The Salina Women's Fair, presented by Marshall Motors and sponsored by B&amp;K Prescription Shop, Mid America Productions, and 785 Med Spa, took place on May 9 at the Tony's Pizza Event Center, 800 The Midway in Salina. More than 300 community members, both men and women stopped by and participated in giveaways, received door prizes, and listened to LIVE entertainment.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715867700503.jpeg" alt="Roma Zachary, pictured in blue, accepts a Nutrl drink while at Women's Fair. Photo by Nate King" />
 <figcaption>Roma Zachary, pictured in blue, accepts a Nutrl drink while at Women's Fair. Photo by Nate King</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTThe Salina Women's Fair, presented by Marshall Motors and sponsored by B&amp;K Prescription Shop, Mid America Productions, and 785 Med Spa, took place on May 9 at the Tony's Pizza Event Center, 800 The Midway in Salina. More than 300 community members, both men and women stopped by and participated in giveaways, received door prizes, and listened to LIVE entertainment.&nbsp; See photos below<h2>2024 Salina Women's Fair</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715867772299.jpeg" alt="Event attendees had the chance to take a photo behind a glitzy frame. Salina Women's Fair held May 9, 2024.&nbsp;Photo Courtesy Lisa McDowell" />
 <figcaption>Event attendees had the chance to take a photo behind a glitzy frame. Salina Women's Fair held May 9, 2024.&nbsp;Photo Courtesy Lisa McDowell</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715867840993.jpeg" alt="Marshall Motors was one of the many vendors at 2024 Women's Fair.Photo Courtesy Lisa McDowell" />
 <figcaption>Marshall Motors was one of the many vendors at 2024 Women's Fair.Photo Courtesy Lisa McDowell</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715867925589.jpeg" alt="Riddle's Jewelry, a vendor at the Salina Women's Fair held May 9, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Riddle's Jewelry, a vendor at the Salina Women's Fair held May 9, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715868580983.jpeg" alt="Ghostown Revival Brent Magathen, on guitar, and Chris Cadle, on vocals, perform an acoustic set at the Salina Women's Fair held May 9, 2024.&nbsp;Image Courtesy Scott Walker" />
 <figcaption>Ghostown Revival Brent Magathen, on guitar, and Chris Cadle, on vocals, perform an acoustic set at the Salina Women's Fair held May 9, 2024.&nbsp;Image Courtesy Scott Walker</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715868221887.jpeg" alt="Red Fern Booksellers Owner Harley Hamilton, pictured seated left, speaks with fair attendees at the Salina Women's Fair held May 9, 2024. Photo by Nate King" />
 <figcaption>Red Fern Booksellers Owner Harley Hamilton, pictured seated left, speaks with fair attendees at the Salina Women's Fair held May 9, 2024. Photo by Nate King</figcaption>
 </figure>

📸 2024 Salina Women's Fair

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Democratic governor on Friday vetoed a bill aimed at ensuring that child support payments cover fetuses, a measure critics saw as a move by anti-abortion groups toward&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/embryos-ivf-abortion-personhood-laws-ffe4f4d326469a97fef999254ca86eea">giving them the same rights</a>&nbsp;as the mothers-to-be carrying them.

The measure scuttled by Gov. Laura Kelly was similar to a Georgia law and measures introduced in at least five other states, according to an Associated Press analysis using the bill-tracking software Plural. Supporters in the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature argued that they were trying to make sure that the costs associated with a pregnancy and a birth are covered.

But Kelly, a strong supporter of abortion rights, called the measure “a blatant attempt” by “extreme” lawmakers to control women and families' private medical decisions. She also said it conflicts with the will of voters statewide, who affirmed abortion rights in August 2022 — three years after the Kansas Supreme Court declared that the state constitution protects access to abortion as part of a “fundamental” right to bodily autonomy.

“Kansans already made it very clear that they don’t want lawmakers involved in personal matters," Kelly wrote. "It’s time we listen to them.”

The Legislature has long had supermajorities that oppose abortion and GOP lawmakers this year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ban-law-states-kansas-lousiana-81e9da53aaa0903fdd958421bd941a3a">overrode Kelly's vetoes</a>&nbsp;of four other measures backed by anti-abortion groups.

“Now she won’t allow women to have the potential for additional child support," said Jeanne Gawdun, a lobbyist for Kansans for Life, the state's most politically influential anti-abortion group. “This will not deter those of us who actually have compassion for women in difficult situations.”

Legislators cannot consider overriding the latest veto because they adjourned their annual session May 1 — though they could pass another version during a special session Kelly has promised to call on cutting taxes.

Under the bill, judges would have had to consider the “direct medical and pregnancy-related expenses” of the mother before a child's birth, back to conception, in setting the child support payments required of either parent.

Abortion rights advocates nationally saw new reason to be concerned about proposals to treat embryos and fetuses as full persons following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-supreme-court-from-embryos-161390f0758b04a7638e2ddea20df7ca">an Alabama Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;in February declaring that frozen embryos could be considered children under that state's laws.

But supporters of the child support bill said Kansas has long granted some legal protections to fetuses.

Kansas has had&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/statute/021_000_0000_chapter/021_054_0000_article/021_054_0019_section/021_054_0019_k/">a law in place since 2007</a>&nbsp;that allows people to face separate charges for what it considers crimes against fetuses — including assault, manslaughter and even capital murder.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/statute/065_000_0000_chapter/065_067_0000_article/065_067_0032_section/065_067_0032_k/">A 2013 state law</a>&nbsp;also declares that “unborn children have interests in life, health and well-being,” though it isn’t enforced as a limit on abortion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704940624118.png" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Democratic governor on Friday vetoed a bill aimed at ensuring that child support payments cover fetuses, a measure critics saw as a move by anti-abortion groups toward&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/embryos-ivf-abortion-personhood-laws-ffe4f4d326469a97fef999254ca86eea">giving them the same rights</a>&nbsp;as the mothers-to-be carrying them.The measure scuttled by Gov. Laura Kelly was similar to a Georgia law and measures introduced in at least five other states, according to an Associated Press analysis using the bill-tracking software Plural. Supporters in the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature argued that they were trying to make sure that the costs associated with a pregnancy and a birth are covered.But Kelly, a strong supporter of abortion rights, called the measure “a blatant attempt” by “extreme” lawmakers to control women and families' private medical decisions. She also said it conflicts with the will of voters statewide, who affirmed abortion rights in August 2022 — three years after the Kansas Supreme Court declared that the state constitution protects access to abortion as part of a “fundamental” right to bodily autonomy.“Kansans already made it very clear that they don’t want lawmakers involved in personal matters," Kelly wrote. "It’s time we listen to them.”The Legislature has long had supermajorities that oppose abortion and GOP lawmakers this year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ban-law-states-kansas-lousiana-81e9da53aaa0903fdd958421bd941a3a">overrode Kelly's vetoes</a>&nbsp;of four other measures backed by anti-abortion groups.“Now she won’t allow women to have the potential for additional child support," said Jeanne Gawdun, a lobbyist for Kansans for Life, the state's most politically influential anti-abortion group. “This will not deter those of us who actually have compassion for women in difficult situations.”Legislators cannot consider overriding the latest veto because they adjourned their annual session May 1 — though they could pass another version during a special session Kelly has promised to call on cutting taxes.Under the bill, judges would have had to consider the “direct medical and pregnancy-related expenses” of the mother before a child's birth, back to conception, in setting the child support payments required of either parent.Abortion rights advocates nationally saw new reason to be concerned about proposals to treat embryos and fetuses as full persons following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-supreme-court-from-embryos-161390f0758b04a7638e2ddea20df7ca">an Alabama Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;in February declaring that frozen embryos could be considered children under that state's laws.But supporters of the child support bill said Kansas has long granted some legal protections to fetuses.Kansas has had&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/statute/021_000_0000_chapter/021_054_0000_article/021_054_0019_section/021_054_0019_k/">a law in place since 2007</a>&nbsp;that allows people to face separate charges for what it considers crimes against fetuses — including assault, manslaughter and even capital murder.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/statute/065_000_0000_chapter/065_067_0000_article/065_067_0032_section/065_067_0032_k/">A 2013 state law</a>&nbsp;also declares that “unborn children have interests in life, health and well-being,” though it isn’t enforced as a limit on abortion.

Kansas governor vetoes a bill for extending child support to fetuses

Join 910KINA's Saturday Morning Show hosts Dave Foor and Nate King this Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.910kina.com/">910AM 107.5 FM.</a>

Hear highlights about community events, public affairs, and all things happening in Salina. Their approach is friendly, informative, and entertaining. To listen to past 910KINA Saturday Morning Shows head on over to the KINA podcast homepage&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/KINA&amp;embedOpened=true&amp;embedOpenedApp=song&amp;embedOpenedSong=910683and6831076845683KINA&amp;embedOpenedArtist=&amp;embedOpenedAlbum=">here.</a>&nbsp;

9:05-9:30 a.m. Jeff Hammond, Salina Parks and Recreation Director

9:30-10 a.m. Scott Abker, rural fire chief for Rural Fire District Three

10:00-10:30 a.m. Richard Kinney, talking about upcoming veterans appreciation events at Salina's Central Mall

10:30-11:00 Mary Landes, Founder of the Salina Innovation Foundation

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591971280271.jpeg" alt="KINA New logo Blue Black" />
 <figcaption>KINA New logo Blue Black</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTJoin 910KINA's Saturday Morning Show hosts Dave Foor and Nate King this Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.910kina.com/">910AM 107.5 FM.</a>Hear highlights about community events, public affairs, and all things happening in Salina. Their approach is friendly, informative, and entertaining. To listen to past 910KINA Saturday Morning Shows head on over to the KINA podcast homepage&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/KINA&amp;embedOpened=true&amp;embedOpenedApp=song&amp;embedOpenedSong=910683and6831076845683KINA&amp;embedOpenedArtist=&amp;embedOpenedAlbum=">here.</a>&nbsp;9:05-9:30 a.m. Jeff Hammond, Salina Parks and Recreation Director9:30-10 a.m. Scott Abker, rural fire chief for Rural Fire District Three10:00-10:30 a.m. Richard Kinney, talking about upcoming veterans appreciation events at Salina's Central Mall10:30-11:00 Mary Landes, Founder of the Salina Innovation Foundation

910 KINA Saturday Morning Show Lineup

‘You never know if it’s going to smell like sewage,’ a resident says of her tap water

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/05/08/dirty-water-inconsistent-billing-plague-neighborhood-near-salina/">By ALLISON KITE</a> Kansas Reflector

SALINE COUNTY —&nbsp;Misty Livingston-Holmes has lived most of her life in her subdivision northwest of Salina.

She loved growing up there, and after leaving home for a few years, she moved back to take care of her grandmother in her old age. Much of her family has lived in the modest neighborhood of mobile homes.

But if she had known when she returned that the water would become undrinkable — and&nbsp;at times&nbsp;not run at all — she’s not sure she would have done it.

“You never know if it’s going to smell like sewage, if it’s going to smell like chlorine, if it’s going to come out clear or if it’s going to come out brown or black,” Livingston-Holmes said.

For years now, Livingston-Holmes and her neighbors have been struggling with boil advisories, cloudy or even dark brown water, and inconsistent billing — plus, periods where they don’t have water at all. Earlier this year, when a polar freeze shut down a well pump, some residents of Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home Park reported not having water for more than a week.

Felicia Sylvia, who moved to Sundowner West with her husband and children 10 years ago, said she doesn’t drink the water or use it to cook. She only uses it for washing clothes and bathing.

“I don’t even feel OK boiling eggs in that water or rinsing my fruit or anything,” Sylvia said.

And when residents try to take their issues up with their water provider, Livingston-Holmes and Sylvia said, they get nowhere.

Over the past few months, the situation has become so dire that residents began reaching out to anyone they could find, catching the attention of state Rep. Susan Concannon, a Republican from Beloit who represents the area. Concannon said she couldn’t imagine it getting any worse.

“It’s a public utility and there were several years here of no oversight whatsoever, and he was just doing whatever he wanted and bullying these families,” Concannon said of Scott Kolling, who acquired the water system at Sundowner in 2021.

Now, Kolling is facing accusations from state regulators that he has run the service without registering with the state, shut off customers’ water in violation of regulations, and failed to consistently monitor the water for contaminants, according to records from the Kansas Corporation Commission and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Kolling referred questions to his attorney, Ed Watson, who did not respond to emails seeking an interview.

In a brief phone conversation, Kolling said the water is safe. He said he was waiting on several test results and will say more in the future.

“Some of the rumors and stuff that’s been going around are not completely the facts,” Kolling said. “When we make a statement, I want to make sure the facts are being told.”

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/474c678e-5363-4835-b4cd-6c00822df466">UPDATED: KDHE replaces boil water advisory with do not drink advisory for Sundowner Community</a>

KDHE, the state agency that regulates water quality, said in a statement that Kolling had hired a contractor to help with treatment of the water and there were no reported water quality issues.

“The agency will continue to monitor this issue as it works closely with the local government, the property owners/operators, and the residents of Sundowner Mobile Home Park,” KDHE’s communications director, Jill Bronaugh, said in an email.

Sundowner, which lies northwest of Salina, is secluded, tucked in between farms along gently sloping country roads. It offers residents a chance to buy a modest residence — a mobile home set on a permanent foundation.

Advertisements in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/2759551/">Salina Journal</a>&nbsp;in the late 1970s beckoned residents with the promise of owning the lot under their mobile homes to “turn rental payments into an investment.”

But of the lots developers drew up in their plans for a large rural neighborhood, only a few dozen were ever built. At one end of the subdivision are rows of mobile homes, but at the other, bare lots surround sporadically placed houses. Looking downhill to the southwest from Livingston-Holmes’ front porch, one can see two mostly empty streets where the homes developers anticipated never materialized.

When Sylvia’s family moved to Sundowner 10 years ago, “everything was great,” she said.

The water was clean and her family paid their bill along with the rent for the lot where their mobile home sits. Sylvia said the quality started to decline just before Kolling took over.

When Sylvia fills her bathtub, the water looks like it contains urine. It leaves a stain where the kitchen faucet drips into the sink. She mixes instant coffee with bottled water rather than using the tap to brew coffee.

She has recommended several loved ones move out to Sundowner, but she always includes a warning about the water.

“You tell your neighbors, ‘Don’t drink it,’ ” Sylvia said.

Even without drinking it, the water takes its toll —&nbsp;drying out her hair and skin.

And in January, Sylvia’s family of six was without water completely for days.

Starting in mid-January when temperatures in Salina plunged below zero, Sundowner residents’ water stopped working. The cold weather caused the pumps that draw groundwater to the surface to lose power, according to a report filed with the Kansas Corporation Commission.

Staff of the KCC said in the report that the issue wasn’t repaired for three to five days and noted residents complained of inadequate service for weeks.

Sylvia said her family were among the last residents to see water service restored.

“I’m an understanding person,” Sylvia said. “I know that we’re all human and things happen, but if you’re going to have something, you have to take care of it.”

In her kitchen, Livingston-Holmes filled a plastic water bottle from the kitchen faucet and set it on the counter next to a glass of water filled from her dispenser of bottled water. The tap water was almost opaque. Next to the clear bottled water, it was obviously cloudy.

Sometimes, Livingston-Holmes said, the water is brown. And it alternates between smelling like sewer water and pool water overloaded with chlorine.

Outside, she fills another bottle from the faucet where the hose connects. She points to the black flecks floating in the water, which she says are manganese. A prolonged struggle with elevated levels of manganese has spurred KDHE to advise residents not to make infant formula with their tap water.

After sampling Livingston-Holmes’ water in January, KDHE gave her literature about the potential risks of manganese, including a warning not to boil the water, cook with it or use it to make ice.

Months later, in April, Sundowner’s water system lost power again, and KDHE issued a boil water advisory despite its previous advice to Livingston-Holmes. Boil water advisories are typical when a water utility loses pressure because bacteria can be introduced into the system.&nbsp;

But within hours, KDHE received updated manganese results at levels high enough that the agency told residents to stop drinking their water at all because boiling it to eliminate bacteria would only concentrate the manganese. The water, KDHE said in a “do not drink” notice, had even higher concentrations of manganese than it did three months before.

LISTEN:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/aaca2ed1-857d-4744-b012-194270a75e26">🎙King in the Community — Michelle Weis, Saline County Emergency Management Director</a>

Even when the “do not drink” advisory was lifted, KDHE left in place a health advisory about the manganese levels. According to the news release, parts of the distribution system have levels of manganese that could pose a health risk to infants. That remains in place, and the agency is awaiting further manganese testing results.

While manganese is not regulated, the Environmental Protection Agency is in the process of determining whether to set limits for the mineral, according to KDHE.

Manganese is an essential nutrient in small quantities. It’s found naturally in rocks, soil, water and food. But in large quantities, manganese exposure can cause learning or behavioral problems in children and may impact adults’ nervous systems. In large quantities, it can cause “manganism,” a disorder similar to Parkinson’s disease.

At the same time they were struggling with the quality of their water — and despite not using it for anything except bathing and washing clothes —&nbsp;residents at Sundowner have also reported inconsistent bills and high prices.

And Kolling, Livingston-Holmes and Sylvia said, is quick to lock up residents’ meters for nonpayment.

“There’s times that he won’t send you a bill for three months and then it will be a ridiculously high bill,” Livingston-Holmes said. “How do you expect people to pay their bill when you wait three months and then you want the payment tomorrow?”

Livingston-Holmes’ bills arrive inconsistently. A bar chart displaying her monthly usage at the bottom of her bill shows no usage some months compared with huge spikes in other months.

Sylvia and Livingston-Holmes both pay Kolling via Venmo and don’t receive a receipt for their payments, they said.

Sundowner’s water system is not registered as a public utility with the Kansas Corporation Commission. As a result, it’s difficult to know how much Kolling charges per gallon. And the state agency hasn’t been overseeing those rates as it’s supposed to.

“I don’t know how this flew under the radar and continued to fly under the radar even when I was calling … trying to get somebody to tell me that there was some oversight,” Concannon, the state representative, said.

Normally, public utilities —&nbsp;including water providers and electric and gas utilities —&nbsp;are registered with the Kansas Corporation Commission and have to receive state approval over their prices and abide by other regulations.

But Sundowner’s water system isn’t registered with the KCC.

After residents’ and Concannon’s inquiries, the KCC ordered Kolling to either register as a public utility or file documentation explaining why he thinks he shouldn’t have to.

Kolling has requested more time to file a response with the KCC. In the meantime, the order from regulators also requires that Kolling restore service to customers whose water had been shut off and notify customers in writing that their rates are subject to change and refund.

If the Kansas Corporation Commission finds that Kolling must register Sundowner’s water service as a public utility, the rates Kolling charges for water would become governed by the commission and residents could go to the state agency to report potential regulatory violations.

According to KCC documents, the agency has received 12 complaints from Sundowner residents ranging from inconsistent or inaccurate billing to double billing to unjustly shutting off their water service and poor water quality.

The KCC’s order requiring Kolling to explain why Sundowner shouldn’t be required to apply for regulatory oversight also instructed him to provide audited financial statements, water sales, income statements and other information to allow the KCC to review Sundowner’s water rates.

Sylvia said she doesn’t have any faith that problems with the water at Sundowner — both the quality and the billing — will end.

“If you told me today that I could drink my water,” she said, “I don’t think I would drink it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715264546703.png" alt=" Misty Livingston-Holmes holds up a bottle of water filled from the spout outside her home. Black flecks she says are manganese float at the bottom. Livingston-Holmes and neighbors have been struggling with poor water quality and inconsistent bills. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Misty Livingston-Holmes holds up a bottle of water filled from the spout outside her home. Black flecks she says are manganese float at the bottom. Livingston-Holmes and neighbors have been struggling with poor water quality and inconsistent bills. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘You never know if it’s going to smell like sewage,’ a resident says of her tap water</h2><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/05/08/dirty-water-inconsistent-billing-plague-neighborhood-near-salina/">By ALLISON KITE</a> Kansas ReflectorSALINE COUNTY —&nbsp;Misty Livingston-Holmes has lived most of her life in her subdivision northwest of Salina.She loved growing up there, and after leaving home for a few years, she moved back to take care of her grandmother in her old age. Much of her family has lived in the modest neighborhood of mobile homes.But if she had known when she returned that the water would become undrinkable — and&nbsp;at times&nbsp;not run at all — she’s not sure she would have done it.“You never know if it’s going to smell like sewage, if it’s going to smell like chlorine, if it’s going to come out clear or if it’s going to come out brown or black,” Livingston-Holmes said.For years now, Livingston-Holmes and her neighbors have been struggling with boil advisories, cloudy or even dark brown water, and inconsistent billing — plus, periods where they don’t have water at all. Earlier this year, when a polar freeze shut down a well pump, some residents of Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home Park reported not having water for more than a week.Felicia Sylvia, who moved to Sundowner West with her husband and children 10 years ago, said she doesn’t drink the water or use it to cook. She only uses it for washing clothes and bathing.“I don’t even feel OK boiling eggs in that water or rinsing my fruit or anything,” Sylvia said.And when residents try to take their issues up with their water provider, Livingston-Holmes and Sylvia said, they get nowhere.Over the past few months, the situation has become so dire that residents began reaching out to anyone they could find, catching the attention of state Rep. Susan Concannon, a Republican from Beloit who represents the area. Concannon said she couldn’t imagine it getting any worse.“It’s a public utility and there were several years here of no oversight whatsoever, and he was just doing whatever he wanted and bullying these families,” Concannon said of Scott Kolling, who acquired the water system at Sundowner in 2021.Now, Kolling is facing accusations from state regulators that he has run the service without registering with the state, shut off customers’ water in violation of regulations, and failed to consistently monitor the water for contaminants, according to records from the Kansas Corporation Commission and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.Kolling referred questions to his attorney, Ed Watson, who did not respond to emails seeking an interview.In a brief phone conversation, Kolling said the water is safe. He said he was waiting on several test results and will say more in the future.“Some of the rumors and stuff that’s been going around are not completely the facts,” Kolling said. “When we make a statement, I want to make sure the facts are being told.”READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/474c678e-5363-4835-b4cd-6c00822df466">UPDATED: KDHE replaces boil water advisory with do not drink advisory for Sundowner Community</a>KDHE, the state agency that regulates water quality, said in a statement that Kolling had hired a contractor to help with treatment of the water and there were no reported water quality issues.“The agency will continue to monitor this issue as it works closely with the local government, the property owners/operators, and the residents of Sundowner Mobile Home Park,” KDHE’s communications director, Jill Bronaugh, said in an email.<h2>‘Don’t drink it’</h2>Sundowner, which lies northwest of Salina, is secluded, tucked in between farms along gently sloping country roads. It offers residents a chance to buy a modest residence — a mobile home set on a permanent foundation.Advertisements in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/2759551/">Salina Journal</a>&nbsp;in the late 1970s beckoned residents with the promise of owning the lot under their mobile homes to “turn rental payments into an investment.”But of the lots developers drew up in their plans for a large rural neighborhood, only a few dozen were ever built. At one end of the subdivision are rows of mobile homes, but at the other, bare lots surround sporadically placed houses. Looking downhill to the southwest from Livingston-Holmes’ front porch, one can see two mostly empty streets where the homes developers anticipated never materialized.When Sylvia’s family moved to Sundowner 10 years ago, “everything was great,” she said.The water was clean and her family paid their bill along with the rent for the lot where their mobile home sits. Sylvia said the quality started to decline just before Kolling took over.When Sylvia fills her bathtub, the water looks like it contains urine. It leaves a stain where the kitchen faucet drips into the sink. She mixes instant coffee with bottled water rather than using the tap to brew coffee.She has recommended several loved ones move out to Sundowner, but she always includes a warning about the water.“You tell your neighbors, ‘Don’t drink it,’ ” Sylvia said.Even without drinking it, the water takes its toll —&nbsp;drying out her hair and skin.And in January, Sylvia’s family of six was without water completely for days.Starting in mid-January when temperatures in Salina plunged below zero, Sundowner residents’ water stopped working. The cold weather caused the pumps that draw groundwater to the surface to lose power, according to a report filed with the Kansas Corporation Commission.Staff of the KCC said in the report that the issue wasn’t repaired for three to five days and noted residents complained of inadequate service for weeks.Sylvia said her family were among the last residents to see water service restored.“I’m an understanding person,” Sylvia said. “I know that we’re all human and things happen, but if you’re going to have something, you have to take care of it.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715264447615.png" alt=" A bottle of water filled from Misty Livingston-Holmes’ kitchen sink appears cloudy compared to the glass of water filled from her dispenser of bottled water. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> A bottle of water filled from Misty Livingston-Holmes’ kitchen sink appears cloudy compared to the glass of water filled from her dispenser of bottled water. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Conflicting instructions</h2>In her kitchen, Livingston-Holmes filled a plastic water bottle from the kitchen faucet and set it on the counter next to a glass of water filled from her dispenser of bottled water. The tap water was almost opaque. Next to the clear bottled water, it was obviously cloudy.Sometimes, Livingston-Holmes said, the water is brown. And it alternates between smelling like sewer water and pool water overloaded with chlorine.Outside, she fills another bottle from the faucet where the hose connects. She points to the black flecks floating in the water, which she says are manganese. A prolonged struggle with elevated levels of manganese has spurred KDHE to advise residents not to make infant formula with their tap water.After sampling Livingston-Holmes’ water in January, KDHE gave her literature about the potential risks of manganese, including a warning not to boil the water, cook with it or use it to make ice.Months later, in April, Sundowner’s water system lost power again, and KDHE issued a boil water advisory despite its previous advice to Livingston-Holmes. Boil water advisories are typical when a water utility loses pressure because bacteria can be introduced into the system.&nbsp;But within hours, KDHE received updated manganese results at levels high enough that the agency told residents to stop drinking their water at all because boiling it to eliminate bacteria would only concentrate the manganese. The water, KDHE said in a “do not drink” notice, had even higher concentrations of manganese than it did three months before.LISTEN:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/aaca2ed1-857d-4744-b012-194270a75e26">🎙King in the Community — Michelle Weis, Saline County Emergency Management Director</a>Even when the “do not drink” advisory was lifted, KDHE left in place a health advisory about the manganese levels. According to the news release, parts of the distribution system have levels of manganese that could pose a health risk to infants. That remains in place, and the agency is awaiting further manganese testing results.While manganese is not regulated, the Environmental Protection Agency is in the process of determining whether to set limits for the mineral, according to KDHE.Manganese is an essential nutrient in small quantities. It’s found naturally in rocks, soil, water and food. But in large quantities, manganese exposure can cause learning or behavioral problems in children and may impact adults’ nervous systems. In large quantities, it can cause “manganism,” a disorder similar to Parkinson’s disease.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715264373349.png" alt=" Misty Livingston-Holmes flips through water bills and sampling results as she talks about the water quality issues and inconsistent billing in her neighborhood near Salina. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Misty Livingston-Holmes flips through water bills and sampling results as she talks about the water quality issues and inconsistent billing in her neighborhood near Salina. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Billing disputes</h2>At the same time they were struggling with the quality of their water — and despite not using it for anything except bathing and washing clothes —&nbsp;residents at Sundowner have also reported inconsistent bills and high prices.And Kolling, Livingston-Holmes and Sylvia said, is quick to lock up residents’ meters for nonpayment.“There’s times that he won’t send you a bill for three months and then it will be a ridiculously high bill,” Livingston-Holmes said. “How do you expect people to pay their bill when you wait three months and then you want the payment tomorrow?”Livingston-Holmes’ bills arrive inconsistently. A bar chart displaying her monthly usage at the bottom of her bill shows no usage some months compared with huge spikes in other months.Sylvia and Livingston-Holmes both pay Kolling via Venmo and don’t receive a receipt for their payments, they said.Sundowner’s water system is not registered as a public utility with the Kansas Corporation Commission. As a result, it’s difficult to know how much Kolling charges per gallon. And the state agency hasn’t been overseeing those rates as it’s supposed to.“I don’t know how this flew under the radar and continued to fly under the radar even when I was calling … trying to get somebody to tell me that there was some oversight,” Concannon, the state representative, said.Normally, public utilities —&nbsp;including water providers and electric and gas utilities —&nbsp;are registered with the Kansas Corporation Commission and have to receive state approval over their prices and abide by other regulations.But Sundowner’s water system isn’t registered with the KCC.After residents’ and Concannon’s inquiries, the KCC ordered Kolling to either register as a public utility or file documentation explaining why he thinks he shouldn’t have to.Kolling has requested more time to file a response with the KCC. In the meantime, the order from regulators also requires that Kolling restore service to customers whose water had been shut off and notify customers in writing that their rates are subject to change and refund.If the Kansas Corporation Commission finds that Kolling must register Sundowner’s water service as a public utility, the rates Kolling charges for water would become governed by the commission and residents could go to the state agency to report potential regulatory violations.According to KCC documents, the agency has received 12 complaints from Sundowner residents ranging from inconsistent or inaccurate billing to double billing to unjustly shutting off their water service and poor water quality.The KCC’s order requiring Kolling to explain why Sundowner shouldn’t be required to apply for regulatory oversight also instructed him to provide audited financial statements, water sales, income statements and other information to allow the KCC to review Sundowner’s water rates.Sylvia said she doesn’t have any faith that problems with the water at Sundowner — both the quality and the billing — will end.“If you told me today that I could drink my water,” she said, “I don’t think I would drink it.”

Dirty water, inconsistent billing plague neighborhood near Salina

<a href="mailto:lmoser@ksu.edu">By LISA MOSER</a> <a href="mailto:lmoser@ksu.edu"></a>K-State Research and Extension news service

Anyone who’s ever lived in a house with newborn twins knows they can be a lot of work to take care of. When twin births happen in the beef herd, it often brings about special management considerations, say the experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute.

Speaking on a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/cattle-chat-managing-twins">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast, K-State assistant professor of animal welfare Eduarda Bortoluzzi and K-State veterinarian Bob Larson discussed steps producers should take in managing twins.

“Twins in beef herds are more common than people might think,” Bortoluzzi said. “But they need to be watched closely in the first 24 hours to make sure both calves get colostrum from the dam.”

Larson added the biggest concern with twin births is that both calves will not get adequate nutrition early on in life.

“I recommend separating the cow and her twins away from the rest of the herd so they can be closely monitored,” Larson said.

If the cow isn’t accepting both calves or she cannot produce enough milk to adequately nourish the twins, then it might be time to consider grafting the calf to another cow that has recently lost her calf or hand-raising one of the twins by bottle-feeding them, Larson said.

“Oftentimes twins are not born the same size and so one of them tends to be more rigorous than the other,” Larson said.

He also said producers need to make sure both calves are thriving.

“A calf that is thriving will get up and run around to play, while one that isn’t is slow to get up and just lacks energy,” Larson said.

To make it easier to monitor the twins, Bortoluzzi recommends putting the cows with twins in the same pasture as the first-calf heifers.

“By grouping the cows with twins in the heifer pasture, producers can easily make sure the twins are eating well and maintaining good health,” Bortoluzzi said.

To hear the full discussion, listen to&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/cattle-chat-managing-twins">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;on your preferred streaming platform.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715262287835.jpeg" alt="K-State beef cattle experts share tips for raising twin calves. Photo Courtesy KSRE" />
 <figcaption>K-State beef cattle experts share tips for raising twin calves. Photo Courtesy KSRE</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="mailto:lmoser@ksu.edu">By LISA MOSER</a> <a href="mailto:lmoser@ksu.edu"></a>K-State Research and Extension news serviceAnyone who’s ever lived in a house with newborn twins knows they can be a lot of work to take care of. When twin births happen in the beef herd, it often brings about special management considerations, say the experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute.Speaking on a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/cattle-chat-managing-twins">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast, K-State assistant professor of animal welfare Eduarda Bortoluzzi and K-State veterinarian Bob Larson discussed steps producers should take in managing twins.“Twins in beef herds are more common than people might think,” Bortoluzzi said. “But they need to be watched closely in the first 24 hours to make sure both calves get colostrum from the dam.”Larson added the biggest concern with twin births is that both calves will not get adequate nutrition early on in life.“I recommend separating the cow and her twins away from the rest of the herd so they can be closely monitored,” Larson said.If the cow isn’t accepting both calves or she cannot produce enough milk to adequately nourish the twins, then it might be time to consider grafting the calf to another cow that has recently lost her calf or hand-raising one of the twins by bottle-feeding them, Larson said.“Oftentimes twins are not born the same size and so one of them tends to be more rigorous than the other,” Larson said.He also said producers need to make sure both calves are thriving.“A calf that is thriving will get up and run around to play, while one that isn’t is slow to get up and just lacks energy,” Larson said.<div><iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/2GFsMX0A3vHFxvbQMUj5nl?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>To make it easier to monitor the twins, Bortoluzzi recommends putting the cows with twins in the same pasture as the first-calf heifers.“By grouping the cows with twins in the heifer pasture, producers can easily make sure the twins are eating well and maintaining good health,” Bortoluzzi said.To hear the full discussion, listen to&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/cattle-chat-managing-twins">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;on your preferred streaming platform.

🎙KSRE Cattle Chat — Managing stress in calves, twins in beef herds 

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Lead Reporter - Salina Post

For most, imagining the behind-the-scenes of a television station or movie set is easy — bright, sweltering lights alongside teleprompters, glossed-up talent and boom mics hovering close by.

Behind-the-scenes at a radio station may be a little trickier to imagine, but for Shane McClintock, the view in the booth is the behind-the-scenes he's dreamed of since childhood.

"All the other kids would be outside playing, and if a radio was on, all I did was listen to it," McClintock said. "I would have just rather have stayed inside and acted like I was on the radio... I would read the newspaper for commercials and play music."

Today, McClintock programs and hosts 99KG, or in its official call letters, KSKG, which, in the most recent update on the <a href="https://tlr.nielsen.com/tlr/public/ratingsDisplay.do?method=loadRatingsForMarket">Nielsen Topline Ratings</a>, his station topped the charts for the tenth year in a row.

McClintock said that the official publication of those ratings stated that KSKG, or 99KG, hosts the "largest share to date" since the company began surveying the Salina, Manhattan market in 2007. Nielsen Topline Ratings published that information in January this year.

99KG Number One for New Country eventually became McClintock's stage for programming an engaging music lineup and high-quality commercials alongside bringing in the Bobby Bones Show.

The Bobby Bones Show is a well-known radio program featuring topics on popular country music and artists.&nbsp;

"It was an art that I felt comfortable in. I wasn't comfortable when I was younger in sports, but it [radio] was something that I was comfortable with and felt confident that I could do it," McClintock said.&nbsp;

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/468bc8ee-a938-49e5-aa9d-286e2f02e11d">AJ Honey Farms — leading local beekeepers toward success</a>

McClintock's history with 99KG stretches back to his childhood. Growing up in Salina, 99KG was the station he often listened to and dreamed of sitting in its booth for programming someday.

Before the station topped the charts, 99KG's history goes back to the 1990s. 99KG initially played several genres of music before switching to a Top 40 Country Music Hits station in 1996.

However, 99KG's success started in 2013, after McClintock took over programming the station and became its host.

When McClintock arrived, only a small population of people in the north-central region listened to 99KG, while today, it's the number one station in the area.

"There's a lot of music, mornings, marketing... there's a lot&nbsp;of things&nbsp;that go into building winning radio stations," McClintock said.&nbsp;"It's not just&nbsp;flip&nbsp;it on and&nbsp;hope and pray."

One aspect McClintock focuses on is promotions that directly impact the community — local events, contests for trips across the United States and more.

McClintock uses community events like Dad for a Day and McClintock's ToyAThon to better connect with local Salinans and central Kansans.

Jerry Hinrikus, the general manager for the Eagle Communications Media Center in Salina, said these fundraisers and contests keep a radio station focused on its community.

"Getting involved in the community and having fundraising events, Summer Splash and different things local families and kids can attend," Hinrikus said. "That's where local radio wins."

McClintock saw 99KG's potential when he first discovered it as a child and set his sights on crafting a radio station that his community would love.

"It's the radio station I grew up listening to," McClintock said. "I knew the market without a doubt, and I'm 100% confident in what was missing in this market and radio."

Growing up, McClintock said he didn't have many opportunities to visit Salina's Monster Truck shows, see concerts on the Tony's Pizza Events Center stage or vacation to other states, so one thing he enjoys doing as a radio host is producing various contests that give local kids and families that opportunity.

LISTEN: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/2a3112e7-837c-4f7e-a311-df8dc6cf0aba">🎙King in the Community: K-State Salina Dean and CEO Alysia Starkey</a>

Another large promotion by 99KG is the Dad for a Day event, where children who lack a steady father figure will join McClintock and a few other staff to visit the Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium and the Royals Kauffman Stadium.

In the fall of 2023, McClintock programmed a contest for a trip to the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, which covered the entire cost of travel for the winning family.

"To think that I can give away a trip to someone, the idea of&nbsp;giving someone an opportunity&nbsp;to win a trip to New York City to take their kids to something that they may or may not be able to afford is the reason why I've put together promotions with the radio station that I have," McClintock said.&nbsp;

To hear more from McClintock and hit country songs, tune in to 99KG on 99.9 FM radio <a href="https://99kg.live/#//">or online</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714766468830.jpeg" alt="99KG Number One for New Country programmer and host stands in his regular studio at the Eagle Communications Media Center in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>99KG Number One for New Country programmer and host stands in his regular studio at the Eagle Communications Media Center in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Lead Reporter - Salina PostFor most, imagining the behind-the-scenes of a television station or movie set is easy — bright, sweltering lights alongside teleprompters, glossed-up talent and boom mics hovering close by.Behind-the-scenes at a radio station may be a little trickier to imagine, but for Shane McClintock, the view in the booth is the behind-the-scenes he's dreamed of since childhood."All the other kids would be outside playing, and if a radio was on, all I did was listen to it," McClintock said. "I would have just rather have stayed inside and acted like I was on the radio... I would read the newspaper for commercials and play music."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714766606279.jpeg" alt="The 99KG-branded microphone in the 99KG Number One for New Country radio station booth at the Eagle Communications Media Center in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>The 99KG-branded microphone in the 99KG Number One for New Country radio station booth at the Eagle Communications Media Center in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Today, McClintock programs and hosts 99KG, or in its official call letters, KSKG, which, in the most recent update on the <a href="https://tlr.nielsen.com/tlr/public/ratingsDisplay.do?method=loadRatingsForMarket">Nielsen Topline Ratings</a>, his station topped the charts for the tenth year in a row.McClintock said that the official publication of those ratings stated that KSKG, or 99KG, hosts the "largest share to date" since the company began surveying the Salina, Manhattan market in 2007. Nielsen Topline Ratings published that information in January this year.<h2>Chasing dreams in the booth</h2>99KG Number One for New Country eventually became McClintock's stage for programming an engaging music lineup and high-quality commercials alongside bringing in the Bobby Bones Show.The Bobby Bones Show is a well-known radio program featuring topics on popular country music and artists.&nbsp;"It was an art that I felt comfortable in. I wasn't comfortable when I was younger in sports, but it [radio] was something that I was comfortable with and felt confident that I could do it," McClintock said.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714766674179.jpeg" alt="99KG programmer and radio host Shane McClintock works on the show at his booth in the Eagle Communications Media Center in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>99KG programmer and radio host Shane McClintock works on the show at his booth in the Eagle Communications Media Center in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/468bc8ee-a938-49e5-aa9d-286e2f02e11d">AJ Honey Farms — leading local beekeepers toward success</a>McClintock's history with 99KG stretches back to his childhood. Growing up in Salina, 99KG was the station he often listened to and dreamed of sitting in its booth for programming someday.Before the station topped the charts, 99KG's history goes back to the 1990s. 99KG initially played several genres of music before switching to a Top 40 Country Music Hits station in 1996.However, 99KG's success started in 2013, after McClintock took over programming the station and became its host.When McClintock arrived, only a small population of people in the north-central region listened to 99KG, while today, it's the number one station in the area."There's a lot of music, mornings, marketing... there's a lot&nbsp;of things&nbsp;that go into building winning radio stations," McClintock said.&nbsp;"It's not just&nbsp;flip&nbsp;it on and&nbsp;hope and pray."<h2>Focusing on community</h2>One aspect McClintock focuses on is promotions that directly impact the community — local events, contests for trips across the United States and more.McClintock uses community events like Dad for a Day and McClintock's ToyAThon to better connect with local Salinans and central Kansans.Jerry Hinrikus, the general manager for the Eagle Communications Media Center in Salina, said these fundraisers and contests keep a radio station focused on its community.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714766898992.jpeg" alt="99KG host and programmer Shane McClintock works on the station in his studio at the Eagle Communications Media Center in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>99KG host and programmer Shane McClintock works on the station in his studio at the Eagle Communications Media Center in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>"Getting involved in the community and having fundraising events, Summer Splash and different things local families and kids can attend," Hinrikus said. "That's where local radio wins."McClintock saw 99KG's potential when he first discovered it as a child and set his sights on crafting a radio station that his community would love."It's the radio station I grew up listening to," McClintock said. "I knew the market without a doubt, and I'm 100% confident in what was missing in this market and radio."Growing up, McClintock said he didn't have many opportunities to visit Salina's Monster Truck shows, see concerts on the Tony's Pizza Events Center stage or vacation to other states, so one thing he enjoys doing as a radio host is producing various contests that give local kids and families that opportunity.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714767008778.jpeg" alt="The 99KG Number One for New Country booth is at the Eagle Communications Media Center in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>The 99KG Number One for New Country booth is at the Eagle Communications Media Center in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>LISTEN: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/2a3112e7-837c-4f7e-a311-df8dc6cf0aba">🎙King in the Community: K-State Salina Dean and CEO Alysia Starkey</a>Another large promotion by 99KG is the Dad for a Day event, where children who lack a steady father figure will join McClintock and a few other staff to visit the Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium and the Royals Kauffman Stadium.In the fall of 2023, McClintock programmed a contest for a trip to the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, which covered the entire cost of travel for the winning family."To think that I can give away a trip to someone, the idea of&nbsp;giving someone an opportunity&nbsp;to win a trip to New York City to take their kids to something that they may or may not be able to afford is the reason why I've put together promotions with the radio station that I have," McClintock said.&nbsp;To hear more from McClintock and hit country songs, tune in to 99KG on 99.9 FM radio <a href="https://99kg.live/#//">or online</a>.

99KG's path to the top — community, content and consistency

On April 20, the Central Kansas Extension District (CKD) 4-H BB Gun Team went to Great Bend for the Kansas State Spring Shooting Sports Match.  To participate at the state level, youth must have shot an eligible score at one of several regional qualifiers earlier in the year. 

In total, there were nearly 150 4-H’ers from 23 different Extension units.  CKD qualified 14 local youth, which was the most of any unit.

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Those making the trip from CKD were Landon Wisbey, Troy Wisbey and Traven Dotson of Bennington, Callan Rensink, Coy Malmberg, Tye Malmberg, Briella Pagel, and Easton Klein of Minneapolis, J.J. Riedel, Jaelyn Gates and Maryn Gates of Salina, and Andrew Knopf, Gauge Fritz and Bailey Fritz of Gypsum.

Landon, Coy, Callan, J.J., Andrew, Gauge, and Traven shot in the Senior Division with all others entered in the Junior Division.  The youth showcased their skills in several positions including Prone (laying down), Standing, Kneeling, and Sitting.  Combined scores from all four positions made up the Aggregate Score.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/505d293d-8aab-4e52-83a8-ffbc4f2080c6">CoCoRaHS 24-hour rain totals</a>

After a long day of competition, CKD had a great showing with numerous members bringing home awards.  In the Junior Division, Troy Wisbey placed 2nd in Sitting, 4th in Kneeling and was 3rd in the Aggregate.  Bailey Fritz placed 3rd in Standing, 5th in Kneeling and was 5th in the Aggregate.  Easton Klein placed 5th in Prone and was 6th in the Aggregate.  Briella Pagel won the Kneeling position.  For the Seniors, Jaelyn Gates was Runner-Up in Kneeling.  Callan Rensink placed 5th in Prone and Landon Wisbey was 5th in Sitting.

The team of Coy Malmberg, Landon Wisbey, Andrew Knopf, Troy Wisbey, and Jaelyn Gates took 6th place Overall.

To cap off the season, CKD will be traveling to Rogers, Arkansas on June 30 to represent Kansas at the Daisy National BB Gun Championship Match.  Individuals earning a spot at nationals are Andrew Knopf, Gauge Fritz, Callan Rensink, J.J. Riedel, Landon Wisbey, Traven Dotson, and Troy Wisbey.  They will be joining over 400 other youth from across the country at the four-day event.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715096917280.jpeg" alt="Central Kansas Extension District 4-H members participating at the 2024 Kansas State Spring Shooting Sports Match in Great Bend were: (Front Row L-R) Troy Wisbey, J.J. Riedel, Maryn Gates, Tye Malmberg, Bailey Fritz; (Back Row L-R) Jaelyn Gates, Landon Wisbey, Callan Rensink, Coy Malmberg, Gauge Fritz. Not pictured are: Easton Klein, Briella Pagel, Traven Dotson, and Andrew Knopf. Image Courtesy CKD" />
 <figcaption>Central Kansas Extension District 4-H members participating at the 2024 Kansas State Spring Shooting Sports Match in Great Bend were: (Front Row L-R) Troy Wisbey, J.J. Riedel, Maryn Gates, Tye Malmberg, Bailey Fritz; (Back Row L-R) Jaelyn Gates, Landon Wisbey, Callan Rensink, Coy Malmberg, Gauge Fritz. Not pictured are: Easton Klein, Briella Pagel, Traven Dotson, and Andrew Knopf. Image Courtesy CKD</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedOn April 20, the Central Kansas Extension District (CKD) 4-H BB Gun Team went to Great Bend for the Kansas State Spring Shooting Sports Match. To participate at the state level, youth must have shot an eligible score at one of several regional qualifiers earlier in the year. In total, there were nearly 150 4-H’ers from 23 different Extension units. CKD qualified 14 local youth, which was the most of any unit.LISTEN MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/08021e75-1b85-4cde-bd8f-8e837e1f7688">🎙King in the Community: Jason Graves, KSRE horticulturist</a>Those making the trip from CKD were Landon Wisbey, Troy Wisbey and Traven Dotson of Bennington, Callan Rensink, Coy Malmberg, Tye Malmberg, Briella Pagel, and Easton Klein of Minneapolis, J.J. Riedel, Jaelyn Gates and Maryn Gates of Salina, and Andrew Knopf, Gauge Fritz and Bailey Fritz of Gypsum.Landon, Coy, Callan, J.J., Andrew, Gauge, and Traven shot in the Senior Division with all others entered in the Junior Division. The youth showcased their skills in several positions including Prone (laying down), Standing, Kneeling, and Sitting. Combined scores from all four positions made up the Aggregate Score.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/505d293d-8aab-4e52-83a8-ffbc4f2080c6">CoCoRaHS 24-hour rain totals</a>After a long day of competition, CKD had a great showing with numerous members bringing home awards. In the Junior Division, Troy Wisbey placed 2nd in Sitting, 4th in Kneeling and was 3rd in the Aggregate. Bailey Fritz placed 3rd in Standing, 5th in Kneeling and was 5th in the Aggregate. Easton Klein placed 5th in Prone and was 6th in the Aggregate. Briella Pagel won the Kneeling position. For the Seniors, Jaelyn Gates was Runner-Up in Kneeling. Callan Rensink placed 5th in Prone and Landon Wisbey was 5th in Sitting.The team of Coy Malmberg, Landon Wisbey, Andrew Knopf, Troy Wisbey, and Jaelyn Gates took 6th place Overall.To cap off the season, CKD will be traveling to Rogers, Arkansas on June 30 to represent Kansas at the Daisy National BB Gun Championship Match. Individuals earning a spot at nationals are Andrew Knopf, Gauge Fritz, Callan Rensink, J.J. Riedel, Landon Wisbey, Traven Dotson, and Troy Wisbey. They will be joining over 400 other youth from across the country at the four-day event.

Local 4-H members earn top awards at state shooting sports match

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — It was the music that changed first. Or maybe that’s just when many people at the pale brick Catholic church in the quiet Wisconsin neighborhood finally began to realize what was happening.

The choir director, a fixture at St. Maria Goretti for nearly 40 years, was suddenly gone. Contemporary hymns were replaced by music rooted in medieval Europe.

So much was changing. Sermons were focusing more on sin and confession. Priests were rarely seen without cassocks. Altar girls, for a time, were banned.

At the parish elementary school, students began hearing about abortion and hell.

“It was like a step back in time,” said one former parishioner, still so dazed by the tumultuous changes that began in 2021 with a new pastor that he only spoke on condition of anonymity.

Across the U.S., the Catholic Church is undergoing an immense shift. Generations of Catholics who embraced the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-7033b0291ddeea9d5a5facc0d53ece0e">modernizing tide sparked in the 1960s by Vatican II</a>&nbsp;are increasingly giving way to religious conservatives who believe the church has been twisted by change, with the promise of salvation replaced by casual indifference to doctrine.

The shift, molded by plummeting church attendance, increasingly traditional priests and growing numbers of young Catholics searching for more orthodoxy, has reshaped parishes across the country, leaving them&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-bishops-unity-baltimore-meeting-bb937e3e22f2034c20184954cc9df5d6">sometimes at odds</a>&nbsp;with Pope Francis and much of the Catholic world.

The changes are not happening everywhere. There are still plenty of liberal parishes, plenty that see themselves as middle-of-the-road. Despite their growing influence, conservative Catholics remain a minority.

Yet the changes they have brought are impossible to miss.

The progressive priests who dominated the U.S. church in the years after Vatican II are now in their 70s and 80s. Many are retired. Some are dead. Younger priests, surveys show, are far more conservative.

At St. Maria Goretti, once steeped in the ethos of Vatican II, many parishioners saw the changes as a requiem.

“I don’t want my daughter to be Catholic,” said Christine Hammond, whose family left the parish when the new outlook spilled into the church’s school and her daughter’s classroom. “Not if this is the Roman Catholic Church that is coming.”

But this is not a simple story. Because there are many who welcome this new, old church.

They often stand out in the pews, with the men in ties and the women sometimes with the lace head coverings that all but disappeared from American churches more than 50 years ago. Large families signal adherence to the church’s contraception ban, which most Americans have casually ignored.

Many yearn for Masses that echo with medieval traditions – more Latin, more incense, more Gregorian chants.

“We want this ethereal experience that is different from everything else in our lives,” said Ben Rouleau, who until recently led St. Maria Goretti’s young adult group, which saw membership skyrocket even as the parish shrank amid the turmoil.

If this movement emerged from anywhere, it might be a now-demolished Denver football stadium.

Some 500,000 people descended on Denver in 1993 for the Catholic festival World Youth Day.

<a href="https://apnews.com/18f1705cf56b44f199f1183fb46e6af6">Pope John Paul II</a>, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-0885152155e64cf59209d4f77b828560">beloved</a>&nbsp;both for his kindness and his sternness, confronted an American church shaped by decades of progressive change.

The church had grown increasingly liberal since Vatican II. Confession was rarely mentioned, Latin largely abandoned. Catholic social teaching on poverty suffused churches.

On some issues, John Paul II agreed with liberal-minded Catholics, speaking against capital punishment and for workers’ rights. He preached relentlessly about forgiveness.

Catholics “are in danger of losing their faith,” he said in Denver, decrying abortion, drug abuse, and what he called “sexual disorders.”

Across the nation, fervent young Catholics listened.

Yet even today, surveys show most American Catholics are far from orthodox. Most support abortion rights. The vast majority use birth control.

But increasingly, those&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/the-nones/the-nones-us.html">Catholics</a>&nbsp;are not in church.

In 1970, more than half of America’s Catholics said they went to Mass at least once a week. By 2022, that had fallen to 17%, according to CARA, a research center affiliated with Georgetown University. Among millennials, it’s just 9%.

As a result, those who remain in the church have outsized influence.

On the national level, conservatives increasingly dominate the U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference and the Catholic intellectual world. They include everyone from the philanthropist founder of Domino’s Pizza to six of the nine U.S. Supreme Court justices.

Young priests driven by liberal politics and progressive theology, so common in the 1960s and 70s, have all but vanished.

In churches from Minnesota to California, liberal parishioners have protested changes introduced by new conservative priests. Each can seem like one more skirmish in the cultural and political battles tearing at America.

Looming above the American divide is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-birthday-trial-21da45380cf0890dd2bd5ce6c33f0fcf">Pope</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-trial-pope-critique-becciu-3cee6a7f78070e590c5e90f31d56d52d">Francis</a>, who has pushed the global church to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">inclusive</a>, even as he stands firm on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-women-still-cant-be-priest-3bdcad94325be16ee2993f61eb17c5a0">dogma</a>.

The orthodox movement has watched him nervously, angered by his more liberal views on issues like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-pope-bfa5b71fa79055626e362936e739d1d8">gay relationships</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-43eeaafd67e2429a8fb617e4261db5a4">divorce</a>. Some reject him entirely.

And the pope&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-cardinal-burke-conservatives-strickland-163f2d3522a80fa5f908421cc812cfc9">worries</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-us-bishops-lgbtq-women-pope-francis-81a602274dd604b7cc532425a289b00c">about</a>&nbsp;America.

The U.S. church has “a very strong reactionary attitude,” he said last year.

St. Maria Goretti is a well-kept island of Catholicism tucked into one of America’s most liberal cities.

In 2021, a new priest, the Rev. Scott Emerson, was named pastor.

Parishioners watched the changes - some pleased, some uneasily. Emerson’s sermons are not all fire-and-brimstone. He speaks often about forgiveness and compassion. But his tone shocked many longtime parishioners.

Protection is needed, he said in a 2023 service, from “the spiritual corruption of worldly vices.” He has warned against critics – “the atheists, journalists, politicians, the fallen-away Catholics” – he said were undermining the church.

But those critics, he says, will be proven wrong.

“How many have laughed at the church, announcing that she was passe, that her days were over and that they would bury her?” he said in a 2021 Mass.

“The church,” he said, “has buried every one of her undertakers.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714878214376.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM SULLIVANMADISON, Wis. (AP) — It was the music that changed first. Or maybe that’s just when many people at the pale brick Catholic church in the quiet Wisconsin neighborhood finally began to realize what was happening.The choir director, a fixture at St. Maria Goretti for nearly 40 years, was suddenly gone. Contemporary hymns were replaced by music rooted in medieval Europe.So much was changing. Sermons were focusing more on sin and confession. Priests were rarely seen without cassocks. Altar girls, for a time, were banned.At the parish elementary school, students began hearing about abortion and hell.“It was like a step back in time,” said one former parishioner, still so dazed by the tumultuous changes that began in 2021 with a new pastor that he only spoke on condition of anonymity.It’s not just St. Maria Goretti.Across the U.S., the Catholic Church is undergoing an immense shift. Generations of Catholics who embraced the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-7033b0291ddeea9d5a5facc0d53ece0e">modernizing tide sparked in the 1960s by Vatican II</a>&nbsp;are increasingly giving way to religious conservatives who believe the church has been twisted by change, with the promise of salvation replaced by casual indifference to doctrine.The shift, molded by plummeting church attendance, increasingly traditional priests and growing numbers of young Catholics searching for more orthodoxy, has reshaped parishes across the country, leaving them&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-bishops-unity-baltimore-meeting-bb937e3e22f2034c20184954cc9df5d6">sometimes at odds</a>&nbsp;with Pope Francis and much of the Catholic world.The changes are not happening everywhere. There are still plenty of liberal parishes, plenty that see themselves as middle-of-the-road. Despite their growing influence, conservative Catholics remain a minority.Yet the changes they have brought are impossible to miss.The progressive priests who dominated the U.S. church in the years after Vatican II are now in their 70s and 80s. Many are retired. Some are dead. Younger priests, surveys show, are far more conservative.At St. Maria Goretti, once steeped in the ethos of Vatican II, many parishioners saw the changes as a requiem.“I don’t want my daughter to be Catholic,” said Christine Hammond, whose family left the parish when the new outlook spilled into the church’s school and her daughter’s classroom. “Not if this is the Roman Catholic Church that is coming.”But this is not a simple story. Because there are many who welcome this new, old church.They often stand out in the pews, with the men in ties and the women sometimes with the lace head coverings that all but disappeared from American churches more than 50 years ago. Large families signal adherence to the church’s contraception ban, which most Americans have casually ignored.Many yearn for Masses that echo with medieval traditions – more Latin, more incense, more Gregorian chants.“We want this ethereal experience that is different from everything else in our lives,” said Ben Rouleau, who until recently led St. Maria Goretti’s young adult group, which saw membership skyrocket even as the parish shrank amid the turmoil.___If this movement emerged from anywhere, it might be a now-demolished Denver football stadium.Some 500,000 people descended on Denver in 1993 for the Catholic festival World Youth Day.<a href="https://apnews.com/18f1705cf56b44f199f1183fb46e6af6">Pope John Paul II</a>, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-0885152155e64cf59209d4f77b828560">beloved</a>&nbsp;both for his kindness and his sternness, confronted an American church shaped by decades of progressive change.The church had grown increasingly liberal since Vatican II. Confession was rarely mentioned, Latin largely abandoned. Catholic social teaching on poverty suffused churches.On some issues, John Paul II agreed with liberal-minded Catholics, speaking against capital punishment and for workers’ rights. He preached relentlessly about forgiveness.But he was uncompromising on dogma.Catholics “are in danger of losing their faith,” he said in Denver, decrying abortion, drug abuse, and what he called “sexual disorders.”Across the nation, fervent young Catholics listened.Yet even today, surveys show most American Catholics are far from orthodox. Most support abortion rights. The vast majority use birth control.But increasingly, those&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/the-nones/the-nones-us.html">Catholics</a>&nbsp;are not in church.In 1970, more than half of America’s Catholics said they went to Mass at least once a week. By 2022, that had fallen to 17%, according to CARA, a research center affiliated with Georgetown University. Among millennials, it’s just 9%.As a result, those who remain in the church have outsized influence.On the national level, conservatives increasingly dominate the U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference and the Catholic intellectual world. They include everyone from the philanthropist founder of Domino’s Pizza to six of the nine U.S. Supreme Court justices.Then there’s the priesthood.Young priests driven by liberal politics and progressive theology, so common in the 1960s and 70s, have all but vanished.In churches from Minnesota to California, liberal parishioners have protested changes introduced by new conservative priests. Each can seem like one more skirmish in the cultural and political battles tearing at America.Looming above the American divide is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-birthday-trial-21da45380cf0890dd2bd5ce6c33f0fcf">Pope</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-trial-pope-critique-becciu-3cee6a7f78070e590c5e90f31d56d52d">Francis</a>, who has pushed the global church to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">inclusive</a>, even as he stands firm on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-women-still-cant-be-priest-3bdcad94325be16ee2993f61eb17c5a0">dogma</a>.The orthodox movement has watched him nervously, angered by his more liberal views on issues like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-pope-bfa5b71fa79055626e362936e739d1d8">gay relationships</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-43eeaafd67e2429a8fb617e4261db5a4">divorce</a>. Some reject him entirely.And the pope&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-cardinal-burke-conservatives-strickland-163f2d3522a80fa5f908421cc812cfc9">worries</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/catholic-us-bishops-lgbtq-women-pope-francis-81a602274dd604b7cc532425a289b00c">about</a>&nbsp;America.The U.S. church has “a very strong reactionary attitude,” he said last year.St. Maria Goretti is a well-kept island of Catholicism tucked into one of America’s most liberal cities.In 2021, a new priest, the Rev. Scott Emerson, was named pastor.Parishioners watched the changes - some pleased, some uneasily. Emerson’s sermons are not all fire-and-brimstone. He speaks often about forgiveness and compassion. But his tone shocked many longtime parishioners.Protection is needed, he said in a 2023 service, from “the spiritual corruption of worldly vices.” He has warned against critics – “the atheists, journalists, politicians, the fallen-away Catholics” – he said were undermining the church.But those critics, he says, will be proven wrong.“How many have laughed at the church, announcing that she was passe, that her days were over and that they would bury her?” he said in a 2021 Mass.“The church,” he said, “has buried every one of her undertakers.”

Step back in time: America's Catholic Church sees shift toward the old ways

By KAY HAWES Associate Director of News and Media Relations at University of Kansas Medical Center

When we think about nurses in the late 1950s and early 1960s, we&nbsp;don’t&nbsp;usually think about someone rappelling down a cliff, leading an entire hospital on the other side of the world or advising U.S. presidents. We may think about them serving their patients with great dedication, advocating for underserved populations and balancing their domestic duties as a wife and mother with their vocation as a nurse.

Janet Hanneman McNulty, a 1958 graduate of the University of Kansas School of Nursing and a volunteer in the Peace Corps shortly after its establishment in 1961, did all those things — and more.

Although she was born during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl&nbsp;of&nbsp;rural Kansas, Janet Fern Hanneman grew up in a linguistically and culturally rich and diverse world. She was born in a small limestone cottage with neither plumbing nor electricity on her&nbsp;grandparents’&nbsp;farm near Lincoln, Kansas. Her grandmother spoke Swedish, Norwegian, German, Danish and English — all languages spoken in the surrounding Kansas communities.&nbsp;Janet’s&nbsp;mother taught in a one-room schoolhouse. Her&nbsp;father’s&nbsp;first language was German until the outbreak of World War I,&nbsp;following&nbsp;which he spoke English with precision and always in&nbsp;full&nbsp;sentences.

In 1941, the family moved to Washington, Kansas, where Janet, the oldest of five children, graduated from high school in 1954.&nbsp;Located in&nbsp;the&nbsp;north central&nbsp;part of the state, Washington was a cosmopolitan town of about 1,500. Farel Lobaugh, a World War I veteran of the trenches in France, had returned to Washington, where he practiced law, listened to classical music, collected art books and, along with his wife, supported young people in going to KU, including Janet.

&nbsp;Next door to the Hanneman family lived the Huntleys, a physician and a nurse who served as medical missionaries in the 1930s in Sierra Leone, and their children.&nbsp;Janet and Carolyn Huntley, classmates and best friends, both took Mr.&nbsp;Darby’s&nbsp;high school biology class, which they said made college biology seem easy as they prepared to become&nbsp;a nurse and a pediatrician, respectively.

“Washington was an extraordinary community in which to grow up,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;Janet’s&nbsp;sister, Donna Hanneman Kerr, Ph.D. (Columbia University), professor emeritus and former academic vice provost at the University of Washington. Eight years younger than Janet, Kerr says that her big sister was her North Star:&nbsp;“This community enabled me, but for&nbsp;me&nbsp;Janet led the way, giving me a large horizon.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Janet graduated from the nursing program at KU with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1958. The following year, she worked as a psychiatric nurse at Maudsley Hospital in London, England,&nbsp;and&nbsp;then studied for another year as a Rotary Fellow in New Zealand. When President Kennedy announced the creation of the Peace Corps in 1961, it seemed&nbsp;like&nbsp;the perfect fit. Janet was&nbsp;one of&nbsp;the first nurses to serve abroad in the Peace Corps.&nbsp;

“With uncles who served in World War II and a younger brother already in the Air Force, she jumped at the opportunity to serve her country,”&nbsp;said Jim McNulty,&nbsp;Janet’s&nbsp;husband.

Janet received only 30&nbsp;days’&nbsp;notice that she would&nbsp;be shipping out, first&nbsp;for Peace Corps training in Arecibo, Puerto Rico.&nbsp;A photo of her rappelling down a cliff captured the high expectations and&nbsp;the&nbsp;excitement&nbsp;of the time.&nbsp;Even before she arrived in her host country&nbsp;of&nbsp;then West Pakistan, Janet was already unintentionally recruiting for the Peace Corps.

At the Government Mental Hospital in Lahore, Janet used her nursing education to improve&nbsp;basic&nbsp;conditions so quickly that she became well respected despite still being in her 20s.&nbsp;“Ultimately,&nbsp;she was put&nbsp;in charge of leading the development of care in the entire mental hospital,”&nbsp;said Kerr.

The founding director of the Peace Corps, Sargent Shriver, described Janet by name in a speech in 1963:

"Witness Janet Hanneman, a Peace Corps nurse in Pakistan. She was sent to work in a hospital for the mentally ill in Lahore.&nbsp;Her mode of transportation is a bicycle;&nbsp;three times&nbsp;she has had accidents.&nbsp;After the last accident, she carried her arm in a splint for six weeks. When&nbsp;it was healed, she suffered a brain concussion while riding in a motorcycle rickshaw that careened into a ditch; she went on to work and did not discover the concussion until later in the day. That put her to bed for a few days. She recovered. Then, three attacks of amoebic hepatitis put her in the hospital as a patient for periods of 8 days, 19 days, and 25 days. But&nbsp;'Give Up'&nbsp;is not in Janet&nbsp;Hanneman’s&nbsp;vocabulary, and she is back at work in Lahore today, the only psychiatric nurse in&nbsp;all of&nbsp;Pakistan. Not only has she returned to work — she has extended her tour of duty for another year.&nbsp;There are&nbsp;thousands of Volunteers like Janet Hanneman serving in the Peace Corps tonight.&nbsp;They have surprised the world with their patience, compassion, determination, integrity, and dedication.”

When Janet returned from her extended service in West Pakistan, she&nbsp;was featured&nbsp;in a 1965 Life magazine&nbsp;article that discussed Peace Corps volunteers re-integrating into U.S. society. That article was the first to make&nbsp;“culture shock”&nbsp;a household term in the United States.&nbsp;It also explained why Janet was so beloved&nbsp;both&nbsp;in the Peace Corps and&nbsp;in&nbsp;West Pakistan.&nbsp;

“For two and a half years in Pakistan, she almost single-handedly pushed through an astonishing number of improvements — a bed for every patient, the&nbsp;hospital’s&nbsp;first psychiatric research, even a cheerier shade of paint on the wall,”&nbsp;wrote Richard B. Stolley in the March 19, 1965, issue of Life. &nbsp;

"Volunteers like Janet Hanneman McNulty ventured into the unknown;&nbsp;and their passion and drive&nbsp;continues to be an inspiration to&nbsp;us all. Decades later, we see the transformational impact of working side by side, across&nbsp;difference, in a spirit of true partnership,"&nbsp;said Carol Spahn,&nbsp;, the current director of Peace Corps.&nbsp;

Once back in the United States, she worked in Washington, D.C., as a recruiter for the Peace Corps.&nbsp;Janet was recognized by strangers on the street because she appeared in recruiting films and was interviewed on talk shows and radio stations, speaking about everything from how nurses could benefit the Peace Corps to&nbsp;how to manage&nbsp;culture shock when volunteers returned home.&nbsp;&nbsp;

When she was in Washington, a letter arrived at the Hanneman home in Junction City, Kansas, addressed to&nbsp;“Miss Janet, Kansas, USA.”&nbsp;It was from one of her patients in Pakistan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714759666255.jpeg" alt="Janet Hanneman McNulty, shown here at work in Pakistan, became the face of the Peace Corps in the early 1960s. This story about an extraordinary alumna is the first in a series celebrating the 50th anniversary of KU School of Nursing, which began as a nurse training program in 1906 and became its own school in 1974. Image Courtesy KU Medical Center" />
 <figcaption>Janet Hanneman McNulty, shown here at work in Pakistan, became the face of the Peace Corps in the early 1960s. This story about an extraordinary alumna is the first in a series celebrating the 50th anniversary of KU School of Nursing, which began as a nurse training program in 1906 and became its own school in 1974. Image Courtesy KU Medical Center</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAY HAWES Associate Director of News and Media Relations at University of Kansas Medical Center When we think about nurses in the late 1950s and early 1960s, we&nbsp;don’t&nbsp;usually think about someone rappelling down a cliff, leading an entire hospital on the other side of the world or advising U.S. presidents. We may think about them serving their patients with great dedication, advocating for underserved populations and balancing their domestic duties as a wife and mother with their vocation as a nurse.Janet Hanneman McNulty, a 1958 graduate of the University of Kansas School of Nursing and a volunteer in the Peace Corps shortly after its establishment in 1961, did all those things — and more.<h2>Extraordinary beginnings</h2>Although she was born during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl&nbsp;of&nbsp;rural Kansas, Janet Fern Hanneman grew up in a linguistically and culturally rich and diverse world. She was born in a small limestone cottage with neither plumbing nor electricity on her&nbsp;grandparents’&nbsp;farm near Lincoln, Kansas. Her grandmother spoke Swedish, Norwegian, German, Danish and English — all languages spoken in the surrounding Kansas communities.&nbsp;Janet’s&nbsp;mother taught in a one-room schoolhouse. Her&nbsp;father’s&nbsp;first language was German until the outbreak of World War I,&nbsp;following&nbsp;which he spoke English with precision and always in&nbsp;full&nbsp;sentences.In 1941, the family moved to Washington, Kansas, where Janet, the oldest of five children, graduated from high school in 1954.&nbsp;Located in&nbsp;the&nbsp;north central&nbsp;part of the state, Washington was a cosmopolitan town of about 1,500. Farel Lobaugh, a World War I veteran of the trenches in France, had returned to Washington, where he practiced law, listened to classical music, collected art books and, along with his wife, supported young people in going to KU, including Janet.&nbsp;Next door to the Hanneman family lived the Huntleys, a physician and a nurse who served as medical missionaries in the 1930s in Sierra Leone, and their children.&nbsp;Janet and Carolyn Huntley, classmates and best friends, both took Mr.&nbsp;Darby’s&nbsp;high school biology class, which they said made college biology seem easy as they prepared to become&nbsp;a nurse and a pediatrician, respectively.“Washington was an extraordinary community in which to grow up,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;Janet’s&nbsp;sister, Donna Hanneman Kerr, Ph.D. (Columbia University), professor emeritus and former academic vice provost at the University of Washington. Eight years younger than Janet, Kerr says that her big sister was her North Star:&nbsp;“This community enabled me, but for&nbsp;me&nbsp;Janet led the way, giving me a large horizon.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714759645452.jpeg" alt="Janet Hanneman McNulty, a 1958 graduate of KU School of Nursing, as among the first volunteers in the Peace Corps. Image Courtesy&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Janet Hanneman McNulty, a 1958 graduate of KU School of Nursing, as among the first volunteers in the Peace Corps. Image Courtesy&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Faraway places, unusual responsibilities</h2>Janet graduated from the nursing program at KU with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1958. The following year, she worked as a psychiatric nurse at Maudsley Hospital in London, England,&nbsp;and&nbsp;then studied for another year as a Rotary Fellow in New Zealand. When President Kennedy announced the creation of the Peace Corps in 1961, it seemed&nbsp;like&nbsp;the perfect fit. Janet was&nbsp;one of&nbsp;the first nurses to serve abroad in the Peace Corps.&nbsp;“With uncles who served in World War II and a younger brother already in the Air Force, she jumped at the opportunity to serve her country,”&nbsp;said Jim McNulty,&nbsp;Janet’s&nbsp;husband.Janet received only 30&nbsp;days’&nbsp;notice that she would&nbsp;be shipping out, first&nbsp;for Peace Corps training in Arecibo, Puerto Rico.&nbsp;A photo of her rappelling down a cliff captured the high expectations and&nbsp;the&nbsp;excitement&nbsp;of the time.&nbsp;Even before she arrived in her host country&nbsp;of&nbsp;then West Pakistan, Janet was already unintentionally recruiting for the Peace Corps.At the Government Mental Hospital in Lahore, Janet used her nursing education to improve&nbsp;basic&nbsp;conditions so quickly that she became well respected despite still being in her 20s.&nbsp;“Ultimately,&nbsp;she was put&nbsp;in charge of leading the development of care in the entire mental hospital,”&nbsp;said Kerr.The founding director of the Peace Corps, Sargent Shriver, described Janet by name in a speech in 1963:"Witness Janet Hanneman, a Peace Corps nurse in Pakistan. She was sent to work in a hospital for the mentally ill in Lahore.&nbsp;Her mode of transportation is a bicycle;&nbsp;three times&nbsp;she has had accidents.&nbsp;After the last accident, she carried her arm in a splint for six weeks. When&nbsp;it was healed, she suffered a brain concussion while riding in a motorcycle rickshaw that careened into a ditch; she went on to work and did not discover the concussion until later in the day. That put her to bed for a few days. She recovered. Then, three attacks of amoebic hepatitis put her in the hospital as a patient for periods of 8 days, 19 days, and 25 days. But&nbsp;'Give Up'&nbsp;is not in Janet&nbsp;Hanneman’s&nbsp;vocabulary, and she is back at work in Lahore today, the only psychiatric nurse in&nbsp;all of&nbsp;Pakistan. Not only has she returned to work — she has extended her tour of duty for another year.&nbsp;There are&nbsp;thousands of Volunteers like Janet Hanneman serving in the Peace Corps tonight.&nbsp;They have surprised the world with their patience, compassion, determination, integrity, and dedication.”<h2>Face&nbsp;of the Peace Corps</h2>When Janet returned from her extended service in West Pakistan, she&nbsp;was featured&nbsp;in a 1965 Life magazine&nbsp;article that discussed Peace Corps volunteers re-integrating into U.S. society. That article was the first to make&nbsp;“culture shock”&nbsp;a household term in the United States.&nbsp;It also explained why Janet was so beloved&nbsp;both&nbsp;in the Peace Corps and&nbsp;in&nbsp;West Pakistan.&nbsp;“For two and a half years in Pakistan, she almost single-handedly pushed through an astonishing number of improvements — a bed for every patient, the&nbsp;hospital’s&nbsp;first psychiatric research, even a cheerier shade of paint on the wall,”&nbsp;wrote Richard B. Stolley in the March 19, 1965, issue of Life. &nbsp;"Volunteers like Janet Hanneman McNulty ventured into the unknown;&nbsp;and their passion and drive&nbsp;continues to be an inspiration to&nbsp;us all. Decades later, we see the transformational impact of working side by side, across&nbsp;difference, in a spirit of true partnership,"&nbsp;said Carol Spahn,&nbsp;, the current director of Peace Corps.&nbsp;Once back in the United States, she worked in Washington, D.C., as a recruiter for the Peace Corps.&nbsp;Janet was recognized by strangers on the street because she appeared in recruiting films and was interviewed on talk shows and radio stations, speaking about everything from how nurses could benefit the Peace Corps to&nbsp;how to manage&nbsp;culture shock when volunteers returned home.&nbsp;&nbsp;When she was in Washington, a letter arrived at the Hanneman home in Junction City, Kansas, addressed to&nbsp;“Miss Janet, Kansas, USA.”&nbsp;It was from one of her patients in Pakistan.&nbsp;“Apparently&nbsp;those in the Postal Service recognized her from the article in Life magazine.&nbsp;To&nbsp;me&nbsp;it is both touching that one of the patients reached out to her and amazing that the letter found its way to her,”&nbsp;Kerr said.Today’s&nbsp;Peace Corps remembers the impact of those early volunteers.“The Peace Corps Volunteers who served in the&nbsp;early years of the agency&nbsp;laid the foundation for all who came after them,”&nbsp;Spahn said.&nbsp;“Volunteers like Janet Hanneman McNulty ventured into the unknown;&nbsp;and&nbsp;their passion and drive&nbsp;continues&nbsp;to&nbsp;be an inspiration to&nbsp;us all.&nbsp;Decades later, we see the transformational impact of working side by side, across&nbsp;difference, in a spirit of true partnership. A lot has changed since then, but the core principles that the Peace Corps&nbsp;was founded&nbsp;on have not.”<h2>Always a nurse</h2>When&nbsp;Janet’s&nbsp;recruiting efforts took her to St.&nbsp;Mary’s&nbsp;Catholic School in Tampa, Florida,&nbsp;there was&nbsp;a young businessman&nbsp;there&nbsp;on a company trip&nbsp;who&nbsp;crossed her path.&nbsp;“It was late, after midnight,”&nbsp;Jim McNulty said. Janet was setting up for a Peace Corps event the next day, and she immediately put him to work.“When you stand before three nuns and a beautiful lady, you do whatever they need&nbsp;done,”&nbsp;said Jim McNulty. Not&nbsp;even&nbsp;knowing who she was, he asked her to join him for breakfast the next day.&nbsp;She&nbsp;declined.&nbsp;But she, along with&nbsp;other Peace Corps nurses,&nbsp;did have dinner with him — chicken and yellow rice — before she left town.&nbsp;Now 95, James McNulty&nbsp;still&nbsp;remembers taking Janet to play touch football on the beach:&nbsp;“She caught the ball like a pro!”Janet and Jim were married in August 1965.&nbsp;At the time, Jim was the youngest-ever vice president of Sears &amp; Roebuck. He credits much of his career success to Janet, who adopted his four children and got her license to practice wherever his job took their family — Illinois, Virginia,&nbsp;California. &nbsp;“She was the most amazing person&nbsp;I’ve&nbsp;ever met,”&nbsp;Jim continued.&nbsp;“And she was always a nurse. For her, nursing was the big&nbsp;thing,&nbsp;until the day she died.”The family ended up in California, where Janet never stopped promoting nursing and education. Like her sister, many people looked up to Janet, then and now. One of her granddaughters now manages a nursing scholarship program in her name.&nbsp;Another granddaughter is in practice with a doctorate in nursing. Kerr said,&nbsp;“I&nbsp;don’t&nbsp;know how many young people she has encouraged to become a nurse, but&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;at least&nbsp;hundreds,&nbsp;in this and other countries."