By NATE KING Salina Post

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;

"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;

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."

Adopted in 2020, USD 305's strategic plan identified three goals.&nbsp;

Goal 1&nbsp;- Increase students' communication skills

Goal 2&nbsp;- Increase students' critical thinking skills

Goal 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."

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."

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."

<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."

USD 305 Superintendent Linn Exline gives update

Last month, Salina business owner Tim Blake of Wheat State Hospitality, Inc., received the Salina Downtown Inc., Good Neighbor of the Quarter award. Tim and his brother, Wes, own the Prickly Pear Grill and Cantina in downtown Salina.

Tim stopped by for an interview with Salina Post to share what it meant to win the first Good Neighbor Award of 2023 and how business has been at the cantina since opening its doors.

Billed as the unofficial front porch for downtown Salina, the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pricklypearsalina/"> Prickly Pear Grill &amp; Cantina</a>, located at 123 S. Santa Fe Avenue, is a Tex-Mex infused eating and entertainment venue. The Blake brothers opened the cantina's doors in August of 2022.

"Salina Downtown Incorporated has just been fantastic in welcoming us to the downtown neighborhood. We opened the Prickly Pear, my brother Wes and I, in August, and it's it, you know, it's been a labor of love, but it's been highly rewarding," Blake said.&nbsp;

Salina Downtown Inc. presented Blake with the first quarter 2023 Good Neighbor of the year award on Jan. 24.&nbsp;

Leslie Bishop, executive director for <a href="https://www.salinadowntown.org/">Salina Downtown Inc.</a>, presented Blake with the award, which will be housed at the Prickly Pear for the first quarter of 2023.&nbsp;

"Tim has been such a terrific neighbor. He provides live entertainment for downtown guests and he works with our office and is always willing to lend a hand. We just love having him downtown," Bishop said.&nbsp;

Renovation work on the building began in 2020 after Tim and Wes purchased the prime Santa Fe real estate, now located adjacent to <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/ae9fa411-9ab5-4d29-98f8-4fe29cb77f28">Campbell Plaza.</a>

"To renovate that building and to put that concept down there [downtown] was just a project we had to be a part of," Blake said. "We're always working on it always trying to make it better. Five months in it is a project we're very proud of it and I think we'll be successful for a long time."

Blake said that the COVID-19 pandemic did interfere with the timing of opening their doors.&nbsp;

&nbsp;"The renovation&nbsp; of that the building that we're in downtown was extensive,” Blake said. "It's almost a complete rebuild of an old building, and with that brought a lot of different challenges. The pandemic certainly didn't help. To finally get to open in late 2022 was a long time coming but it's a project we think we did right and we're proud of and how it turned out."&nbsp;

 Their goal was to create&nbsp;&nbsp;a comfortable, family friendly environment that would include indoor and outdoor seating in addition to frequent live music. The cantina's menu has&nbsp; oversized salads, loaded tacos, and mouth-watering over-the-top hamburgers.

The Blakes also own and operate Hickory Hut BBQ in Salina. Tim Blake is Salina native and graduate of Salina South High School.&nbsp;

"We wanted to create a space that was family friendly, but it was all season, all time of year and frankly all time of day," Blake said. "Whether you are down for an early lunch at 11:30 a.m. or you're going to be there late into the evening for a live music event or a show with the Stiefel, we wanted to make a good well-rounded venue."

Blake, who spent 15 years of his career in financial planning, said that booking musical acts was something that he learned relatively recently, but it was always a planned aspect of the cantina.&nbsp;

"Until last July, I'd never booked a band in my life," Blake said. "It's something that you know, I think we've we've made a lot of strides in and throughout our fall season, after we had opened, we did offer live music on on many Friday and Saturday nights.&nbsp; Headed into this year, we've already filled out our calendar and our goal."

Blake said that guests of Salina Downtown can expect to see solo, duo and acoustic acts performing on Friday and Saturday nights, as soon as the weather allows.

Live music acts aren't the only thing guests can expect to see in the new Campbell Plaza. A mural&nbsp; painted by world renowned Dutch artists, Telmo Pieper and Miel Krutzmann can be seen on the adjacent wall to the Prickly Pear. The mural was created as part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/cc9354cc-47e8-4b50-8b80-3ce9635089cb">BOOM Salina</a>&nbsp;art movement that took place in October of 2022.&nbsp;

"Travis Young and the people that worked on the Kanvas project over the last year have started this program and installations of several different murals in downtown Salina and they've received a lot of attention," Blake said. "If you've been downtown, it's impossible not to notice them."

The Prickly Pear also showcases a mural depicting a familiar Kansan and pioneer in women in aviation, Amelia Earhart.&nbsp;

"I believe and really, Salina is already on the map of becoming a tourist hub," Blake said. "Those murals I think will quickly become a part of the fabric of downtown Salina. If you haven't been to downtown Salina in a while, I welcome you down. Come check us out.&nbsp;Go out to eat, go to a concert. Downtown Salina is on the rise."

<div><iframe title="Tim Blake, Business Owner, Prickly Pear" 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=3r4ci-13e13c0-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 PostLast month, Salina business owner Tim Blake of Wheat State Hospitality, Inc., received the Salina Downtown Inc., Good Neighbor of the Quarter award. Tim and his brother, Wes, own the Prickly Pear Grill and Cantina in downtown Salina.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675964889318.jpeg" alt="Tim Blake, one of the owners of the Prickly Pear Cantina and Grille. Photos by Nate King/Salina Post" />
 <figcaption>Tim Blake, one of the owners of the Prickly Pear Cantina and Grille. Photos by Nate King/Salina Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Tim stopped by for an interview with Salina Post to share what it meant to win the first Good Neighbor Award of 2023 and how business has been at the cantina since opening its doors.Billed as the unofficial front porch for downtown Salina, the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pricklypearsalina/"> Prickly Pear Grill &amp; Cantina</a>, located at 123 S. Santa Fe Avenue, is a Tex-Mex infused eating and entertainment venue. The Blake brothers opened the cantina's doors in August of 2022."Salina Downtown Incorporated has just been fantastic in welcoming us to the downtown neighborhood. We opened the Prickly Pear, my brother Wes and I, in August, and it's it, you know, it's been a labor of love, but it's been highly rewarding," Blake said.&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsalinadowntowninc%2Fvideos%2F739966807330971%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Salina Downtown Inc. presented Blake with the first quarter 2023 Good Neighbor of the year award on Jan. 24.&nbsp;Leslie Bishop, executive director for <a href="https://www.salinadowntown.org/">Salina Downtown Inc.</a>, presented Blake with the award, which will be housed at the Prickly Pear for the first quarter of 2023.&nbsp;"Tim has been such a terrific neighbor. He provides live entertainment for downtown guests and he works with our office and is always willing to lend a hand. We just love having him downtown," Bishop said.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675965708337.jpeg" alt="Blake and cantina employees, Rashun Allen, Courtney Roberts and Gabrielle Resley." />
 <figcaption>Blake and cantina employees, Rashun Allen, Courtney Roberts and Gabrielle Resley.</figcaption>
 </figure>Renovation work on the building began in 2020 after Tim and Wes purchased the prime Santa Fe real estate, now located adjacent to <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/ae9fa411-9ab5-4d29-98f8-4fe29cb77f28">Campbell Plaza.</a>"To renovate that building and to put that concept down there [downtown] was just a project we had to be a part of," Blake said. "We're always working on it always trying to make it better. Five months in it is a project we're very proud of it and I think we'll be successful for a long time."Blake said that the COVID-19 pandemic did interfere with the timing of opening their doors.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675965024763.jpeg" alt="Interior of the Prickly Pear&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Interior of the Prickly Pear&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;"The renovation&nbsp; of that the building that we're in downtown was extensive,” Blake said. "It's almost a complete rebuild of an old building, and with that brought a lot of different challenges. The pandemic certainly didn't help. To finally get to open in late 2022 was a long time coming but it's a project we think we did right and we're proud of and how it turned out."&nbsp; Their goal was to create&nbsp;&nbsp;a comfortable, family friendly environment that would include indoor and outdoor seating in addition to frequent live music. The cantina's menu has&nbsp; oversized salads, loaded tacos, and mouth-watering over-the-top hamburgers.The Blakes also own and operate Hickory Hut BBQ in Salina. Tim Blake is Salina native and graduate of Salina South High School.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675965359052.jpeg" alt="The folksy&nbsp; and welcoming artwork reflects the ambiance guests can expect to find at the Prickly Pear.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The folksy&nbsp; and welcoming artwork reflects the ambiance guests can expect to find at the Prickly Pear.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>"We wanted to create a space that was family friendly, but it was all season, all time of year and frankly all time of day," Blake said. "Whether you are down for an early lunch at 11:30 a.m. or you're going to be there late into the evening for a live music event or a show with the Stiefel, we wanted to make a good well-rounded venue."Blake, who spent 15 years of his career in financial planning, said that booking musical acts was something that he learned relatively recently, but it was always a planned aspect of the cantina.&nbsp;"Until last July, I'd never booked a band in my life," Blake said. "It's something that you know, I think we've we've made a lot of strides in and throughout our fall season, after we had opened, we did offer live music on on many Friday and Saturday nights.&nbsp; Headed into this year, we've already filled out our calendar and our goal."Blake said that guests of Salina Downtown can expect to see solo, duo and acoustic acts performing on Friday and Saturday nights, as soon as the weather allows.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675965171471.jpeg" alt="Dutch artists, Telmo Pieper and Miel Krutzmann created the mural that can be seen on the wall adjacent to the Prickly Pear.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Dutch artists, Telmo Pieper and Miel Krutzmann created the mural that can be seen on the wall adjacent to the Prickly Pear.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Live music acts aren't the only thing guests can expect to see in the new Campbell Plaza. A mural&nbsp; painted by world renowned Dutch artists, Telmo Pieper and Miel Krutzmann can be seen on the adjacent wall to the Prickly Pear. The mural was created as part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/cc9354cc-47e8-4b50-8b80-3ce9635089cb">BOOM Salina</a>&nbsp;art movement that took place in October of 2022.&nbsp;"Travis Young and the people that worked on the Kanvas project over the last year have started this program and installations of several different murals in downtown Salina and they've received a lot of attention," Blake said. "If you've been downtown, it's impossible not to notice them."The Prickly Pear also showcases a mural depicting a familiar Kansan and pioneer in women in aviation, Amelia Earhart.&nbsp;"I believe and really, Salina is already on the map of becoming a tourist hub," Blake said. "Those murals I think will quickly become a part of the fabric of downtown Salina. If you haven't been to downtown Salina in a while, I welcome you down. Come check us out.&nbsp;Go out to eat, go to a concert. Downtown Salina is on the rise."

🎙King in the Community: Prickly Pear Cantina and Grill owner wins award

With over 28 years in firefighting experience, Tony&nbsp;Sneidar, Salina Fire Department chief, knows what it takes to lead a fire department — firefighters who are committed to keeping their neighbors safe. Sneidar&nbsp;joined the Salina Department last year after&nbsp;a&nbsp;nationwide search.

Sneidar grew up in Philadelphia.&nbsp;Following high school, he joined the Army as a military police officer.&nbsp;

"I served seven and a half years in the Army, my last two as a recruiter, and wanted to get into law enforcement. My best friend at the time was a Philly firefighter. His father had been a Philly firefighter, and he said, 'Hey, take the test for the fire department in case they hire first.' And I'm glad I did. They called first, and I never looked back. So I did 28 years in Philly fire,"&nbsp;Sneidar&nbsp;said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sneidar&nbsp;spent his first six years as a firefighter working in the "Philadelphia Badlands."&nbsp;

"I worked in the Badlands in Philadelphia and those guys [Philly firefighters] are still my family, my brothers,"&nbsp;Sneidar&nbsp;said. "We were fighting fire almost on a daily basis. When you get to learn the real true ins and outs of firefighting, they're the real foundation of it."&nbsp;

Sneidar&nbsp;said that the support of his firefighting brothers and sisters helped him progress him up the ranks. He made battalion chief, then deputy chief, and finally became assistant fire chief of the Philadelphia Fire Department.&nbsp;

Working as the deputy fire chief for one of the nation's largest cities definitely prepared Sneidar for his time at Salina Fire.&nbsp;

"I still have that burning desire to be part of the solution [fighting fires], but I also understand that&nbsp; part of the solution is to make sure that we have the right equipment, we have the right training. I'm providing anything I can from my experience to help Salina Fire and EMS. And I'll tell you, Salina and Saline County, you guys and gals out there have no idea how truly good these folks are. They are phenomenal."&nbsp;

Sneidar said the world of firefighting isn't the same as it was 30 years ago.&nbsp;

"You have to be able to think quickly. I like firefighters who are aggressive and smart," Sneidar said. "The science now is there and has proven that what we did 30 and 40 and 50 years ago may not necessarily have been the best. Now you have the change in building construction, the components used in construction and materials used in our household furnishings."

Sneidar said that years ago it was said that a person had approximately 17 minutes to get out of a house safely. Now, that window is three minutes.&nbsp;

"It's imperative that we have people that can know how to think. Now&nbsp; remember, this is stressful. So you've got to be able to maintain the emotion.&nbsp; You can't let it out, because then you lose. If you control it, to me, that's a force multiplier for any firefighter."

Workforce shortages have impacted nearly every career field, including firefighting. Sneidar said Salina Fire currently has openings for firefighting positions.

"We&nbsp;struggle just like anybody else. And at times, you could almost say it could be considered thankless. But like I said, we are here to serve others, and the folks that I enjoy working with, that's what they're about. ... Selflessness — we want to help other people," Sneidar said. "People do move on, people change where they're working or their family situation and it's a shame to see them go. But it gives us an opportunity to continue to grow and look forward to the future."&nbsp;

Sneidar said SFD is looking for someone who has emergency medical technician training, noting SFD can facilitate any needed training.&nbsp;

He added that outreach is incredibly important when it comes to serving a community.

"I had the opportunity to speak to some high school seniors and juniors a few months ago. There will be some seniors graduating this year, and I&nbsp; hope that they would look at firefighting as a future for themselves," Sneidar said.&nbsp;

After 28 years with Philly Fire, Sneidar sought out a fire chief position. After he discovered the Salina Fire Chief position last year, he was ecstatic.&nbsp;

"When I decided to look around to see what was available at the fire chief level, I also wanted to consider what I enjoy as well," said Sneidar. "I love to hunt, fish, motorcycle, boat and camp. I mean, you're in a middle of the country — you can go anywhere and you can do all those things right here."

Sneidar said that the move to Kansas was the perfect combination of professional and personal satisfaction.&nbsp; 

"This place has been unbelievable. The people have been great," said Sneidar. "Coming from back east, you know, you hear about that Midwest charm, and it's something to behold."

If you are interested in joining the Salina Fire Department check out their job listings <a href="https://jobs.salina-ks.gov/?fbclid=IwAR13KmaxUK5gRAE-jK-_udel6JmxPrHkotQuNrwUtII4RCo_XUkPMmavItc">here.</a>

<div><iframe title="Tony Sneidar, Salina Fire Chief" 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=hjdak-13e13db-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 PostWith over 28 years in firefighting experience, Tony&nbsp;Sneidar, Salina Fire Department chief, knows what it takes to lead a fire department — firefighters who are committed to keeping their neighbors safe. Sneidar&nbsp;joined the Salina Department last year after&nbsp;a&nbsp;nationwide search.<h2>Philly roots</h2>Sneidar grew up in Philadelphia.&nbsp;Following high school, he joined the Army as a military police officer.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645641563365.jpeg" alt="SFD Fire Chief Anthony Sneidar Jr.&nbsp; Photo courtesy Salina Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>SFD Fire Chief Anthony Sneidar Jr.&nbsp; Photo courtesy Salina Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>"I served seven and a half years in the Army, my last two as a recruiter, and wanted to get into law enforcement. My best friend at the time was a Philly firefighter. His father had been a Philly firefighter, and he said, 'Hey, take the test for the fire department in case they hire first.' And I'm glad I did. They called first, and I never looked back. So I did 28 years in Philly fire,"&nbsp;Sneidar&nbsp;said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sneidar&nbsp;spent his first six years as a firefighter working in the "Philadelphia Badlands."&nbsp;"I worked in the Badlands in Philadelphia and those guys [Philly firefighters] are still my family, my brothers,"&nbsp;Sneidar&nbsp;said. "We were fighting fire almost on a daily basis. When you get to learn the real true ins and outs of firefighting, they're the real foundation of it."&nbsp;Sneidar&nbsp;said that the support of his firefighting brothers and sisters helped him progress him up the ranks. He made battalion chief, then deputy chief, and finally became assistant fire chief of the Philadelphia Fire Department.&nbsp;<h2>Reflections on the state of firefighting</h2>Working as the deputy fire chief for one of the nation's largest cities definitely prepared Sneidar for his time at Salina Fire.&nbsp;"I still have that burning desire to be part of the solution [fighting fires], but I also understand that&nbsp; part of the solution is to make sure that we have the right equipment, we have the right training. I'm providing anything I can from my experience to help Salina Fire and EMS. And I'll tell you, Salina and Saline County, you guys and gals out there have no idea how truly good these folks are. They are phenomenal."&nbsp;Sneidar said the world of firefighting isn't the same as it was 30 years ago.&nbsp;"You have to be able to think quickly. I like firefighters who are aggressive and smart," Sneidar said. "The science now is there and has proven that what we did 30 and 40 and 50 years ago may not necessarily have been the best. Now you have the change in building construction, the components used in construction and materials used in our household furnishings."Sneidar said that years ago it was said that a person had approximately 17 minutes to get out of a house safely. Now, that window is three minutes.&nbsp;"It's imperative that we have people that can know how to think. Now&nbsp; remember, this is stressful. So you've got to be able to maintain the emotion.&nbsp; You can't let it out, because then you lose. If you control it, to me, that's a force multiplier for any firefighter."<h2>Firefighting as a career</h2>Workforce shortages have impacted nearly every career field, including firefighting. Sneidar said Salina Fire currently has openings for firefighting positions."We&nbsp;struggle just like anybody else. And at times, you could almost say it could be considered thankless. But like I said, we are here to serve others, and the folks that I enjoy working with, that's what they're about. ... Selflessness — we want to help other people," Sneidar said. "People do move on, people change where they're working or their family situation and it's a shame to see them go. But it gives us an opportunity to continue to grow and look forward to the future."&nbsp;Sneidar said SFD is looking for someone who has emergency medical technician training, noting SFD can facilitate any needed training.&nbsp;He added that outreach is incredibly important when it comes to serving a community."I had the opportunity to speak to some high school seniors and juniors a few months ago. There will be some seniors graduating this year, and I&nbsp; hope that they would look at firefighting as a future for themselves," Sneidar said.&nbsp;<h2>The center of everything</h2>After 28 years with Philly Fire, Sneidar sought out a fire chief position. After he discovered the Salina Fire Chief position last year, he was ecstatic.&nbsp;"When I decided to look around to see what was available at the fire chief level, I also wanted to consider what I enjoy as well," said Sneidar. "I love to hunt, fish, motorcycle, boat and camp. I mean, you're in a middle of the country — you can go anywhere and you can do all those things right here."Sneidar said that the move to Kansas was the perfect combination of professional and personal satisfaction.&nbsp; "This place has been unbelievable. The people have been great," said Sneidar. "Coming from back east, you know, you hear about that Midwest charm, and it's something to behold."If you are interested in joining the Salina Fire Department check out their job listings <a href="https://jobs.salina-ks.gov/?fbclid=IwAR13KmaxUK5gRAE-jK-_udel6JmxPrHkotQuNrwUtII4RCo_XUkPMmavItc">here.</a>

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