By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina Post

Early Monday morning, a suspect broke into Chuck's Bar and burglarized a cash arcade game, causing a total loss of $12,000.

According to Salina Police Department Capt. James Feldman, around 6:40 a.m., an unknown suspect broke into the business through a window on the southwest corner of the building.

"They gained entry and then damaged the Dragon's Ascent game," Feldman said. "[They] destroyed it and took the cash from it — it looks like the total loss with the cost of the machine is going to be around $12,000 — the machine was totaled."

Dragon's Ascent, A Game of Skill and Strategy, is an arcade-like game that provides actual cash prizes for its players.

Feldman said the suspect entered and exited through the window they broke and that officers would investigate the video footage captured from the business once it reached SPD.

"It doesn't sound like, from what they could see on the video, that there's going to be really good descriptors of it," Feldman said. "But we're still waiting for them to be able to get it to us."

Salina Post will update the story as more information becomes available.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/a1a0c43c-e01b-4802-bfb1-9ff5c34392f7">SPD investigating break-in at Schlotzsky's over the weekend</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574355645622.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostEarly Monday morning, a suspect broke into Chuck's Bar and burglarized a cash arcade game, causing a total loss of $12,000.According to Salina Police Department Capt. James Feldman, around 6:40 a.m., an unknown suspect broke into the business through a window on the southwest corner of the building."They gained entry and then damaged the Dragon's Ascent game," Feldman said. "[They] destroyed it and took the cash from it — it looks like the total loss with the cost of the machine is going to be around $12,000 — the machine was totaled."Dragon's Ascent, A Game of Skill and Strategy, is an arcade-like game that provides actual cash prizes for its players.Feldman said the suspect entered and exited through the window they broke and that officers would investigate the video footage captured from the business once it reached SPD."It doesn't sound like, from what they could see on the video, that there's going to be really good descriptors of it," Feldman said. "But we're still waiting for them to be able to get it to us."Salina Post will update the story as more information becomes available.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/a1a0c43c-e01b-4802-bfb1-9ff5c34392f7">SPD investigating break-in at Schlotzsky's over the weekend</a>

Suspect breaks into Chuck's Bar and destroys arcade game for cash inside

Tuesday, February 6, 2024, 9:00 a.m. 300 W Ash Room 107 Salina, Kansas 67401 Board of County Commissioners: Monte Shadwick - District 1 Robert Vidricksen II - District 2 Rodger Sparks - District 3 James Weese - District 4 Chairman, Joe Hay Jr. - District 5

County offices will be open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, unless otherwise noted.

If you need any assistance in participating in any meeting or event due to a disability as defined under ADA, please call the County’s ADA Coordinator at (785) 309-5812 or email leamerm@salinecountyks.gov prior to the scheduled meeting or event to request accommodations.

D. Consent Agenda 1. Approval of Tax Roll Adjustments 2. Approval of Accounts Payable 3. Approval of Public Forum Agenda 4. Approval of Payroll 5. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=27&amp;Tab=attachments">Approval of Addendum to ARPA-Funded MOU on Co-Responders 3 - 6</a> 6. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=28&amp;Tab=attachments">Approval of Re-appointments to the 28th Judicial Nominating</a> 7. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=30&amp;Tab=attachments">Service Contract - Physical Therapy Saline County Health Department Home Health and Deanna Pruitt, PTA</a>

E. Action Items 1. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=26&amp;Tab=attachments">HMEPG Applications for FY24, 2024-20 14 - 46</a> 2. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=33&amp;Tab=attachments">Election Physical Security Regulation Grant, 2024-21 47 - 49</a> 3. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=22&amp;Tab=attachments">Creation of New Budget Department, 2024-16 50 - 52</a>

F. Informational Items 1. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=23&amp;Tab=attachments">Senior Services Quarter Update Oct – Dec 2023, 2024-17 53 - 57</a> 2. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=25&amp;Tab=attachments">Planning and Zoning Year End Update for 2023, 2024-18 58 - 58</a> 3. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=29&amp;Tab=attachments">County Administrator Update 020624 59 - 59</a> 4. Commissioner Comments 5. Announcements

G. Executive Session 1. Attorney/Client Privilege

H. 02/13/2024 Agenda Items 1. Appraisers Update 2. Emergency Management Update 3. Bid Award-2024 Roadway Materials-Pipe Culverts &amp; Bridge Decking 4. Budget Schedule

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701016826196.jpeg" alt="Snow blankets the Salina City and Saline County building during a snowstorm on Saturday, Nov. 25, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Snow blankets the Salina City and Saline County building during a snowstorm on Saturday, Nov. 25, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTTuesday, February 6, 2024, 9:00 a.m. 300 W Ash Room 107 Salina, Kansas 67401 Board of County Commissioners: Monte Shadwick - District 1 Robert Vidricksen II - District 2 Rodger Sparks - District 3 James Weese - District 4 Chairman, Joe Hay Jr. - District 5County offices will be open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, unless otherwise noted.If you need any assistance in participating in any meeting or event due to a disability as defined under ADA, please call the County’s ADA Coordinator at (785) 309-5812 or email leamerm@salinecountyks.gov prior to the scheduled meeting or event to request accommodations.A. Call To OrderB. Flag Salute &amp; Moment of SilenceC. Public ForumD. Consent Agenda 1. Approval of Tax Roll Adjustments 2. Approval of Accounts Payable 3. Approval of Public Forum Agenda 4. Approval of Payroll 5. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=27&amp;Tab=attachments">Approval of Addendum to ARPA-Funded MOU on Co-Responders 3 - 6</a> 6. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=28&amp;Tab=attachments">Approval of Re-appointments to the 28th Judicial Nominating</a> 7. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=30&amp;Tab=attachments">Service Contract - Physical Therapy Saline County Health Department Home Health and Deanna Pruitt, PTA</a>E. Action Items 1. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=26&amp;Tab=attachments">HMEPG Applications for FY24, 2024-20 14 - 46</a> 2. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=33&amp;Tab=attachments">Election Physical Security Regulation Grant, 2024-21 47 - 49</a> 3. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=22&amp;Tab=attachments">Creation of New Budget Department, 2024-16 50 - 52</a>F. Informational Items 1. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=23&amp;Tab=attachments">Senior Services Quarter Update Oct – Dec 2023, 2024-17 53 - 57</a> 2. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=25&amp;Tab=attachments">Planning and Zoning Year End Update for 2023, 2024-18 58 - 58</a> 3. <a href="https://pub-salinecounty.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=55f7d201-ca61-4dc0-8ec0-c71bcf620e71&amp;lang=English&amp;Agenda=Agenda&amp;Item=29&amp;Tab=attachments">County Administrator Update 020624 59 - 59</a> 4. Commissioner Comments 5. AnnouncementsG. Executive Session 1. Attorney/Client PrivilegeH. 02/13/2024 Agenda Items 1. Appraisers Update 2. Emergency Management Update 3. Bid Award-2024 Roadway Materials-Pipe Culverts &amp; Bridge Decking 4. Budget ScheduleI. Adjournment

Saline County Commission agenda, Tuesday, Feb. 6

An unknown suspect broke into Schlotzsky's over the weekend and stole an undisclosed amount of cash from the business.

According to SPD Capt. James Feldman, at 10 a.m. Sunday morning, staff at Schlotzsky's reported to officers that cash was missing from the business.

"Officers did find forced entry," Feldman said. "An undetermined amount of money, right now, has been stolen."

Feldman said officers found evidence of the forced entry in the back of the restaurant at 2480 S. 9th St.

"We are continuing the investigation," Feldman said. "I know some officers checked the surrounding area and didn't find anything."

It is unknown if any video evidence of the crime is available for the investigation. 

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/28ee9989-31bb-4fbd-9f38-bac12ff3fb6b">🎙King in the Community: Mitch Robinson, Salina Economic Development</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574355645622.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostAn unknown suspect broke into Schlotzsky's over the weekend and stole an undisclosed amount of cash from the business.According to SPD Capt. James Feldman, at 10 a.m. Sunday morning, staff at Schlotzsky's reported to officers that cash was missing from the business."Officers did find forced entry," Feldman said. "An undetermined amount of money, right now, has been stolen."Feldman said officers found evidence of the forced entry in the back of the restaurant at 2480 S. 9th St."We are continuing the investigation," Feldman said. "I know some officers checked the surrounding area and didn't find anything."It is unknown if any video evidence of the crime is available for the investigation. Salina Post will update the story as more information becomes available.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/28ee9989-31bb-4fbd-9f38-bac12ff3fb6b">🎙King in the Community: Mitch Robinson, Salina Economic Development</a>

SPD investigating break-in at Schlotzsky's over the weekend

Submitted The KWU Debate and Forensics&nbsp;team posted strong results&nbsp;at the Clash of the Climates Parliamentary and Debate Tournament&nbsp;in late January&nbsp;at Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska.

In extemporaneous speaking, Savannah Bonilla (Salina, Kan.) placed first and Tia Marion (Salina) placed second.&nbsp;Bonilla took fourth in impromptu speaking&nbsp;and the pair combined to win the parliamentary debate competition.

In individual sweeps awards, overall, Bonilla took first place and Marion second.

Twelve private and public universities competed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701016645030.jpeg" alt="Pioneer Hall at Kansas Wesleyan University during a snowstorm on Saturday, Nov. 25, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Pioneer Hall at Kansas Wesleyan University during a snowstorm on Saturday, Nov. 25, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Submitted The KWU Debate and Forensics&nbsp;team posted strong results&nbsp;at the Clash of the Climates Parliamentary and Debate Tournament&nbsp;in late January&nbsp;at Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska.In extemporaneous speaking, Savannah Bonilla (Salina, Kan.) placed first and Tia Marion (Salina) placed second.&nbsp;Bonilla took fourth in impromptu speaking&nbsp;and the pair combined to win the parliamentary debate competition.In individual sweeps awards, overall, Bonilla took first place and Marion second.Twelve private and public universities competed.

KWU debate team member places first at Nebraska tournament

In a flash of energetic characters, quick dialogue, and engaging scene work, Theatre Salina actors took to the Sunflower Financial Theatre stage and provided an intimate performance of "The Odd Couple, Female Version."

"The Odd Couple" is an original screenplay by Neil Simon, which initially portrays a group of men living in New York City who play Poker together in Oscar Madison's smoke-filled, sloppy apartment.

Simon replaced Oscar's character with Olive Madison, the female counterpart he described as "attractive, divorced, professional." The other main character of the original screenplay, Felix Unger, is replaced with Florence Unger, described as "attractive, a homemaker/housewife."

The revised characters mirror their male counterparts, with Olive remaining unbelievably sloppy yet charismatic and energetic. Florence also reflects Felix as she is obsessively organized and drives Olive mad throughout the narrative with her continuous cleaning of their shared apartment.

Upon presentation of each main character, the costume design matched these descriptions, with Olive sporting a ball cap, flannel and blue jeans and Florence in a well-kept dress and cardigan.

A review of "The Odd Couple, Female Version"

As the lights to the Sunflower Financial  Theatre lit up the stage and glowed on audience members' faces, the first scene opens with four women sitting around a table in Olive's untidy New York City apartment.

Dice clack between Kristina Freeland's hands as she begins the play with the line, "C'mon baby, we need a piece of the pie!" portraying the character Mickey, a New York City police officer.

Her friends surround her at the table, including Sylvie, played by Lindsey Rojas — Renee, portrayed by Robin Dutton and Vera, played by Sara Young, with Olive making sandwiches for the group in the kitchen, off stage.&nbsp;

The costuming remains consistent here, with each character portraying their roles well. Mickey is dressed in her work uniform, complete with a badge and toolbelt, while the other ladies' fashion choices match the character's personalities well.

This first scene had the entire audience cackling at the line delivery and jokes put in place. The director, Amanda Reynolds, made great stage, costuming and production choices, where the actors felt like friends who had known each other for years surviving in New York City.

Olive enters the stage with a plate full of smelly sandwiches, likely made with expired meats and cheeses. She joins her group of friends at the table and comments about how they are missing one member, Florence.

A string of phone calls allows the audience to take a closer look into the character's personal lives, with the first call answered by Mickey, who regretfully admits to Olive that the person on the line was none other than her ex-husband asking for more money.

Mickey and the rest of the group are married except for Olive at the show's beginning, but the group soon receives another call after Mickey nervously waits for Florence to arrive.

The phone call is from Florence's now ex-husband, who filed for divorce.

All erupt into hysteria around the table, crying out in worry for Florence's safety as they call her "dramatic" and claim she'll attempt suicide if left alone.

The original screenplay also has this scene, but the men are more dismissive of Felix's outburst, while the women version continuously acts scared and hysterical.

Allison Yaple, who portrays Olive, plays the scene well, retaining the New York accent through convincing lines of dialogue, attempting to calm her friends as the doorbell rings. Through the stage door, Florence, portrayed by Shawna Carter, walks in, matching the theatrics and introducing her character as one of obsessive hysteria.

The group of women then try to calm Florence, tiptoeing around questions on whether she planned to harm herself, and they quickly find they're correct that Florence would use the attempt for attention.

As Florence entered the stage, the emersion broke as Carter struggled to continue a New York accent. Not all the other actors kept a New York accent, so Reynolds could have directed Carter to follow suit instead of a challenging New York accent.

Besides Florence's accent, Carter plays the character and scene with over-the-top line delivery and intense expressions alongside Olive.

The ending of this scene marks the tone of the rest of the set, with Olive offering her home for Florence to stay while she gets back on her feet — thus beginning the central conflict between characters.

Olive and Florence are opposites in the home, with Olive remaining sloppy and carefree while Florence picks up after her relentlessly. These characters portray the two extremes of what men think of women — either a nitpicky housewife who drives the husband mad or a woman who doesn't do enough work and isn't "worthy" of being a wife.

When comparing the Female Version to Simon's initial screenplay of "The Odd Couple," there's not a lot of difference in the script, showing a lack of nuance in the intricate lives of women. Instead of just "repainting" the characters, Simon could have changed the script to reflect the complex worlds that groups of women create.

Once Florence and Olive begin living together, Olive's apartment, the set of the play, transforms into a beautiful home, well-kept by Florence. At first, they live harmoniously with each other — Florence enjoyed the company while Olive enjoyed a cleaner place.

Soon, Olive tells Florence that, as single women, they should explore and meet the two Spanish gentlemen living in the building. The two men are brothers, Jesus and Manolo Costazuela, played by Loren Young and Joel Bicknell.&nbsp;

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/fb920b02-c109-4a6f-abd7-774966887c9e">📸 Flashback Friday: Salina Post - The Indian Burial Pit - Vol. 27</a>

Both men portray the characters well through broken Spanish accents but remain tender and hilarious throughout their scenes. When the men first meet Florence and Olive, they immediately begin gravitating toward Florence since her divorce was just a few weeks before.

The men connect with Florence well since they had recently divorced their wives in Spain and moved to New York City to start a new life. They sit together closely, sharing experiences while Olive prepares drinks in the kitchen, away from the stage.

During these scenes, the setting only elevated the performance, with moody lighting from a simple chandelier above the table and the audience merely feet away from the actors.&nbsp;

Overall, the lighting work complemented the stage, with warm spotlighting to direct the audience's focus through each scene.

The Costazuela brothers later invite the women to their apartment for more food and drinks.&nbsp;

Before the two women walk through the door to follow, Florence tells Olive that she does not want to go and makes a scene of "breaking her back" and that she's still emotionally tied to her ex-husband.

Florence's dramatic nature ruins the night for Olive, who then begins taking her frustration out on her roommate with another hilarious scene.

The next day, Olive is sitting on the couch in the living room when Florence walks past with a plate of fresh spaghetti. With a smug look, Olive crosses the room with a can of deodorizer and sprays all around Florence as she sits at the table, ready to eat her plate of food.

As a final display of annoyance, Olive sprays the plate, which causes the last fight between the women.

This begins the conclusion of the play — the women fight with Olive, kicking Florence out of the apartment, so Florence packs her things and storms through the door.

Later, the group of friends revisits Olive's apartment for game night. As the group surrounds the table, a knock raps against Olive's door.&nbsp;

Vera answers the door because Olive claims it's probably Florence returning to beg for forgiveness and a place to stay, and she doesn't want to see her.

Surprisingly, it's instead the Costazuela brothers who visit with Florence to retrieve some of her clothes from the apartment.

Monolo Costazuela informs Olive that he and his brother invited Florence to stay in their apartment while she gets back on her feet.

After further conversation and confusion, the brothers and Florence retrieve the rest of her things and leave, and the women return to their game night as the lights fade on the stage.

In conclusion, a hilarious American soap opera

In conclusion, the entire screenplay was well directed, with convincing performances from the actors who leaned into the comedic aspects of each scene.

Something delightful was the dynamic between the group of women — each time Mickey, Vera, Sylvie, Renee, and Olive sat around the table for game night, the actresses stole the stage with witty and quick line delivery.

Carter performed the character of Florence thoroughly with an over-the-top dramatic line delivery that felt right at home with a woman who adores soap opera media and performances.

The entire theatrical production did well on the show in the round stage, providing the community with an entertaining and delightfully hilarious performance of a facet of American history.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706984825306.jpeg" alt="Graphic courtesy Theatre Salina" />
 <figcaption>Graphic courtesy Theatre Salina</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostIn a flash of energetic characters, quick dialogue, and engaging scene work, Theatre Salina actors took to the Sunflower Financial Theatre stage and provided an intimate performance of "The Odd Couple, Female Version.""The Odd Couple" is an original screenplay by Neil Simon, which initially portrays a group of men living in New York City who play Poker together in Oscar Madison's smoke-filled, sloppy apartment.Simon replaced Oscar's character with Olive Madison, the female counterpart he described as "attractive, divorced, professional." The other main character of the original screenplay, Felix Unger, is replaced with Florence Unger, described as "attractive, a homemaker/housewife."The revised characters mirror their male counterparts, with Olive remaining unbelievably sloppy yet charismatic and energetic. Florence also reflects Felix as she is obsessively organized and drives Olive mad throughout the narrative with her continuous cleaning of their shared apartment.Upon presentation of each main character, the costume design matched these descriptions, with Olive sporting a ball cap, flannel and blue jeans and Florence in a well-kept dress and cardigan.<h2>A review of "The Odd Couple, Female Version"</h2>As the lights to the Sunflower Financial Theatre lit up the stage and glowed on audience members' faces, the first scene opens with four women sitting around a table in Olive's untidy New York City apartment.Dice clack between Kristina Freeland's hands as she begins the play with the line, "C'mon baby, we need a piece of the pie!" portraying the character Mickey, a New York City police officer.Her friends surround her at the table, including Sylvie, played by Lindsey Rojas — Renee, portrayed by Robin Dutton and Vera, played by Sara Young, with Olive making sandwiches for the group in the kitchen, off stage.&nbsp;The costuming remains consistent here, with each character portraying their roles well. Mickey is dressed in her work uniform, complete with a badge and toolbelt, while the other ladies' fashion choices match the character's personalities well.This first scene had the entire audience cackling at the line delivery and jokes put in place. The director, Amanda Reynolds, made great stage, costuming and production choices, where the actors felt like friends who had known each other for years surviving in New York City.Olive enters the stage with a plate full of smelly sandwiches, likely made with expired meats and cheeses. She joins her group of friends at the table and comments about how they are missing one member, Florence.A string of phone calls allows the audience to take a closer look into the character's personal lives, with the first call answered by Mickey, who regretfully admits to Olive that the person on the line was none other than her ex-husband asking for more money.Mickey and the rest of the group are married except for Olive at the show's beginning, but the group soon receives another call after Mickey nervously waits for Florence to arrive.The phone call is from Florence's now ex-husband, who filed for divorce.All erupt into hysteria around the table, crying out in worry for Florence's safety as they call her "dramatic" and claim she'll attempt suicide if left alone.The original screenplay also has this scene, but the men are more dismissive of Felix's outburst, while the women version continuously acts scared and hysterical.Allison Yaple, who portrays Olive, plays the scene well, retaining the New York accent through convincing lines of dialogue, attempting to calm her friends as the doorbell rings. Through the stage door, Florence, portrayed by Shawna Carter, walks in, matching the theatrics and introducing her character as one of obsessive hysteria.The group of women then try to calm Florence, tiptoeing around questions on whether she planned to harm herself, and they quickly find they're correct that Florence would use the attempt for attention.As Florence entered the stage, the emersion broke as Carter struggled to continue a New York accent. Not all the other actors kept a New York accent, so Reynolds could have directed Carter to follow suit instead of a challenging New York accent.Besides Florence's accent, Carter plays the character and scene with over-the-top line delivery and intense expressions alongside Olive.The ending of this scene marks the tone of the rest of the set, with Olive offering her home for Florence to stay while she gets back on her feet — thus beginning the central conflict between characters.Olive and Florence are opposites in the home, with Olive remaining sloppy and carefree while Florence picks up after her relentlessly. These characters portray the two extremes of what men think of women — either a nitpicky housewife who drives the husband mad or a woman who doesn't do enough work and isn't "worthy" of being a wife.When comparing the Female Version to Simon's initial screenplay of "The Odd Couple," there's not a lot of difference in the script, showing a lack of nuance in the intricate lives of women. Instead of just "repainting" the characters, Simon could have changed the script to reflect the complex worlds that groups of women create.Once Florence and Olive begin living together, Olive's apartment, the set of the play, transforms into a beautiful home, well-kept by Florence. At first, they live harmoniously with each other — Florence enjoyed the company while Olive enjoyed a cleaner place.Soon, Olive tells Florence that, as single women, they should explore and meet the two Spanish gentlemen living in the building. The two men are brothers, Jesus and Manolo Costazuela, played by Loren Young and Joel Bicknell.&nbsp;READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/fb920b02-c109-4a6f-abd7-774966887c9e">📸 Flashback Friday: Salina Post - The Indian Burial Pit - Vol. 27</a>Both men portray the characters well through broken Spanish accents but remain tender and hilarious throughout their scenes. When the men first meet Florence and Olive, they immediately begin gravitating toward Florence since her divorce was just a few weeks before.The men connect with Florence well since they had recently divorced their wives in Spain and moved to New York City to start a new life. They sit together closely, sharing experiences while Olive prepares drinks in the kitchen, away from the stage.During these scenes, the setting only elevated the performance, with moody lighting from a simple chandelier above the table and the audience merely feet away from the actors.&nbsp;Overall, the lighting work complemented the stage, with warm spotlighting to direct the audience's focus through each scene.The Costazuela brothers later invite the women to their apartment for more food and drinks.&nbsp;Before the two women walk through the door to follow, Florence tells Olive that she does not want to go and makes a scene of "breaking her back" and that she's still emotionally tied to her ex-husband.Florence's dramatic nature ruins the night for Olive, who then begins taking her frustration out on her roommate with another hilarious scene.The next day, Olive is sitting on the couch in the living room when Florence walks past with a plate of fresh spaghetti. With a smug look, Olive crosses the room with a can of deodorizer and sprays all around Florence as she sits at the table, ready to eat her plate of food.As a final display of annoyance, Olive sprays the plate, which causes the last fight between the women.This begins the conclusion of the play — the women fight with Olive, kicking Florence out of the apartment, so Florence packs her things and storms through the door.Later, the group of friends revisits Olive's apartment for game night. As the group surrounds the table, a knock raps against Olive's door.&nbsp;Vera answers the door because Olive claims it's probably Florence returning to beg for forgiveness and a place to stay, and she doesn't want to see her.Surprisingly, it's instead the Costazuela brothers who visit with Florence to retrieve some of her clothes from the apartment.Monolo Costazuela informs Olive that he and his brother invited Florence to stay in their apartment while she gets back on her feet.After further conversation and confusion, the brothers and Florence retrieve the rest of her things and leave, and the women return to their game night as the lights fade on the stage.<h2>In conclusion, a hilarious American soap opera</h2>In conclusion, the entire screenplay was well directed, with convincing performances from the actors who leaned into the comedic aspects of each scene.Something delightful was the dynamic between the group of women — each time Mickey, Vera, Sylvie, Renee, and Olive sat around the table for game night, the actresses stole the stage with witty and quick line delivery.Carter performed the character of Florence thoroughly with an over-the-top dramatic line delivery that felt right at home with a woman who adores soap opera media and performances.The entire theatrical production did well on the show in the round stage, providing the community with an entertaining and delightfully hilarious performance of a facet of American history.

'The Odd Couple, Female Version' review — an American soap-opera comedy

A Falun resident stole another resident's vehicle late Thursday evening after wrongfully believing he had permission to use the car.

Saline County Sheriff's Office deputies reported to a Falun residence around 8:30 p.m. Thursday after they received a call regarding the theft of a 2001 Ford Taurus valued at $2,100.

When deputies arrived, they began searching the area and found the car and its driver, 36-year-old Falun resident Alexander Rothrock, near Falun and South Centennial roads.

Sheriff's Office Capt. James Hughes said when deputies conversed with Rothrock, he informed them that he thought he had permission from the owner to drive the vehicle. 

Deputies then arrested Rothrock and later requested charges for theft.

"The vehicle was returned to the owner without any damage or any other missing items," Hughes said.

According to Hughes, Rothrock acquired the vehicle's keys from borrowing the car previously, but the owner decided to strip that permission away, and Rothrock allegedly didn't know.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/0145e9c7-1e37-4b57-95dd-7816729e2873">'The Odd Couple, Female Version' review — an American soap-opera comedy</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1698873143602.png" alt="The Saline County Sheriff's Office located at 800 E. Pacific Avenue in Salina. " />
 <figcaption>The Saline County Sheriff's Office located at 800 E. Pacific Avenue in Salina. </figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostA Falun resident stole another resident's vehicle late Thursday evening after wrongfully believing he had permission to use the car.Saline County Sheriff's Office deputies reported to a Falun residence around 8:30 p.m. Thursday after they received a call regarding the theft of a 2001 Ford Taurus valued at $2,100.When deputies arrived, they began searching the area and found the car and its driver, 36-year-old Falun resident Alexander Rothrock, near Falun and South Centennial roads.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589549239349.jpeg" alt="Rothrock, Alexander James" />
 <figcaption>Rothrock, Alexander James</figcaption>
 </figure>Sheriff's Office Capt. James Hughes said when deputies conversed with Rothrock, he informed them that he thought he had permission from the owner to drive the vehicle. Deputies then arrested Rothrock and later requested charges for theft."The vehicle was returned to the owner without any damage or any other missing items," Hughes said.According to Hughes, Rothrock acquired the vehicle's keys from borrowing the car previously, but the owner decided to strip that permission away, and Rothrock allegedly didn't know.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/0145e9c7-1e37-4b57-95dd-7816729e2873">'The Odd Couple, Female Version' review — an American soap-opera comedy</a>

Saline County Sheriff's Office arrests Falun resident for car theft

A Salina man hit a Dillons employee and customer across the face with his belt late Wednesday evening after becoming disorderly and aggressive in the store.

Salina Police Department officers responded to the Dillons grocery store at 1201 W. Crawford St. at about 9:15 p.m. after an employee called SPD to report a disorderly subject who refused to leave the store.

According to SPD Capt. James Feldman, 27-year-old Salina resident Kish Cox, entered Dillons and became disruptive with employees, and after a 59-year-old employee told Kish to leave, he became aggressive.

"The employee got her phone and told Kish she was calling police," Feldman said. "Kish knocked the phone out of her hand and punched her in the shoulder, where the employee had a pen which broke and sprayed ink on her shirt."

Feldman said the employee called out for help, and another 29-year-old Dillons employee went to assist. 

Kish then slapped the employee across the face with his belt, and when a female customer attempted to confront Kish, he struck her in the face with a belt, too.

Officers then arrived at the scene and arrested Kish without further incident. 

The three victims had minor injuries, and SPD officers requested charges for one count of aggravated intimidation of a witness, four counts of battery, criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/0c20b55f-d926-4b4d-b3d8-2913afad07f9">Salina Public Library brings community together with literature</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706793056185.jpeg" alt="Cox, Kish Balance" />
 <figcaption>Cox, Kish Balance</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostA Salina man hit a Dillons employee and customer across the face with his belt late Wednesday evening after becoming disorderly and aggressive in the store.Salina Police Department officers responded to the Dillons grocery store at 1201 W. Crawford St. at about 9:15 p.m. after an employee called SPD to report a disorderly subject who refused to leave the store.According to SPD Capt. James Feldman, 27-year-old Salina resident Kish Cox, entered Dillons and became disruptive with employees, and after a 59-year-old employee told Kish to leave, he became aggressive."The employee got her phone and told Kish she was calling police," Feldman said. "Kish knocked the phone out of her hand and punched her in the shoulder, where the employee had a pen which broke and sprayed ink on her shirt."Feldman said the employee called out for help, and another 29-year-old Dillons employee went to assist. Kish then slapped the employee across the face with his belt, and when a female customer attempted to confront Kish, he struck her in the face with a belt, too.Officers then arrived at the scene and arrested Kish without further incident. The three victims had minor injuries, and SPD officers requested charges for one count of aggravated intimidation of a witness, four counts of battery, criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/0c20b55f-d926-4b4d-b3d8-2913afad07f9">Salina Public Library brings community together with literature</a>

SPD arrests Salina man who attacked victims in Dillons with a belt

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina Post

Many people connect through shared media, literature and activities to build community, and at the Salina Public Library, staff aim to continue bringing Salina residents closer together.

The Salina Public Library will kick off its month-long&nbsp;<a href="https://calendar.salinapubliclibrary.org/event/salina-reads-kickoff-event-34482">Salina Reads</a>&nbsp;event this weekend with multiple presentations and bee-themed children's programs in the library.

"Our whole goal with this is to bring our community together," said Katie Zey, the head of marketing at Salina Public Library. "We want to do that through literature and reading, but also all the programs and opportunities we're trying to give the public for free."

"We want people to come together and learn some really cool stuff and have fun with it."

Presentations and coinciding children's programming will begin at 10:15 a.m. and conclude at noon throughout the library.

"Lab Girl" by Hope Jahren has set this year's theme around science, technology, engineering, math, nature and mental health. Each event will feature a different aspect of the book, a memoir of Jahren's life as a woman in the STEM industry.

The kick-off event will feature multiple keynote speakers, including Esther Kency from the Central Kansas Mental Health Center, Laura van der Pol from The Land Institute, and Sabrina Rosario from the Kansas Wesleyan University Community Resilience HUB.

While adults listen in on the conversations upstairs, local beekeepers from AJ's Honey Farms will entertain the children with a new coinciding program.

"The first one is just a general program on beekeeping and how that works and why we do it," Zey said. "We also have one following that, called 'DIY Bee Hotels,' and it talks about what the colony looks like and some of the different biological processes involved."

READ MORE: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/ba00e635-d63b-4ef2-9c19-fb781417120a">North Ottawa County Schools hires USD 305 director of secondary education</a>

Local artists will join the stage between presentations and perform music by Ann Zimmerman and poetry by Aubrey Streit Krug.

The library will also hand out free copies of "Lab Girl" to attendees to join in on the literature that centered this year's Salina Reads.

Throughout the rest of the month, the library's local partners will host various events covering more aspects of science, nature and mental health.

The next event to continue Salina Reads is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 8, at the Salina Art Center Cinema, 150 S. Santa Fe Ave., where attendees will watch the film "Picture a Scientist" directed by Sharon Shattuck and Ian Cheney.

Kansas Wesleyan University Biology Professor Elizabeth Tharman will lead a discussion following the documentary.

Multiple community partners, including Ad Astra Books &amp; Coffeehouse, Red Fern Booksellers, and KWU, will host book discussions over "Lab Girl" throughout the month.

The only paid event throughout the series is a Mental Health First Aid class with a ticket price of only $5.

"We don't want anything to cost any money if we can," Zey said. "We received two grants that helped us fund most of this month."

The two grants that supplied the funding for these events include one from Humanities Kansas and another through the Salina Arts &amp; Humanities Horizons Grant program.

The month-long endeavor will conclude with a presentation from the Up Guys covering mental health for children.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706826002944.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostMany people connect through shared media, literature and activities to build community, and at the Salina Public Library, staff aim to continue bringing Salina residents closer together.The Salina Public Library will kick off its month-long&nbsp;<a href="https://calendar.salinapubliclibrary.org/event/salina-reads-kickoff-event-34482">Salina Reads</a>&nbsp;event this weekend with multiple presentations and bee-themed children's programs in the library.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706826077862.png" alt="Image Courtesy Salina Public Library" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy Salina Public Library</figcaption>
 </figure>"Our whole goal with this is to bring our community together," said Katie Zey, the head of marketing at Salina Public Library. "We want to do that through literature and reading, but also all the programs and opportunities we're trying to give the public for free.""We want people to come together and learn some really cool stuff and have fun with it."Presentations and coinciding children's programming will begin at 10:15 a.m. and conclude at noon throughout the library.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706825089760.png" alt="Various book discussions over "Lab Girl" across town. Graphic courtesy Salina Public Library" />
 <figcaption>Various book discussions over "Lab Girl" across town. Graphic courtesy Salina Public Library</figcaption>
 </figure>"Lab Girl" by Hope Jahren has set this year's theme around science, technology, engineering, math, nature and mental health. Each event will feature a different aspect of the book, a memoir of Jahren's life as a woman in the STEM industry.The kick-off event will feature multiple keynote speakers, including Esther Kency from the Central Kansas Mental Health Center, Laura van der Pol from The Land Institute, and Sabrina Rosario from the Kansas Wesleyan University Community Resilience HUB.While adults listen in on the conversations upstairs, local beekeepers from AJ's Honey Farms will entertain the children with a new coinciding program."The first one is just a general program on beekeeping and how that works and why we do it," Zey said. "We also have one following that, called 'DIY Bee Hotels,' and it talks about what the colony looks like and some of the different biological processes involved."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706825158776.png" alt="A 'Lunch and Learn' event at Kansas Wesleyan University Peters Science Hall. Graphic courtesy Salina Public Library" />
 <figcaption>A 'Lunch and Learn' event at Kansas Wesleyan University Peters Science Hall. Graphic courtesy Salina Public Library</figcaption>
 </figure>READ MORE: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/ba00e635-d63b-4ef2-9c19-fb781417120a">North Ottawa County Schools hires USD 305 director of secondary education</a>Local artists will join the stage between presentations and perform music by Ann Zimmerman and poetry by Aubrey Streit Krug.The library will also hand out free copies of "Lab Girl" to attendees to join in on the literature that centered this year's Salina Reads.Throughout the rest of the month, the library's local partners will host various events covering more aspects of science, nature and mental health.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706825265994.png" alt=""Picture a Scientist" film screening and discussion Salina Reads event. Graphic courtesy Salina Public Library" />
 <figcaption>"Picture a Scientist" film screening and discussion Salina Reads event. Graphic courtesy Salina Public Library</figcaption>
 </figure>The next event to continue Salina Reads is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 8, at the Salina Art Center Cinema, 150 S. Santa Fe Ave., where attendees will watch the film "Picture a Scientist" directed by Sharon Shattuck and Ian Cheney.Kansas Wesleyan University Biology Professor Elizabeth Tharman will lead a discussion following the documentary.Multiple community partners, including Ad Astra Books &amp; Coffeehouse, Red Fern Booksellers, and KWU, will host book discussions over "Lab Girl" throughout the month.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706825315745.png" alt="Mental Health First Aid Salina Reads event. Graphic courtesy Salina Public Library" />
 <figcaption>Mental Health First Aid Salina Reads event. Graphic courtesy Salina Public Library</figcaption>
 </figure>The only paid event throughout the series is a Mental Health First Aid class with a ticket price of only $5."We don't want anything to cost any money if we can," Zey said. "We received two grants that helped us fund most of this month."The two grants that supplied the funding for these events include one from Humanities Kansas and another through the Salina Arts &amp; Humanities Horizons Grant program.The month-long endeavor will conclude with a presentation from the Up Guys covering mental health for children.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706825578546.png" alt="The Up Guys presentation in the Salina Reads Finale. Graphic courtesy Salina Public Library" />
 <figcaption>The Up Guys presentation in the Salina Reads Finale. Graphic courtesy Salina Public Library</figcaption>
 </figure>

Salina Public Library brings community together with literature

The ornate box turtle is a common symbol for education in many Kansas and Midwest classrooms, as it is the state reptile for both Nebraska and Kansas. However, many residents don't know that the Midwest is quietly losing one of its only two terrestrial turtle species.

At the Rolling Hills Zoo or RHZ, in Saline County, the Education Curator, Teagan Miller, regularly hosts events on animals with school children and brings along Amelia, the zoo's ornate box turtle.&nbsp;

She does this to spread awareness of ornate box turtles and that Kansas is rapidly losing them due to human intervention.

"Their numbers are declining rapidly, which is extremely sad," Miller said. "We should be stingy with them — they're cute and very important to our ecosystem."

Some contributing factors to their decline include plastic pollution and the illegal pet trade, where many poachers will find as many as possible and ship them overseas or even to another state in the U.S.

Miller said poachers will roll the turtles inside a paper tube and gamble on how many survive the journey. Kansas laws also made it easier for those wanting to sell box turtles, with the statute allowing residents to keep and handle five reptiles from the wild.

"That is one of the main things that we talk about to kids and anywhere we go because it's so important to know wild animals don't want to be your friend," Miller said. "They want to live their life. They want to do the same thing you do — go back to their home every day where everything is normal for them."

Normalcy for box turtles is a one-mile radius range on the prairie where an individual will protect a food and water source for almost their entire lifespan, which can reach about 30 years.

Even minor disruptions can be fatal for box turtles, as taking them from that one-mile radius home will send them searching for that home until they die from a predator or exposure.

One practice in Kansas that often disrupts ornate box turtles' lives is annual box turtle races at county fairs, holiday celebrations or other community gatherings.&nbsp;

RHZ Director of Development and Marketing Linda Henderson said in the last three years, the zoo, alongside a few other accredited zoos, began prioritizing the conservation of ornate box turtles in the state.

The zoos now spread awareness about turtle racing, encouraging many events to stop the practice altogether or sharing safe ways of continuing the long-standing tradition.

"Do those races first thing in the morning when it's cooler because they need that cooler climate — they are reptiles," Henderson said. "If you have them, keep them for a very short time in good care, and then return them to exactly where you found them."

Through this education and outreach by RHZ and other zoos in the state, Kansas law now states residents can only own two individual box turtles at a time.

The law changed from allowing residents to own five of any reptile at a time to now allowing five reptiles and only two of each type of species.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/1eaf064f-fd5e-4c75-bfd5-59bbe7dabd62">Abilene &amp; Smoky Valley Railroad to debut 'Flint Hills Express,' 'Smoky Valley Limited'</a>

Although many Kansans who find box turtles on the road or in a field may see them as an adorable part of Kansas wildlife, they are also an essential species in their ecosystem.

Ornate box turtles have a diverse diet, feeding on everything from plants to carcasses of animals.

"They're part of the cleanup crew, which is the major one that we like to tell people," Miller said. "Carrion is all the dead animals on the roadside or just out there because they passed away — box turtles will eat that."

"That's part of cleaning up the environment, which is a really important thing people don't think of very often."

Box turtles also feed on insects, which helps control bug populations across the state. Many animals also rely on box turtles as part of their regular food source, including large mammals and birds of prey.

"When you take on specific species out, all those other species that rely on it diminishes, and then they pass away, and eventually, that does get up to us," Miller said. "It changes the entire ecosystem."

Miller and Henderson stressed that even though losing the state reptile on the surface may be the tragic loss of an interesting terrestrial turtle, it also disrupts the larger Kansas ecosystem and environment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706543456095.jpeg" alt="April, an ornate box turtle at the Rolling Hills Zoo, often joins Education Curator Teagan Miller for classroom visits. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>April, an ornate box turtle at the Rolling Hills Zoo, often joins Education Curator Teagan Miller for classroom visits. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostThe ornate box turtle is a common symbol for education in many Kansas and Midwest classrooms, as it is the state reptile for both Nebraska and Kansas. However, many residents don't know that the Midwest is quietly losing one of its only two terrestrial turtle species.At the Rolling Hills Zoo or RHZ, in Saline County, the Education Curator, Teagan Miller, regularly hosts events on animals with school children and brings along Amelia, the zoo's ornate box turtle.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706543592739.jpeg" alt="RHZ Education Curator Teagan Miller holds up April, the ornate box turtle, to show the hinge on the underside of her shell, allowing her to "box up" and close the front part of her shell completely. This feature caused the namesake of the species. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>RHZ Education Curator Teagan Miller holds up April, the ornate box turtle, to show the hinge on the underside of her shell, allowing her to "box up" and close the front part of her shell completely. This feature caused the namesake of the species. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>She does this to spread awareness of ornate box turtles and that Kansas is rapidly losing them due to human intervention."Their numbers are declining rapidly, which is extremely sad," Miller said. "We should be stingy with them — they're cute and very important to our ecosystem."Some contributing factors to their decline include plastic pollution and the illegal pet trade, where many poachers will find as many as possible and ship them overseas or even to another state in the U.S.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706543660673.jpeg" alt="Two ornate box turtle shells sit next to a model of the eastern box turtle in the education building at Rolling Hills Zoo. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Two ornate box turtle shells sit next to a model of the eastern box turtle in the education building at Rolling Hills Zoo. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Miller said poachers will roll the turtles inside a paper tube and gamble on how many survive the journey. Kansas laws also made it easier for those wanting to sell box turtles, with the statute allowing residents to keep and handle five reptiles from the wild."That is one of the main things that we talk about to kids and anywhere we go because it's so important to know wild animals don't want to be your friend," Miller said. "They want to live their life. They want to do the same thing you do — go back to their home every day where everything is normal for them."Normalcy for box turtles is a one-mile radius range on the prairie where an individual will protect a food and water source for almost their entire lifespan, which can reach about 30 years.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706543702605.jpeg" alt="Teagan Miller, the education curator at RHZ, places a mealworm for April, the ornate box turtle, to snack on. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Teagan Miller, the education curator at RHZ, places a mealworm for April, the ornate box turtle, to snack on. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Even minor disruptions can be fatal for box turtles, as taking them from that one-mile radius home will send them searching for that home until they die from a predator or exposure.One practice in Kansas that often disrupts ornate box turtles' lives is annual box turtle races at county fairs, holiday celebrations or other community gatherings.&nbsp;<h2>Long-term change for ornate box turtles</h2>RHZ Director of Development and Marketing Linda Henderson said in the last three years, the zoo, alongside a few other accredited zoos, began prioritizing the conservation of ornate box turtles in the state.The zoos now spread awareness about turtle racing, encouraging many events to stop the practice altogether or sharing safe ways of continuing the long-standing tradition.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706543757112.jpeg" alt="Each ornate box turtle has a pattern across the plates on the shell called scutes that is unique to each individual. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Each ornate box turtle has a pattern across the plates on the shell called scutes that is unique to each individual. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>"Do those races first thing in the morning when it's cooler because they need that cooler climate — they are reptiles," Henderson said. "If you have them, keep them for a very short time in good care, and then return them to exactly where you found them."Through this education and outreach by RHZ and other zoos in the state, Kansas law now states residents can only own two individual box turtles at a time.The law changed from allowing residents to own five of any reptile at a time to now allowing five reptiles and only two of each type of species.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706543821305.jpeg" alt="April, the ornate box turtle at RHZ, snacks on a mealworm for her hard work during educational presentations. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>April, the ornate box turtle at RHZ, snacks on a mealworm for her hard work during educational presentations. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/1eaf064f-fd5e-4c75-bfd5-59bbe7dabd62">Abilene &amp; Smoky Valley Railroad to debut 'Flint Hills Express,' 'Smoky Valley Limited'</a><h2>Box turtles in the Kansas ecosystem</h2>Although many Kansans who find box turtles on the road or in a field may see them as an adorable part of Kansas wildlife, they are also an essential species in their ecosystem.Ornate box turtles have a diverse diet, feeding on everything from plants to carcasses of animals."They're part of the cleanup crew, which is the major one that we like to tell people," Miller said. "Carrion is all the dead animals on the roadside or just out there because they passed away — box turtles will eat that.""That's part of cleaning up the environment, which is a really important thing people don't think of very often."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706543859875.jpeg" alt="The entrance to Rolling Hills Zoo, RHZ, in rural Saline County. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>The entrance to Rolling Hills Zoo, RHZ, in rural Saline County. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Box turtles also feed on insects, which helps control bug populations across the state. Many animals also rely on box turtles as part of their regular food source, including large mammals and birds of prey."When you take on specific species out, all those other species that rely on it diminishes, and then they pass away, and eventually, that does get up to us," Miller said. "It changes the entire ecosystem."Miller and Henderson stressed that even though losing the state reptile on the surface may be the tragic loss of an interesting terrestrial turtle, it also disrupts the larger Kansas ecosystem and environment.

Kansas is losing its state reptile, RHZ's conservation efforts to help save the species

Friendly reminder, there is no Salina City Commission meeting this week.

Instead of convening four times a month, every Monday, the governing body will hold two meetings a month, scheduled for every other Monday.

Salina City Commissioners will tour city facilities on Tuesday, January 30 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

 Since more than one City Commissioner will be present and City business involving the departments may be discussed, the facility tours are considered meetings open to the public. 

The tour will begin at the City/County Building (East parking lot) at 7:30 a.m.&nbsp;

7:30 a.m. - Meet at City/County Building (East Parking Lot)

- Potential Private Economic Development Site (Bradley)

 - Potential Private Economic Development Site (Sager-Miller)

(NORTH &amp; EASTBOROUGH): 10:30 – 10:50 a.m.

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT: 11:00-11:20 a.m.

 - Potential North Economic Development Site-City Property

 - Fire Station #1 – Stop Station Alerting

FIELDHOUSE: 11:45 - 12:30 p.m. Lunch/Points of Interest En route

ANIMAL SERVICES: 12:50 – 1:10 p.m.

GENERAL SERVICES: 1:15 - 1:35 p.m.

WATER PLANT: 2:00 - 2:20 p.m. Points of Interest En route

SMOKY HILL MUSEUM: 3:30 – 3:50 p.m.

LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER: 4:00 – 4:20 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697467290838.jpeg" alt="The Saline County and Salina City building at 300 West Ash Street in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>The Saline County and Salina City building at 300 West Ash Street in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTFriendly reminder, there is no Salina City Commission meeting this week.Instead of convening four times a month, every Monday, the governing body will hold two meetings a month, scheduled for every other Monday.<h2>Other Salina City Commission news</h2>Salina City Commissioners will tour city facilities on Tuesday, January 30 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Since more than one City Commissioner will be present and City business involving the departments may be discussed, the facility tours are considered meetings open to the public. The tour will begin at the City/County Building (East parking lot) at 7:30 a.m.&nbsp;<h2>Tour Agenda</h2>7:30 a.m. - Meet at City/County Building (East Parking Lot)Points of Interest En route:- Fire Station #1 - Old Landfill Site - Salina Destination Development - K-State Salina - Aeroplains - Centennial Ditch - Schwan’s - Airport Terminal - Scanlan AvenueLANDFILL:&nbsp;8:00 - 8:20POLICE TRAINING CENTER: 8:30-8:50Points of Interest En route- Potential Private Economic Development Site (Bradley) - Potential Private Economic Development Site (Sager-Miller) - South Economic Development Sites - South Water Treatment Plant - Southview Estates - Senior Living Facility Site - Jerry Ivey Park - Magnolia Hills - Barkley Park - ECRA - Dean Evans Stadium - Future Fire Station #4 Site - Municipal Golf Course - Bill Burke - Fire Station #4 - Holmes RoadSEWER LIFT-STATION(NORTH &amp; EASTBOROUGH): 10:30 – 10:50 a.m.WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT: 11:00-11:20 a.m.Points of Interest En route- Great Plains - Potential North Economic Development Site-City Property - Lakewood Park - Thomas Park - Campbell Plaza - Downtown - Ad Astra Stage - Fire Station #1 – Stop Station AlertingFIELDHOUSE: 11:45 - 12:30 p.m. Lunch/Points of Interest En route- Household Hazardous Waste- Carver CenterANIMAL SERVICES: 12:50 – 1:10 p.m.GENERAL SERVICES: 1:15 - 1:35 p.m.Points of Interest En route- Community Theater- TPEC- Tennis Complex- Kenwood Cove- Kenwood/OakdaleWATER PLANT: 2:00 - 2:20 p.m. Points of Interest En route- Fire Station #2- Sunset Park- Broadway Corridor- Ambassador Hotel- Centennial Park- Friendship CenterSMOKY HILL MUSEUM: 3:30 – 3:50 p.m.LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER: 4:00 – 4:20 p.m.

No Salina City Commission meeting this week, facility tour planned for Jan. 30

By NATE KING and OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina Post

As Misty Livingston-Holmes, a 43-year-old resident of Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home and Trailer Park, prepared for her morning on Friday, Jan. 12, she lifted her faucet handle, and nothing happened.

Even though the water didn’t flow, a new cascade began. Months of inconsistent billing, water pressure and communication finally spilled over with residents reporting no clean running water for more than a week.

Livingston-Holmes moved to Sundowner West when she was eight years old. She said the water pressure was never impressive, but that turned out to be the beginning of the decline in the community’s water quality.

“It's happened more times than I can count,” Livingston-Holmes said. “We’ve never had good water pressure. It’s been decent, and decent is putting it loosely.”

Low water pressure soon turned into faucets pouring black, sludgy liquid intermittently, which Livingston-Holmes said often smelled of strong chemicals or sewage.&nbsp;

These issues were just the latest from years of mismanagement, with many residents reporting water contaminants from as early as the 1990s, but many remember when Sundowner West was a safe haven from the fast city life.

A handful of residents grew up in the community, including Livingston-Holmes, who recalled her childhood as one of joy, playfulness and exploration. Today, her children experience dry skin, stinky water and regular disruptions in routine.&nbsp;

One of the longest-standing residents, Galen Elliott and his wife, Bonnie Elliott, moved to Sundowner West Meadows in 1976, shortly after the owner, Frank Norton, opened mobile home lots on the Sundowner West Campgrounds.

According to Kerry Ingalsbe, another Sundowner West resident, Norton began developing the community after a tornado destroyed his other project twice — Sundowner East.&nbsp;

Norton then began developing Sundowner West and the land where Sundowner East once stood as a new development, Highland Meadows Hamlet, a multi-million dollar housing project.

Sundowner West began as a campground project, complete with a swimming pool, convenience store, pond and creek access, with almost 50 RV sites available to visitors.

Elliott said when he moved out there, he was one of the first homes on Rifle Road, with just a few others populating the neighborhood at the time.&nbsp;

“We could go down and fish whenever we wanted,” Elliott said. “The campground was right on the east side of the pond, they had a swimming pool up there. We’d go swimming up there whenever we wanted to, and right just north of where that swimming pool used to be was the clubhouse and a little store up there, so if you needed something, you didn’t have to run all the way to town.”

In 1989, Livingston-Holmes moved in and recalled when she would play with her cousins and other family living in the park, visiting the creek bed to catch turtles and other stream wildlife.

“It used to be fun out here,” Livingston-Holmes said. “I was telling my kids, ‘I feel so bad for you guys because when I lived out here, we had so much to do.’ we had a cool crick, we had a pool, the pond was so big you could put paddle boats out and fish.”

Kerry Ingalsbe moved to Sundowner West with his wife, Melina Ingalsbe, in 1993 and witnessed the park’s transformation from a peaceful community to one abandoned and wrought with strife.

While Sundowner West continued to gain residents, Norton continued both projects somewhat, leaving Sundowner West neglected by its owner.

“Sundowner East went from a mobile home park to lots with half a million to $1 million homes,” Kerry Ingalsbe said. “Once that development started, they forgot about us.”

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/06567217-4e0d-49be-9a97-b05ef4b7ec7d">Blacksmith Coffee continues conversation on small building signs in town</a>

As Norton got older, less was done to maintain the community’s infrastructure and amenities. The pool was removed, and the RV campground, restaurant and convenience store closed.&nbsp;

The following paragraphs have been updated to reflect new information provided by individuals previously involved with Sundowner West.

According to Todd Michaelis, sometime between 2017 and 2019, Monte Shadwick, a Saline County Commissioner, acquired the easement rights and Michaelis would assist Shadwick until he moved to Lawrence in 2019.

“I think they [Shadwick] purchased that for free money,” Kerry Ingalsbe said. “I think they thought they were going to get free money, collecting money from poor people.”

Shadwick left shortly after Michaelis, but before leaving, Shadwick hired Scott Kolling to oversee the pumps and water utility infrastructure.

“That was when a lot of the problems began, was two years ago when Scott took over,” Livingston-Holmes said.

In the summer of 2021, residents began to notice a change. Melina Ingelsbe said paying their water bill became a constant fight and headache, often ending in screaming matches.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706028731415.jpeg" alt="The tap trickles while fully open and smells strongly of chlorine at Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home Park resident Misty Livingston-Holmes' house on Wednesday, Jan. 17, near Hedville. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>The tap trickles while fully open and smells strongly of chlorine at Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home Park resident Misty Livingston-Holmes' house on Wednesday, Jan. 17, near Hedville. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>By NATE KING and OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostAs Misty Livingston-Holmes, a 43-year-old resident of Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home and Trailer Park, prepared for her morning on Friday, Jan. 12, she lifted her faucet handle, and nothing happened.Even though the water didn’t flow, a new cascade began. Months of inconsistent billing, water pressure and communication finally spilled over with residents reporting no clean running water for more than a week.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706028904444.jpeg" alt="Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home Park resident Misty Livingston-Holmes holds up a water bottle filled with water collected from on her property on Wednesday, Jan. 17, near Hedville. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home Park resident Misty Livingston-Holmes holds up a water bottle filled with water collected from on her property on Wednesday, Jan. 17, near Hedville. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Livingston-Holmes moved to Sundowner West when she was eight years old. She said the water pressure was never impressive, but that turned out to be the beginning of the decline in the community’s water quality.“It's happened more times than I can count,” Livingston-Holmes said. “We’ve never had good water pressure. It’s been decent, and decent is putting it loosely.”Low water pressure soon turned into faucets pouring black, sludgy liquid intermittently, which Livingston-Holmes said often smelled of strong chemicals or sewage.&nbsp;These issues were just the latest from years of mismanagement, with many residents reporting water contaminants from as early as the 1990s, but many remember when Sundowner West was a safe haven from the fast city life.A handful of residents grew up in the community, including Livingston-Holmes, who recalled her childhood as one of joy, playfulness and exploration. Today, her children experience dry skin, stinky water and regular disruptions in routine.&nbsp;<h2>Sundowner community’s early days</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706036981199.png" alt="Bonnie Elliott turns her kitchen water on only to see a trickle come out of the faucet. Photo by Nate King/Salina Post" />
 <figcaption>Bonnie Elliott turns her kitchen water on only to see a trickle come out of the faucet. Photo by Nate King/Salina Post</figcaption>
 </figure>One of the longest-standing residents, Galen Elliott and his wife, Bonnie Elliott, moved to Sundowner West Meadows in 1976, shortly after the owner, Frank Norton, opened mobile home lots on the Sundowner West Campgrounds.According to Kerry Ingalsbe, another Sundowner West resident, Norton began developing the community after a tornado destroyed his other project twice — Sundowner East.&nbsp;Norton then began developing Sundowner West and the land where Sundowner East once stood as a new development, Highland Meadows Hamlet, a multi-million dollar housing project.Sundowner West began as a campground project, complete with a swimming pool, convenience store, pond and creek access, with almost 50 RV sites available to visitors.Elliott said when he moved out there, he was one of the first homes on Rifle Road, with just a few others populating the neighborhood at the time.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706028676099.jpeg" alt="The intersection of Sundowner and Remington Roads at Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home Park on Wednesday, Jan. 17, near Hedville. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>The intersection of Sundowner and Remington Roads at Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home Park on Wednesday, Jan. 17, near Hedville. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>“We could go down and fish whenever we wanted,” Elliott said. “The campground was right on the east side of the pond, they had a swimming pool up there. We’d go swimming up there whenever we wanted to, and right just north of where that swimming pool used to be was the clubhouse and a little store up there, so if you needed something, you didn’t have to run all the way to town.”In 1989, Livingston-Holmes moved in and recalled when she would play with her cousins and other family living in the park, visiting the creek bed to catch turtles and other stream wildlife.“It used to be fun out here,” Livingston-Holmes said. “I was telling my kids, ‘I feel so bad for you guys because when I lived out here, we had so much to do.’ we had a cool crick, we had a pool, the pond was so big you could put paddle boats out and fish.”Kerry Ingalsbe moved to Sundowner West with his wife, Melina Ingalsbe, in 1993 and witnessed the park’s transformation from a peaceful community to one abandoned and wrought with strife.While Sundowner West continued to gain residents, Norton continued both projects somewhat, leaving Sundowner West neglected by its owner.“Sundowner East went from a mobile home park to lots with half a million to $1 million homes,” Kerry Ingalsbe said. “Once that development started, they forgot about us.”READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/06567217-4e0d-49be-9a97-b05ef4b7ec7d">Blacksmith Coffee continues conversation on small building signs in town</a>As Norton got older, less was done to maintain the community’s infrastructure and amenities. The pool was removed, and the RV campground, restaurant and convenience store closed.&nbsp;The following paragraphs have been updated to reflect new information provided by individuals previously involved with Sundowner West.According to Todd Michaelis, sometime between 2017 and 2019, Monte Shadwick, a Saline County Commissioner, acquired the easement rights and Michaelis would assist Shadwick until he moved to Lawrence in 2019.“I think they [Shadwick] purchased that for free money,” Kerry Ingalsbe said. “I think they thought they were going to get free money, collecting money from poor people.”Shadwick left shortly after Michaelis, but before leaving, Shadwick hired Scott Kolling to oversee the pumps and water utility infrastructure.“That was when a lot of the problems began, was two years ago when Scott took over,” Livingston-Holmes said.<h2>Under new management</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706028638167.jpeg" alt="The well house and pump room at Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home Park on Wednesday, Jan. 17, near Hedville. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>The well house and pump room at Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home Park on Wednesday, Jan. 17, near Hedville. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>In the summer of 2021, residents began to notice a change. Melina Ingelsbe said paying their water bill became a constant fight and headache, often ending in screaming matches.&nbsp;“Our water got to be really bad, and we wouldn't get a bill for maybe eight months,” Melina Ingelsbe said. “Then he [Kolling] would send us a bill for hundreds of dollars and say, ‘If you don't pay me right now, I'm going to shut your water off.’”Melina is not alone. Residents describe Kolling as explosive and a poor communicator when problems or issues arise.<div><div class="flourish-embed flourish-photo-slider" data-src="visualisation/16551555"><script src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/embed.js"></script></div></div>Livingston-Holmes said she had a dispute with Kolling over a $599 water bill that arrived after months of little to no contact with Kolling. When she denied paying the bill, Kolling decided to take action, visiting Livingston-Holmes personally.&nbsp;“I stood my ground,” Livingston-Holmes said. “He walked up my driveway, and he had a wrench in his hand because he was going to shut my meter off. He raised it like he was going to hit me.”According to Livingston-Holmes, she said only a few words to Kolling after he raised the wrench above his head.“I said [to him], ‘You better hope you get me on the first time,’” Livingston-Holmes said.She wasn’t the only resident to have disputes with Kolling and his control of the water easement.&nbsp;Peggy Young and her 10-year-old son moved to Sundowner West in May 2023, and before arriving at her new property, Young said she attempted to contact Kolling to set up billing and gather any relevant information about the property.“He said, ‘Oh, no, just write a check and put it in the mailbox down the street.’ I said, ‘Okay, wait, I broke my leg. I cannot walk, and you want me to go down the street and write you a blank check?’ No, that's not how that works,” Young said.Young, alongside other residents, claimed that Kolling is hardly on the property to assist when issues arise, leading to long response times and delayed action.“Don't treat us like we're stupid because we're not,” Young said.Many children live at Sundowner West, and with inconsistent water quality and pressure, many struggle to maintain a regular schedule alongside school or work activities. Young said her son is especially impacted since he lives with behavioral disabilities like autism, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557443/">ODD</a>, ADHD and <a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/disruptive-mood-dysregulation-disorder#:~:text=What%20is%20disruptive%20mood%20dysregulation,DMDD%20symptoms%20are%20severe.">DMDD</a>, which all require a strict schedule for normalcy.&nbsp;The consistent disruptions in the young child’s schedule cause confusion and frustration between him and Young, leading to a stressful situation worsening for the family.“Anything change-wise is terrible for him,” Young said. “Right now is awful because I'm trying to explain to him why we're going over to his stepdad's house to take a shower every day — and that's disrupting his schedule.”Kerry Ingelsbe told Salina Post he knows why people have black water.&nbsp;“You could go to any house out here and get one of the three-quarter inch pipes, and you'd have a pencil that you could fit inside of the gunk that's stored up on the sides of those pipes. I’ve seen it myself,” Kerry Ingalsbe said.These disruptions continue to affect many residents in the neighborhood, with Livingston-Holmes recording about 15 children still without reliable water to use in everyday life, now 11 days since water pressure and quality dropped for the entire neighborhood.In the days that followed, Livingston-Holmes said Kolling distributed water, but only to those who complained to him about their water, not to everyone impacted.&nbsp;Joe Hay, Saline County Commissioner of District 5, who represents the residents of Sundowner West, said the county offered to provide some funding to fix the water system to Kolling, but the paperwork never returned to county staff.“According to Philip Smith-Hanes, Scott was offered up to $50,000 In ARPA funds to address this,” Hay said. “It was out there for him to take it — he only would have had to get the estimates, get to work, get the work done and could have had a check, cut, bang, it's over with.”“I’m not sure if $50,000 would have taken care of that whole system, but I think it would have made it to the point where people probably wouldn’t have had to put up with this right now.”<h2>A community waiting for answers</h2>On Jan. 14, The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued a boil water advisory for the Sundowner community. When KDHE issued the advisory, few homes in the community had running water to boil. This advisory left many residents feeling unheard and angry that something like this could happen and no one would be held responsible.“My mind started racing — I asked myself, ‘How can I help? What can I do?’” Livingston-Holmes said. “This is not okay. I know as a family if DCF were to come into our homes and if we couldn't provide our children a necessity, like water, our children would get taken away. This business owner needs to be held accountable.”Livingston-Holmes contacted the Saline County Sheriff’s Office first, who then reached out to County Emergency Management for help.&nbsp;Emergency Management gave Kolling two hours to get temporary water to everyone, but according to county staff and the residents at Sundowner West, that didn't happen.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706044149224.jpeg" alt="A Salina Salvation Army volunteer and Salvation Army Lt. Luke Hirsch prepare provisions for residents at Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home and Trailer Park. Photo courtesy Saline County" />
 <figcaption>A Salina Salvation Army volunteer and Salvation Army Lt. Luke Hirsch prepare provisions for residents at Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home and Trailer Park. Photo courtesy Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>On Tuesday, Jan. 16, county officials stepped in. Saline County Emergency Management and Salina Salvation Army delivered bottled water and sack lunches to the community. A seemingly small gesture that provided temporary relief but did not solve the overall problem — the need for clean running water.&nbsp;&nbsp;On Jan. 18, KDHE attempted to conduct tests on the water at Livingston-Holmes’ house but was unsuccessful.&nbsp;“She said she couldn’t perform the tests because the chlorine was too strong — while she was here in my house, she told me that a threat had been received and she would have to leave,” Livingston-Holmes said.Livingston-Holmes and others waited three additional days before the KDHE returned to the community on Monday to test.&nbsp;“I had to shut my bathroom door because the chlorine smell was going all through my house,” Livingston-Holmes said.” Some days it smells like the chlorine and the strong bleach smell, and then there are some days where you smell a urine or poop smell.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706028953147.jpeg" alt="The pressure read at only 10 psi for Misty Livingston-Holmes house at Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home Park on Wednesday, Jan. 17, near Hedville. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>The pressure read at only 10 psi for Misty Livingston-Holmes house at Sundowner West Meadows Mobile Home Park on Wednesday, Jan. 17, near Hedville. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/members/rep_concannon_susan_1/">Rep. Susan Concannon</a>, Kansas State Representative of District 107 and former resident of Saline County, said she is aware of the situation.&nbsp;"I am not involved in any water issues currently, so I've had to do a little background work to find out who to talk to and where to start," Concannon said.&nbsp;Concannon only recently became Sundowner residents' elected official after the state legislature conducted redistricting in 2022."I made some calls this morning before my day got started. I do care about this. It sounds awful what these families are going through," Concannon said. "I hope that there is something that can be done but if nothing else, we certainly have people that need to know what happened."Salina Post is currently supporting a water drive for the Sundowner community. Please bring cases or jugs of water to the Salina Post &nbsp;at 1825 S. Ohio St., Salina, KS 67401.Sundowner residents remain with either low water pressure or no water for some families, even though many have reached out to Salina community representatives and partners on the issue for years.&nbsp;On Monday, Jan. 22, KDHE successfully tested the water at Sundowner West, and Salina Post will update the story as that information becomes available.Kolling has reported to residents and staff that he is continuing to work on improving the water situation at Sundowner.&nbsp;There has been little progress toward restoring reliable access to safe drinking water for all residents.“Treat people the way you want to be treated,” Young said. “My mom always said, ‘It's gonna come back to bite you in the butt if you don't treat them right and one lie leads to another lie.”Salina Post reached out to Kolling for comment on this story and did not receive an answer.Salina Post contacted KDHE for comment on this story and did not receive an answer.