the deployment of fiber along key business routes in Salina and has continued to expand its fiber footprint in Salina. Listen and find out where fiber optic access will be available and how Nex-Tech is working with community members to expand access to high speed internet.  &nbsp;

🎙King in the Community: Dustin Schlefli, Nex-Tech

Referred to as the "ambassadors of downtown Salina," Salina Downtown Inc. has been part of the downtown community for 48 years. Salina Post sat down with Leslie Bishop, executive director for Salina Downtown Inc., to talk about First Fridays, more downtown murals coming this fall and her reflections on the downtown revitalization project.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to Bishop, Salina's downtown runs from Elm Street to Prescott Avenue and then part of Eighth Street to part of Fourth Street. It also includes all the cross streets in between like Walnut Street, Iron Avenue, and South Street. This area is officially referred to as a&nbsp;business improvement district. Bishop said last year the Kanas Department of Commerce designated Salina downtown as a&nbsp;Kansas Main Street.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To become a designated Kansas Main Street community, registrants must participate in a&nbsp;competitive, annual application process. A community's application must demonstrate&nbsp;

●Public and private support for the program, as well as the capability of the applicant to successfully implement the local Main Street program.

 ●Financial capability to employ a paid professional director, fund a local Main Street Program, and support downtown-related projects. 

●A cohesive and distinct variety of business activity conducted in a proposed Main Street Program area. 

●An interest in, and commitment to, historic preservation, specifically in the designated downtown district.&nbsp;

"Being a designated Kansas Main Street and being a member of Main Street America allows Salina Downtown to be set apart from just being a 'downtown' in a community," Bishop said. "Being designated a Kansas Mainstreet is a small and elite group. It allows for free monthly and quarterly training from Main Street Kansas and we also receive weekly newsletters that keep us informed of other downtowns in Kansas."

Bishop said the designation also provides opportunities for grants.

You may have seen the green grass start to peak up in your yard and less of a need to wear your winter coat, which means Spring is just around the corner and First Fridays are back in Salina.&nbsp;

First Friday is a collaborative evening showcasing the best entertainment, restaurants, shops, and cultural attractions in downtown Salina.&nbsp;

Bishop said First Fridays have been a tradition in Salina for years. However last year was the first year they had occurred consistently.

"It was so exciting to see the community come together last year for First Fridays," Bishop said. "To be a gathering place, that's our goal for downtown Salina- to be the community neighborhood."

In October of last year,&nbsp;the first BOOM! Salina Street Art and Mural Festival was organized by the Salina Kanvas Project in cooperation with Salina Arts &amp; Humanities, the Stiefel Theatre, Theatre Salina, Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, The Salina Art Center, Salina 2020, and Salina Downtown, Inc.

Bishop told Salina Post more murals could be expected to make their grand debut this October.

"I can't take any credit for the downtown murals other than the Downtown Salina Inc. had the good fortune to be the recipient," Bishop said. "The Kansas Canvas Project, Travis Young, Eric Montoy-they were the catalyst. We were able to give a little bit of funding in our office, especially the wall in Campbell Plaza. We helped get that wall ready to be painted. And I'm excited to know that BOOM! is coming back Oct. 5 of this year."

After she graduated from Salina Central High School, Bishop married her husband and raised a family as a stay-at-home mom for a number of years.&nbsp;

"I took a career break and was a stay at home mom for many years-I'm very grateful," Bishop said, "Then&nbsp; in March of 2021, I was hired at Salina Downtown Inc., and it was just a wonderful career change and brings back some of that marketing and hospitality background that I have.&nbsp; I've loved every minute of it. I have two incredible support staff, April Rickman and Dian Gebhardt. I'm very fortunate to have both of them and together the three of us we're doing really great things."

Bishop's mother, Ann Knowles, also served as the first executive director for Salina Downtown Inc., back in 1982.&nbsp;

"It's very surreal but it's a lot of fun, too, because she gives me&nbsp; some history," Bishop said. "She's still here in Salina. And a lot of people still know her from that role. I'm a proud daughter, that my mom was the one that kicked all this off."

<div><iframe title="Leslie Bishop, Salina Downtown Inc." allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=8jy4a-13e20f5-pb&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b&size=150"></iframe></div>By NATE KING Salina PostReferred to as the "ambassadors of downtown Salina," Salina Downtown Inc. has been part of the downtown community for 48 years. Salina Post sat down with Leslie Bishop, executive director for Salina Downtown Inc., to talk about First Fridays, more downtown murals coming this fall and her reflections on the downtown revitalization project.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678803372739.jpeg" alt="Leslie Bishop Salina Downtown Executive Director&nbsp;&nbsp;Photo courtesy of Salina Downtown Inc." />
 <figcaption>Leslie Bishop Salina Downtown Executive Director&nbsp;&nbsp;Photo courtesy of Salina Downtown Inc.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Where exactly is downtown Salina?</h2>According to Bishop, Salina's downtown runs from Elm Street to Prescott Avenue and then part of Eighth Street to part of Fourth Street. It also includes all the cross streets in between like Walnut Street, Iron Avenue, and South Street. This area is officially referred to as a&nbsp;business improvement district. Bishop said last year the Kanas Department of Commerce designated Salina downtown as a&nbsp;Kansas Main Street.&nbsp;&nbsp;To become a designated Kansas Main Street community, registrants must participate in a&nbsp;competitive, annual application process. A community's application must demonstrate&nbsp;●Public and private support for the program, as well as the capability of the applicant to successfully implement the local Main Street program. ●Financial capability to employ a paid professional director, fund a local Main Street Program, and support downtown-related projects. ●A cohesive and distinct variety of business activity conducted in a proposed Main Street Program area. ●An interest in, and commitment to, historic preservation, specifically in the designated downtown district.&nbsp;"Being a designated Kansas Main Street and being a member of Main Street America allows Salina Downtown to be set apart from just being a 'downtown' in a community," Bishop said. "Being designated a Kansas Mainstreet is a small and elite group. It allows for free monthly and quarterly training from Main Street Kansas and we also receive weekly newsletters that keep us informed of other downtowns in Kansas."Bishop said the designation also provides opportunities for grants.<h2>First Fridays</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678736342030.jpeg" alt="First Fridays 2023 Schedule&nbsp; Image Provided by Salina Downtown Inc." />
 <figcaption>First Fridays 2023 Schedule&nbsp; Image Provided by Salina Downtown Inc.</figcaption>
 </figure>You may have seen the green grass start to peak up in your yard and less of a need to wear your winter coat, which means Spring is just around the corner and First Fridays are back in Salina.&nbsp;First Friday is a collaborative evening showcasing the best entertainment, restaurants, shops, and cultural attractions in downtown Salina.&nbsp;Bishop said First Fridays have been a tradition in Salina for years. However last year was the first year they had occurred consistently."It was so exciting to see the community come together last year for First Fridays," Bishop said. "To be a gathering place, that's our goal for downtown Salina- to be the community neighborhood."<h2>BOOM! Salina</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665089370286.jpeg" alt="Tony Sjöman's Three&nbsp;Kinds of Sons is the first of five murals to be completed by artists in downtown Salina during the BOOM! Salina event.&nbsp;Salina Post file photo" />
 <figcaption>Tony Sjöman's Three&nbsp;Kinds of Sons is the first of five murals to be completed by artists in downtown Salina during the BOOM! Salina event.&nbsp;Salina Post file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>In October of last year,&nbsp;the first BOOM! Salina Street Art and Mural Festival was organized by the Salina Kanvas Project in cooperation with Salina Arts &amp; Humanities, the Stiefel Theatre, Theatre Salina, Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, The Salina Art Center, Salina 2020, and Salina Downtown, Inc.Bishop told Salina Post more murals could be expected to make their grand debut this October."I can't take any credit for the downtown murals other than the Downtown Salina Inc. had the good fortune to be the recipient," Bishop said. "The Kansas Canvas Project, Travis Young, Eric Montoy-they were the catalyst. We were able to give a little bit of funding in our office, especially the wall in Campbell Plaza. We helped get that wall ready to be painted. And I'm excited to know that BOOM! is coming back Oct. 5 of this year."<h2>Legacy of leadership</h2>After she graduated from Salina Central High School, Bishop married her husband and raised a family as a stay-at-home mom for a number of years.&nbsp;"I took a career break and was a stay at home mom for many years-I'm very grateful," Bishop said, "Then&nbsp; in March of 2021, I was hired at Salina Downtown Inc., and it was just a wonderful career change and brings back some of that marketing and hospitality background that I have.&nbsp; I've loved every minute of it. I have two incredible support staff, April Rickman and Dian Gebhardt. I'm very fortunate to have both of them and together the three of us we're doing really great things."Bishop's mother, Ann Knowles, also served as the first executive director for Salina Downtown Inc., back in 1982.&nbsp;"It's very surreal but it's a lot of fun, too, because she gives me&nbsp; some history," Bishop said. "She's still here in Salina. And a lot of people still know her from that role. I'm a proud daughter, that my mom was the one that kicked all this off."

🎙King in the Community: Leslie Bishop Salina Downtown update

A product of the school district she now leads, Linn Exline,&nbsp; superintendent and Salina native, has a wealth of experience teaching and changing the lives of students, specifically in USD 305.&nbsp;

Salina Post sat down for an interview with Exline to discuss the USD 305 patrons survey, school safety, mental health, and what encouraged her to pursue a career in education.

Back in October of last year, USD 305 hired K12 Excellence to conduct a statistically valid survey with the goal of providing insight into what residents thought about the district’s strengths, challenges, and other important issues.

Read: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/d1c1165c-4239-44ea-b532-1243b66e9d38">Survey reveals awareness of USD 305 initiatives, support for work being done</a>

The survey included phone calls placed on weekday evenings, and noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, as well as an online options for families that didn't get a call.

When analyzing the collected data, Exline said the district asked themselves, "What do we need to do differently?" and "Is it programming we need to add or is it communicating what we are doing more effectively ?"&nbsp;

"One of the concerns that came up, was school safety," Exline said.&nbsp;

Last year at Salina South High School, 730 E. Magnolia Road, Salina Police received information that during lunch a student made a statement to three other boys regarding shooting up the school. The four male students were identified after the school resource officer and school officials reviewed the video recording from the school cafeteria.&nbsp; Police detectives and the school resource officer established probable cause to make arrests and have requested the charge of aggravated criminal threat, a severity level 5 felony person felony, for each of the four students involved.&nbsp;

At the time of the incident, Interim Salina Police Chief Sean Morton said that since the beginning of the school year, the police department had investigated at least 14 criminal threats cases at Salina middle and high schools.&nbsp;

"We are very concerned about school safety," Exline said. "We work really hard on our school safety protocols, because we definitely want for our families to feel like Salina Public Schools is a great place for me to drop my child off to be educated and a safe place for my child to be educated."

One of the things that USD 305 discovered after conducting the survey was that people wanted to know exactly&nbsp; how the district was working to be proactive and what was being done to ensure safety.

"There are 10 actions identified in the school safety working group report to the attorney general to improve school safety. We're going to talk with you [the community] over the next several weeks about these items and how they apply to Salina public schools," Exline said.&nbsp;

The district is responding with a series of school safety videos. The first three videos of the school safety series can be found <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@USD305/videos">here</a>.&nbsp;

Exline said that Salina Public Schools continue to review and build processes to support school safety.&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Linn Exline, USD 305 Superintendent" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=dfq6k-13e511c-pb&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b&size=150"></iframe></div>By NATE KING Salina PostA product of the school district she now leads, Linn Exline,&nbsp; superintendent and Salina native, has a wealth of experience teaching and changing the lives of students, specifically in USD 305.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676996310859.jpeg" alt="USD 305 Superintendent Linn Exline. Photo courtesy USD 305" />
 <figcaption>USD 305 Superintendent Linn Exline. Photo courtesy USD 305</figcaption>
 </figure>Salina Post sat down for an interview with Exline to discuss the USD 305 patrons survey, school safety, mental health, and what encouraged her to pursue a career in education.<h2>School community survey</h2>Back in October of last year, USD 305 hired K12 Excellence to conduct a statistically valid survey with the goal of providing insight into what residents thought about the district’s strengths, challenges, and other important issues.Read: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/d1c1165c-4239-44ea-b532-1243b66e9d38">Survey reveals awareness of USD 305 initiatives, support for work being done</a>The survey included phone calls placed on weekday evenings, and noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, as well as an online options for families that didn't get a call.When analyzing the collected data, Exline said the district asked themselves, "What do we need to do differently?" and "Is it programming we need to add or is it communicating what we are doing more effectively ?"&nbsp;"One of the concerns that came up, was school safety," Exline said.&nbsp;<h2>School safety</h2>Last year at Salina South High School, 730 E. Magnolia Road, Salina Police received information that during lunch a student made a statement to three other boys regarding shooting up the school. The four male students were identified after the school resource officer and school officials reviewed the video recording from the school cafeteria.&nbsp; Police detectives and the school resource officer established probable cause to make arrests and have requested the charge of aggravated criminal threat, a severity level 5 felony person felony, for each of the four students involved.&nbsp;At the time of the incident, Interim Salina Police Chief Sean Morton said that since the beginning of the school year, the police department had investigated at least 14 criminal threats cases at Salina middle and high schools.&nbsp;"We are very concerned about school safety," Exline said. "We work really hard on our school safety protocols, because we definitely want for our families to feel like Salina Public Schools is a great place for me to drop my child off to be educated and a safe place for my child to be educated."One of the things that USD 305 discovered after conducting the survey was that people wanted to know exactly&nbsp; how the district was working to be proactive and what was being done to ensure safety."There are 10 actions identified in the school safety working group report to the attorney general to improve school safety. We're going to talk with you [the community] over the next several weeks about these items and how they apply to Salina public schools," Exline said.&nbsp;The district is responding with a series of school safety videos. The first three videos of the school safety series can be found <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@USD305/videos">here</a>.&nbsp;Exline said that Salina Public Schools continue to review and build processes to support school safety.&nbsp;"USD 305 has a school safety plan that is regularly reviewed and practiced at monthly district meetings. Our administrators use tabletop scenarios to practice applying our safety plans. Our principals take these exercises back to their buildings, where they review and practice with school staff," Exline said.&nbsp;USD 305 utilizes multiple types of communication with families in crisis situations. Alerts and information from USD 305 are delivered using different combinations such as email, text and phone. Exline said that USD 305 was very blessed when Salina voters' supported&nbsp; a $110 million bond in 2014.&nbsp;"At that time, we upgraded our school facilities for a secured entry situation, so that during the school day, anybody that is visiting the building is filtered through the office, signs in, is given a visitor badge so that we know what they're there for and why they're in the building," Exline said.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677006252517.png" alt="List courtesy&nbsp;&nbsp;Office of Community Oriented Policing Services" />
 <figcaption>List courtesy&nbsp;&nbsp;Office of Community Oriented Policing Services</figcaption>
 </figure>Also listed in the report to former U.S. Attorney General William Barr were ways school districts can improve the emotional security of students. "I think it's interesting that one of the top school safety strategies is to make sure that students feel like they belong," Exline said. "A lot of times people think 'Well, that's not a school safety strategy,' but it absolutely is." Exline said that the key to school safety is ensuring students have relationships built on trust with adults.&nbsp;"They [students] are more likely to talk about what they're seeing and what they're hearing, so that we can support students that are maybe needing some more support, and stop a school safety issue before it becomes a real crisis situation."<h2>USD 305 Strategic Plan</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677023544504.png" alt="Salina Public Schools Strategic Plan.&nbsp;Image courtesy USD 305" />
 <figcaption>Salina Public Schools Strategic Plan.&nbsp;Image courtesy USD 305</figcaption>
 </figure>Adopted in 2020, USD 305's strategic plan identified three goals.&nbsp;Goal 1&nbsp;- Increase students' communication skillsGoal 2&nbsp;- Increase students' critical thinking skillsGoal 3&nbsp;- Increase students' social-emotional skills SPS Chats are part of an active collaboration&nbsp; between Salina residents and their schools. In March 2022, the board of education held an open information and listening session that offered insights about how boards of education work.The chats feature discussions and conversations about district priorities and are scheduled to be held throughout the school year. In November, the SPS Chat focused on&nbsp;social-emotional learning (SEL), video examples of SEL lessons and question and answer time with a panel."We also did a SPS chat on kindergarten readiness, where we shared information about what it looks like to be ready for kindergarten," Exline said. "We know that when children come in to kindergarten, if they're ready, that really does set the trajectory for success." Exline said that by creating strong and positive experiences in early childhood, students learn better, not only academically but socially and emotionally.&nbsp;The next chat session will be held at Salina South High School and will cover careers in technical education and post secondary opportunities. "We will be talking about different kinds of opportunities we&nbsp; have course wise for students to get dual and concurrent credit. All of these initiatives really came out of feedback that we got from the community," Exline said&nbsp;During a tour of central Kansas in December of 2022, K-State President Richard Linton spoke at an event hosted by Great Plains Manufacturing. Exline spoke about the importance of preparing students for the what the job market demands.&nbsp;READ: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/f50df222-d3f8-45d0-b9fc-37b3a227e1bf">K-State president visits central Kansas as part of community tour</a>"Over 70 percent of the jobs that we're preparing students for today will require either a two-year degree a four-year degree or some kind of industry-recognized credential," Exline said.&nbsp;Exline said the biggest takeaways from Linton's visit were that the Salina community is unique and "unusual.""We have community partners, and I knew this because I've lived here my entire life," Exline said. "We have community partners that are willing to work with us to make sure our students get what they need and that really is across the board."Exline said the goal is connect students with opportunities here in the Salina area.&nbsp;"We have in place right now, a very strong partnership with Salina Area Technical College where our students, while they're in high school, can actually earn an associate's degree. They can earn industry recognized credentials, they can earn dual credit that can transfer into a four year program, if that's what they want to do."Exline said many of the programs that USD 305&nbsp; offers are directly related to what the job availability is in central Kansas and specifically in Salina."When we did our latest bond issue, we really were looking at what the job market demand was here in Salina when we were developing those programs."Exline said USD 305's PolyCats program through K-State Salina allows high school students to graduate, with college credits at reduced rate.&nbsp;"They can transfer into a four year school, they can also get associate's degrees," Exline said. "But those partnerships allows families to save a tremendous amount of money, and help prepare the student for college level classes."&nbsp;Exline said the district has numerous internships that are available through its career pathways. "Career pathways&nbsp; is a series of classes that students can take that end in a capstone internship level class," Exline said. "That's where those community partnerships come to play, is trying to get our students out into the real world work experience, and we have those connections with people here locally, even if they go away to school, if we can get them to think, 'Oh, I'd really like to come back to Salina and work.' That's a good thing for our community."<h2>Mental health</h2>Much like the nation as a whole, Kansas is grappling with a mental health crisis.&nbsp; Recently, a study by Mental Health America ranked Kansas last in the country on rates of mental illness and access to mental health services. Exline said that one of the ways USD 305 is addressing the mental health crisis is by utilizing state funding that was granted nine public schools in 2018. The legislative agreement authorized the selected districts to enter into agreements with local community mental health centers. The program was established to address challenges schools were experiencing through increases in students (and families) with mental health needs. The program's goal is to eliminate barriers for students and families which need clinical therapy and to access the local community mental health centers.&nbsp;"We do have in our schools a mental health liaison that works directly with Central Kansas Mental Health," Exline said. "If we do have a student who is needing to get connected with mental health services, a lot of times that's an immediate need and it's a really challenging thing for families to be able to navigate that system."<h2>A legacy of educators</h2>Growing up, Exline said she always dreamed of working in the medical field. Her main goal was to work in a career that changed lives and helped people. She attended Kansas State University with an emphasis in math and science. Exline's mother, Carolyn Jo Lundgrin, was an educator in the Salina school district, often working as a long-term substitute teacher."I took an education class because my mother was an educator and I had come back to Salina and I had observed her in a classroom where she was actually doing a long-term substitute position," Exline said." It was in a classroom for students that had special needs."Exline said that it was while she observed her mother teaching that she discovered the joy and&nbsp; excitement for helping students grow and reach their goals.&nbsp;"My mother taught in Kansas City while my father was in dental school, and then she stayed home with us when we were young. And as soon as we were all in school, she went back into education," Exline said. "Most of her time was spent in classrooms where there were students that really needed some special attention. She could interpret sign language... that's kind of a unique skill set."Unfortunately, Exline's mother passed away in 2018.&nbsp;Exline said that she will always admire her mother's ability to balance both her profession as an educator with her responsibilities as a mother with four kids."I ended up taking a class at K-State that was an education class, and I absolutely loved it," Exline said. "It just changed my course. I really knew that I wanted to be in a position where I could help people and I can't imagine a better place to be able to change lives."&nbsp; After graduating from K-State, Exline returned to Salina where she secured her first job as a teacher."I was lucky at the time that I graduated from K State, it was early when they started to allow students to student teach in their hometowns," Exline said. "I came back to Salina to student teach, and was at Heusner Elementary School in first grade. And then I got my first job there teaching fifth grade. Loved teaching fifth graders."Following her time at Heusner, Exline worked in several different positions in the district.&nbsp;"I worked K-12 science and math curriculum," Exline said. "Math and science were my two areas of emphasis. I was an elementary principal, I worked as the director of staff development and then was lucky to go out to a high school as an assistant principal , and then moved into a principalship as well."Exline worked as the district's director of curriculum before she moved to the role of superintendent. "I definitely have benefited from all of those different opportunities that I've been given," Exline said. " I think it really has made me better able to know how to engage people in conversations and where their input is really critical in me making good decisions. Just that importance of how do we make sure that everybody's on the same page to move things forward."