VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican on Monday declared gender-affirming surgery and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-surrogacy-ivf-a9229ef32f3c5b4f3b0bb7bd0e08f503">surrogacy as grave violations of human dignity</a>, putting them on par with abortion and euthanasia as practices that it said reject God’s plan for human life.

The Vatican’s doctrine office issued “Infinite Dignity,” a 20-page declaration that has been in the works for five years. After substantial revision in recent months, it was approved March 25 by Pope Francis, who ordered its publication.

From a pope who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-pope-bfa5b71fa79055626e362936e739d1d8">made outreach to the LGBTQ+ community</a>&nbsp;a hallmark of his papacy, the document was received as a setback, albeit predictable, by trans Catholics. But its message was also consistent with the Argentine Jesuit's long-standing belief that while trans people should be welcomed in the church, so-called “gender ideologies” should not.

In its most eagerly anticipated section, the Vatican repeated its rejection of “gender theory,” or the idea that one’s biological sex can change. It said God created man and woman as biologically different, separate beings, and said people must not tinker with that or try to "make oneself God.”

“It follows that any sex-change intervention, as a rule, risks threatening the unique dignity the person has received from the moment of conception,” the document said.

It distinguished between gender-affirming surgeries, which it rejected, and “genital abnormalities” that are present at birth or that develop later. Those abnormalities can be “resolved” with the help of health care professionals, it said.

Advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics immediately criticized the document as outdated, harmful and contrary to the stated goal of recognizing the “infinite dignity” of all of God's children. They warned it could have real-world effects on trans people, fueling anti-trans violence and discrimination.

“While it lays out a wonderful rationale for why each human being, regardless of condition in life, must be respected, honored, and loved, it does not apply this principle to gender-diverse people,” said Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics.

Nicolete Burbach, lead expert in social and environmental justice at the London Jesuit Centre, said the document showed the Vatican continues to fail to engage with queer and feminist approaches to the body “which it simply dismisses as supposedly subjecting both the body and human dignity itself to human whims.”

“I think the main difficulty faced by the document is that it attempts to affirm the church’s authentic commitment to human dignity in the face of a troubling history on the part of the church itself around attacks on that dignity,” said Burbach, a trans Catholic theologian who researches transness and the Catholic Church.

The document’s existence, rumored since 2019, was confirmed in recent weeks by the new prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Argentine Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, a close Francis confidant.

Fernández had cast the document as something of a nod to conservatives after he authored a more explosive document&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-pope-bfa5b71fa79055626e362936e739d1d8">approving blessings for same-sex couples</a>&nbsp;that sparked criticism from conservative bishops around the world, especially in Africa.

And yet, in an apparent attempt at balance, the document takes pointed aim at countries — including many in Africa — that criminalize homosexuality. It echoed Francis' assertion in a 2023 interview with The Associated Press that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">“being homosexual is not a crime</a>."

The new document denounces “as contrary to human dignity the fact that, in some places, not a few people are imprisoned, tortured, and even deprived of the good of life solely because of their sexual orientation.”

The White House said President Joe Biden, a devout Catholic, was “pleased” to see that the declaration “furthers the Vatican’s call to ensure that LGBTQ+ (individuals) are protected from violence and imprisonment around the world,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

On the specifics involving gender theory, Jean-Pierre stressed that it was not Biden’s role to “litigate internal church policy.”

Asked how its negative take on trans people squared with Francis’ message of welcome, Fernández said the welcome remained but that the pope fervently believed that the idea that gender was fluid “rather than helping to recognize dignity, impoverishes the vision” of a man and woman coming together to create new life.

The document is something of a repackaging of previously articulated Vatican positions, read now through the prism of human dignity. It restates well-known Catholic doctrine opposing abortion and euthanasia, and adds to the list some of Francis’ main concerns as pope: the threats to human dignity posed by poverty, war, human trafficking, the death penalty and forced migration.

In a newly articulated position, it says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-surrogacy-ivf-a9229ef32f3c5b4f3b0bb7bd0e08f503">surrogacy violates both the dignity of the surrogate mother and the child</a>.

While much attention about surrogacy has focused on possible exploitation of poor women as surrogates, the Vatican asserts that the child "has the right to have a fully human (and not artificially induced) origin and to receive the gift of a life that manifests both the dignity of the giver and that of the receiver.”

“Considering this, the legitimate desire to have a child cannot be transformed into a ‘right to a child’ that fails to respect the dignity of that child as the recipient of the gift of life,” it said.

The Vatican had previously published its most articulated position on gender in 2019, when the Congregation for Catholic Education&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cb94b41d1d8046ddbde697dbba5022fc">rejected the idea that people can choose</a>&nbsp;or change their genders and insisted on the complementarity of biologically male and female sex organs to create new life.

The new document from the more authoritative Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith quotes from that 2019 education document, but tempers the tone. Significantly, it doesn’t repeat Vatican doctrine that homosexual people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect but that homosexual actions are “intrinsically disordered.”

In a news conference to introduce the document, Fernández acknowledged that the “intrinsically disordered” language was very strong. He suggested there might be a better way, "with other words," to express the church's vision of sex between husband and wife to create new life.

Francis has ministered to trans Catholics, including trans sex workers, and insisted that the Catholic Church must welcome all children of God.

But he has also denounced “gender theory” as the “worst danger” facing humanity today, an “ugly ideology” that threatens to cancel out God-given differences between man and woman. He has blasted in particular what he calls the “ideological colonization” of the West in the developing world, where development aid is sometimes conditioned on adopting Western ideas about gender.

Transgender activists immediately called the document “hurtful” and devoid of the voices and experiences of real trans people, especially in the distinction it makes between gender-affirming surgeries and surgeries on intersex people.

“The suggestion that gender-affirming health care — which has saved the lives of so many wonderful trans people and enabled them to live in harmony with their bodies, their communities and (God) — might risk or diminish trans people's dignity is not only hurtful but dangerously ignorant,” said Mara Klein, a nonbinary, transgender activist who has participated in Germany’s church reform project.

Klein said the Vatican “hypocrisy” was furthered by the document's approval of surgery on intersex people, “which if performed without consent especially on minors often cause immense physical and psychological harm.”

The document comes at a time of some backlash against transgender people, including in the United States where Republican-led state legislatures are considering a new round of bills&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-republican-legislatures-5d98832c0234de079263672c738e0631">restricting medical care for transgender youths</a>&nbsp;— and in some cases, adults.

“On top of the rising hostility towards our communities, we are faced with a church that does not listen and refuses to see the beauty of creation that can be found in our biographies,” Klein said in an email.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711361555231.png" alt="File photo Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)" />
 <figcaption>File photo Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican on Monday declared gender-affirming surgery and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-surrogacy-ivf-a9229ef32f3c5b4f3b0bb7bd0e08f503">surrogacy as grave violations of human dignity</a>, putting them on par with abortion and euthanasia as practices that it said reject God’s plan for human life.The Vatican’s doctrine office issued “Infinite Dignity,” a 20-page declaration that has been in the works for five years. After substantial revision in recent months, it was approved March 25 by Pope Francis, who ordered its publication.From a pope who has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-pope-bfa5b71fa79055626e362936e739d1d8">made outreach to the LGBTQ+ community</a>&nbsp;a hallmark of his papacy, the document was received as a setback, albeit predictable, by trans Catholics. But its message was also consistent with the Argentine Jesuit's long-standing belief that while trans people should be welcomed in the church, so-called “gender ideologies” should not.In its most eagerly anticipated section, the Vatican repeated its rejection of “gender theory,” or the idea that one’s biological sex can change. It said God created man and woman as biologically different, separate beings, and said people must not tinker with that or try to "make oneself God.”“It follows that any sex-change intervention, as a rule, risks threatening the unique dignity the person has received from the moment of conception,” the document said.It distinguished between gender-affirming surgeries, which it rejected, and “genital abnormalities” that are present at birth or that develop later. Those abnormalities can be “resolved” with the help of health care professionals, it said.Advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics immediately criticized the document as outdated, harmful and contrary to the stated goal of recognizing the “infinite dignity” of all of God's children. They warned it could have real-world effects on trans people, fueling anti-trans violence and discrimination.“While it lays out a wonderful rationale for why each human being, regardless of condition in life, must be respected, honored, and loved, it does not apply this principle to gender-diverse people,” said Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics.Nicolete Burbach, lead expert in social and environmental justice at the London Jesuit Centre, said the document showed the Vatican continues to fail to engage with queer and feminist approaches to the body “which it simply dismisses as supposedly subjecting both the body and human dignity itself to human whims.”“I think the main difficulty faced by the document is that it attempts to affirm the church’s authentic commitment to human dignity in the face of a troubling history on the part of the church itself around attacks on that dignity,” said Burbach, a trans Catholic theologian who researches transness and the Catholic Church.The document’s existence, rumored since 2019, was confirmed in recent weeks by the new prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Argentine Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, a close Francis confidant.Fernández had cast the document as something of a nod to conservatives after he authored a more explosive document&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-pope-bfa5b71fa79055626e362936e739d1d8">approving blessings for same-sex couples</a>&nbsp;that sparked criticism from conservative bishops around the world, especially in Africa.And yet, in an apparent attempt at balance, the document takes pointed aim at countries — including many in Africa — that criminalize homosexuality. It echoed Francis' assertion in a 2023 interview with The Associated Press that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">“being homosexual is not a crime</a>."The new document denounces “as contrary to human dignity the fact that, in some places, not a few people are imprisoned, tortured, and even deprived of the good of life solely because of their sexual orientation.”The White House said President Joe Biden, a devout Catholic, was “pleased” to see that the declaration “furthers the Vatican’s call to ensure that LGBTQ+ (individuals) are protected from violence and imprisonment around the world,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.On the specifics involving gender theory, Jean-Pierre stressed that it was not Biden’s role to “litigate internal church policy.”Asked how its negative take on trans people squared with Francis’ message of welcome, Fernández said the welcome remained but that the pope fervently believed that the idea that gender was fluid “rather than helping to recognize dignity, impoverishes the vision” of a man and woman coming together to create new life.The document is something of a repackaging of previously articulated Vatican positions, read now through the prism of human dignity. It restates well-known Catholic doctrine opposing abortion and euthanasia, and adds to the list some of Francis’ main concerns as pope: the threats to human dignity posed by poverty, war, human trafficking, the death penalty and forced migration.In a newly articulated position, it says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-surrogacy-ivf-a9229ef32f3c5b4f3b0bb7bd0e08f503">surrogacy violates both the dignity of the surrogate mother and the child</a>.While much attention about surrogacy has focused on possible exploitation of poor women as surrogates, the Vatican asserts that the child "has the right to have a fully human (and not artificially induced) origin and to receive the gift of a life that manifests both the dignity of the giver and that of the receiver.”“Considering this, the legitimate desire to have a child cannot be transformed into a ‘right to a child’ that fails to respect the dignity of that child as the recipient of the gift of life,” it said.The Vatican had previously published its most articulated position on gender in 2019, when the Congregation for Catholic Education&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cb94b41d1d8046ddbde697dbba5022fc">rejected the idea that people can choose</a>&nbsp;or change their genders and insisted on the complementarity of biologically male and female sex organs to create new life.The new document from the more authoritative Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith quotes from that 2019 education document, but tempers the tone. Significantly, it doesn’t repeat Vatican doctrine that homosexual people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect but that homosexual actions are “intrinsically disordered.”In a news conference to introduce the document, Fernández acknowledged that the “intrinsically disordered” language was very strong. He suggested there might be a better way, "with other words," to express the church's vision of sex between husband and wife to create new life.Francis has ministered to trans Catholics, including trans sex workers, and insisted that the Catholic Church must welcome all children of God.But he has also denounced “gender theory” as the “worst danger” facing humanity today, an “ugly ideology” that threatens to cancel out God-given differences between man and woman. He has blasted in particular what he calls the “ideological colonization” of the West in the developing world, where development aid is sometimes conditioned on adopting Western ideas about gender.Transgender activists immediately called the document “hurtful” and devoid of the voices and experiences of real trans people, especially in the distinction it makes between gender-affirming surgeries and surgeries on intersex people.“The suggestion that gender-affirming health care — which has saved the lives of so many wonderful trans people and enabled them to live in harmony with their bodies, their communities and (God) — might risk or diminish trans people's dignity is not only hurtful but dangerously ignorant,” said Mara Klein, a nonbinary, transgender activist who has participated in Germany’s church reform project.Klein said the Vatican “hypocrisy” was furthered by the document's approval of surgery on intersex people, “which if performed without consent especially on minors often cause immense physical and psychological harm.”The document comes at a time of some backlash against transgender people, including in the United States where Republican-led state legislatures are considering a new round of bills&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-republican-legislatures-5d98832c0234de079263672c738e0631">restricting medical care for transgender youths</a>&nbsp;— and in some cases, adults.“On top of the rising hostility towards our communities, we are faced with a church that does not listen and refuses to see the beauty of creation that can be found in our biographies,” Klein said in an email.___

Vatican blasts gender-affirming surgery, surrogacy and gender theory 

KANSAS CITY (AP) —A chilly, midday darkness fell across North America as a total solar eclipse raced across the continent.

Monday’s spectacle was watched by millions in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. It was North America’s biggest eclipse crowd ever, thanks to the densely populated path.

Cloud cover threatened to spoil the view in some places, especially in parts of Texas, but the skies cleared with minutes to spare.

One place that got stuck with clouds: Niagara Falls, New York. Totality arrived to whoops and cheers from spectators at Niagara Falls State Park.

Justin Pape drove 6 hours from York, Pennsylvania, with his family to be in the path. He says “it’s unfortunate it was cloudy" but they still got to see a glimpse of it and it still got dark.

During a total solar eclipse, the moon passes in front of the sun and blocks the sunlight for a few minutes. There won’t be another coast-to-coast spectacle on the continent until 2045.

DALLAS (AP) — Millions across North America witnessed the moon block out the sun during a total solar eclipse Monday.

The eclipse’s path of totality stretched from Mazatlán, Mexico to Newfoundland, an area that crosses 15 U.S. states and is home to 44 million people. Revelers were engulfed in darkness at state parks, on city rooftops and in small towns.

Most of those in North America, but not in the direct path, still witnessed a partial eclipse, with the moon transforming the sun into a fiery crescent.

Totality's first stop on land cast Mazatlán's sparkling beaches into darkness before continuing northeast toward Eagle Pass, Texas, one its first stops in the U.S.

Total solar eclipses happen somewhere around the world every 11 to 18 months, but they don't often cross paths with millions of people. The U.S. last got a taste in 2017, and won’t again see a coast-to-coast spectacle until 2045.

DALLAS – Emergency lights clicked on outside D.A. Hulcy Middle School as the last sliver of the sun disappeared. Students cheered and whooped, sitting on towels and picnic blankets in an adjacent parking lot.

“I’m a new person,” eighth grader Nia Modkins said.

Students and teachers took off their eclipse glasses and pointed at the sky, taking pictures and videos. Once three minutes elapsed, their teachers told them to put their eclipse glasses back on as the sun prepared for its return act.

Once daylight swept over the parking lot again, eighth grader Sky Johnson swiped through her phone, looking for the video she’d taken during totality.

“Two minutes of me screaming, literally,” she said.

MAZATLAN, Mexico – Mazatlan’s sparkling beaches have been cast into darkness as the total solar eclipse reaches its maximum coverage.

Hundreds of gathered faces were illuminated only by the screens of their cellphones as they tried to capture the slightly more than 4 minutes of totality.

Palm trees were silhouetted against a faint glow near the horizon like one of the resort’s famous sunsets, but coming before noon.

Karen Ibarra, of Colombia, is a researcher at Mexico’s National Autonomous University. She came to Mazatlan for the eclipse.

As darkness blanketed the coast she said, “seeing the corona is the best.”

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE REACHES U.S. ON WAY TO CANADA

The moon’s shadow has moved into the U.S. with cloudy skies in store for a part of the total eclipse path from Texas to Maine.

The eclipse cuts through major cities including Dallas; Austin, Texas; Indianapolis; Cleveland; and Niagara Falls, New York.

A total solar eclipse has begun. Totality will last up to 4 minutes, 28 seconds in certain spots.

The eclipse is crossing North America, darkening skies along a path through Mexico, the United States and Canada.

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE BEGINS IN NORTH AMERICA OVER MEXICO

A total solar eclipse has reached North America over Mexico as throngs gather along the country’s Pacific coast.

It’ll race toward United States and eastern Canada before exiting into the Atlantic.

MESQUITE, Texas – City officials cheered as the thick clouds parted in early afternoon and the sun peeked out, with the moon already taking a bite out of it.

“We special ordered the sun this morning,” said downtown development manager Beverly Abell.

Hundreds gathered at Front Street Station for the outdoor watch party, many pulling out their eclipse glasses to watch the moon’s bite grow ever bigger.

At the Fort Worth Zoo, clouds occasionally moved over as the eclipse started. Zoo patrons stopped along the paths to take it in.

Todd Beeby, 34, drove up with friends from Houston. He said that even with some clouds moving over, the viewing was good.

CHEERS IN MEXICO AS MOON BEGINS PASSING OVER SUN

MAZATLAN, Mexico – Cheers broke out along the beach in this resort city as the moon began to pass over the sun.

Hundreds in a beachside park had passed the waiting time by readying their equipment and listening to a youth orchestra play Star Wars songs while a large screen projected images of Princess Leia behind them.

Luz Elena Aguillón de la O sat in the grass with a group of 14 family and friends who had gathered from Mexico City, Guanajuato and right here in Mazatlan to take in the spectacle.

BIDEN ENCOURAGES AMERICANS TO WEAR EYE PROTECTION

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden posted&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1777355754791432285">a brief video on X</a>&nbsp;to encourage Americans to wear eye protection when viewing the eclipse – in a subtle dig at his predecessor and 2024 rival, former President Donald Trump.

“Folks, enjoy the eclipse, but play it safe, don’t be silly,” Biden said in a video showing him donning eclipse glasses and looking skyward from the balcony outside the Blue Room of the White House.

That’s the spot where Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-41201f59ceb84f53910ede1f77007bee">glanced up toward the sun</a>&nbsp;without eye protection in 2017.

Biden is traveling to Wisconsin, which, like Washington, will experience a partial eclipse on Monday.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she had no details to share on whether Biden would view the phenomenon.

The moon lines up perfectly between the Earth and the sun in a total eclipse over the South Pacific.

Over the next few hours, it will sweep across North America, entering Mexico, cutting diagonally from Texas to Maine, before exiting over eastern Canada into the Atlantic.

PARTIAL ECLIPSE BEGINS OVER SOUTH PACIFIC

The moon has started to cover up the sun as a partial eclipse begins over the South Pacific. Millions along a narrow corridor in North America from Mexico’s Pacific coast to eastern Canada hope for clouds to clear as they eagerly wait for totality to reach their location.

MEXICAN BEACH TOWN IS FIRST IN LINE FOR TOTALITY

MAZATLAN, Mexico – Valeria Rosas says her four kids had been so excited by an October partial solar eclipse that passed over southeast Mexico, that she decided to come to this Pacific coast beach city for Monday's total eclipse.

The 32-year-old drove eight hours from Leon, Guanajuato, with 10 friends and relatives.

They joined hundreds of others in a beachside park under blue skies streaked with wispy clouds. It’s the first part of North America that will get to see the total eclipse.

Rosas’ mother, Carmen Loza Rodríguez, recalled that Rosas was a baby when Mexico last saw a total solar eclipse in 1991.

“How cool that we have the opportunity to experience it in this digital age, that we can share it with the world,” Rosas said.

NIAGARA FALLS, New York — The main attraction at Niagara Falls is typically the more than 750,000 gallons of water that rush over the brink every second. On Monday, it was the eclipse.

Tourists streamed into Niagara Falls State Park with wagons, strollers, coolers and chairs. Photographers’ tripods lined a railing under cloudy skies.

Synthia Nguyen and Jen Cerna from Washington, D.C., claimed a prime lawn spot along the rapids, arriving at 6 a.m. with chairs, a blanket and a tent — that they were quickly asked to take down.

They were excited that totality would last a few minutes, long enough for it to sink in.

The pair work in an ophthalmology office.

“We’re expecting a lot of calls tomorrow,” Cerna said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712085263547.png" alt="Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —A chilly, midday darkness fell across North America as a total solar eclipse raced across the continent.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712604323366.png" alt="Image courtesy the NASA eclipse broadcast" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy the NASA eclipse broadcast</figcaption>
 </figure>Monday’s spectacle was watched by millions in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. It was North America’s biggest eclipse crowd ever, thanks to the densely populated path.Cloud cover threatened to spoil the view in some places, especially in parts of Texas, but the skies cleared with minutes to spare.One place that got stuck with clouds: Niagara Falls, New York. Totality arrived to whoops and cheers from spectators at Niagara Falls State Park.Justin Pape drove 6 hours from York, Pennsylvania, with his family to be in the path. He says “it’s unfortunate it was cloudy" but they still got to see a glimpse of it and it still got dark.During a total solar eclipse, the moon passes in front of the sun and blocks the sunlight for a few minutes. There won’t be another coast-to-coast spectacle on the continent until 2045.DALLAS (AP) — Millions across North America witnessed the moon block out the sun during a total solar eclipse Monday.The eclipse’s path of totality stretched from Mazatlán, Mexico to Newfoundland, an area that crosses 15 U.S. states and is home to 44 million people. Revelers were engulfed in darkness at state parks, on city rooftops and in small towns.Most of those in North America, but not in the direct path, still witnessed a partial eclipse, with the moon transforming the sun into a fiery crescent.Totality's first stop on land cast Mazatlán's sparkling beaches into darkness before continuing northeast toward Eagle Pass, Texas, one its first stops in the U.S.Total solar eclipses happen somewhere around the world every 11 to 18 months, but they don't often cross paths with millions of people. The U.S. last got a taste in 2017, and won’t again see a coast-to-coast spectacle until 2045.Here's the latest:DALLAS STUDENTS ELATED BY ECLIPSEDALLAS – Emergency lights clicked on outside D.A. Hulcy Middle School as the last sliver of the sun disappeared. Students cheered and whooped, sitting on towels and picnic blankets in an adjacent parking lot.“I’m a new person,” eighth grader Nia Modkins said.Students and teachers took off their eclipse glasses and pointed at the sky, taking pictures and videos. Once three minutes elapsed, their teachers told them to put their eclipse glasses back on as the sun prepared for its return act.Once daylight swept over the parking lot again, eighth grader Sky Johnson swiped through her phone, looking for the video she’d taken during totality.“Two minutes of me screaming, literally,” she said.By Adithi Ramakrishnan___BEACHES GROW DARK IN MEXICOMAZATLAN, Mexico – Mazatlan’s sparkling beaches have been cast into darkness as the total solar eclipse reaches its maximum coverage.Hundreds of gathered faces were illuminated only by the screens of their cellphones as they tried to capture the slightly more than 4 minutes of totality.Palm trees were silhouetted against a faint glow near the horizon like one of the resort’s famous sunsets, but coming before noon.Karen Ibarra, of Colombia, is a researcher at Mexico’s National Autonomous University. She came to Mazatlan for the eclipse.As darkness blanketed the coast she said, “seeing the corona is the best.”___TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE REACHES U.S. ON WAY TO CANADAThe moon’s shadow has moved into the U.S. with cloudy skies in store for a part of the total eclipse path from Texas to Maine.The eclipse cuts through major cities including Dallas; Austin, Texas; Indianapolis; Cleveland; and Niagara Falls, New York.___A total solar eclipse has begun. Totality will last up to 4 minutes, 28 seconds in certain spots.The eclipse is crossing North America, darkening skies along a path through Mexico, the United States and Canada.Here's the latest:TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE BEGINS IN NORTH AMERICA OVER MEXICOA total solar eclipse has reached North America over Mexico as throngs gather along the country’s Pacific coast.It’ll race toward United States and eastern Canada before exiting into the Atlantic.___TEXANS THANKFUL FOR BREAKS IN CLOUDSMESQUITE, Texas – City officials cheered as the thick clouds parted in early afternoon and the sun peeked out, with the moon already taking a bite out of it.“We special ordered the sun this morning,” said downtown development manager Beverly Abell.Hundreds gathered at Front Street Station for the outdoor watch party, many pulling out their eclipse glasses to watch the moon’s bite grow ever bigger.At the Fort Worth Zoo, clouds occasionally moved over as the eclipse started. Zoo patrons stopped along the paths to take it in.Todd Beeby, 34, drove up with friends from Houston. He said that even with some clouds moving over, the viewing was good.CHEERS IN MEXICO AS MOON BEGINS PASSING OVER SUNMAZATLAN, Mexico – Cheers broke out along the beach in this resort city as the moon began to pass over the sun.Hundreds in a beachside park had passed the waiting time by readying their equipment and listening to a youth orchestra play Star Wars songs while a large screen projected images of Princess Leia behind them.Luz Elena Aguillón de la O sat in the grass with a group of 14 family and friends who had gathered from Mexico City, Guanajuato and right here in Mazatlan to take in the spectacle.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">An eclipse is worth marveling at. But don&#39;t be silly, folks – play it safe and wear protective eyewear. <a href="https://t.co/S6REAiZ735">pic.twitter.com/S6REAiZ735</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1777355754791432285?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>BIDEN ENCOURAGES AMERICANS TO WEAR EYE PROTECTIONWASHINGTON – President Joe Biden posted&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1777355754791432285">a brief video on X</a>&nbsp;to encourage Americans to wear eye protection when viewing the eclipse – in a subtle dig at his predecessor and 2024 rival, former President Donald Trump.“Folks, enjoy the eclipse, but play it safe, don’t be silly,” Biden said in a video showing him donning eclipse glasses and looking skyward from the balcony outside the Blue Room of the White House.That’s the spot where Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-41201f59ceb84f53910ede1f77007bee">glanced up toward the sun</a>&nbsp;without eye protection in 2017.Biden is traveling to Wisconsin, which, like Washington, will experience a partial eclipse on Monday.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she had no details to share on whether Biden would view the phenomenon.___TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE BEGINS OVER PACIFICThe moon lines up perfectly between the Earth and the sun in a total eclipse over the South Pacific.Over the next few hours, it will sweep across North America, entering Mexico, cutting diagonally from Texas to Maine, before exiting over eastern Canada into the Atlantic.PARTIAL ECLIPSE BEGINS OVER SOUTH PACIFICThe moon has started to cover up the sun as a partial eclipse begins over the South Pacific. Millions along a narrow corridor in North America from Mexico’s Pacific coast to eastern Canada hope for clouds to clear as they eagerly wait for totality to reach their location.___MEXICAN BEACH TOWN IS FIRST IN LINE FOR TOTALITYMAZATLAN, Mexico – Valeria Rosas says her four kids had been so excited by an October partial solar eclipse that passed over southeast Mexico, that she decided to come to this Pacific coast beach city for Monday's total eclipse.The 32-year-old drove eight hours from Leon, Guanajuato, with 10 friends and relatives.They joined hundreds of others in a beachside park under blue skies streaked with wispy clouds. It’s the first part of North America that will get to see the total eclipse.Rosas’ mother, Carmen Loza Rodríguez, recalled that Rosas was a baby when Mexico last saw a total solar eclipse in 1991.“How cool that we have the opportunity to experience it in this digital age, that we can share it with the world,” Rosas said.___SPECTATORS ARRIVE EARLY AT NIAGARA FALLSNIAGARA FALLS, New York — The main attraction at Niagara Falls is typically the more than 750,000 gallons of water that rush over the brink every second. On Monday, it was the eclipse.Tourists streamed into Niagara Falls State Park with wagons, strollers, coolers and chairs. Photographers’ tripods lined a railing under cloudy skies.Synthia Nguyen and Jen Cerna from Washington, D.C., claimed a prime lawn spot along the rapids, arriving at 6 a.m. with chairs, a blanket and a tent — that they were quickly asked to take down.They were excited that totality would last a few minutes, long enough for it to sink in.The pair work in an ophthalmology office.“We’re expecting a lot of calls tomorrow,” Cerna said.

The Latest: Total solar eclipse sweeps across North America

Floyd “Stan” Standridge, Jr. September 19, 1942 ~ April 5, 2024

Floyd “Stan” Standridge, Jr., 81, Salina, passed away peacefully on April 5, 2024. Stan was born September 19, 1942 in Sallisaw, OK, the son of Floyd Sr.&nbsp; and Voyce Irene (Brewer) Standridge. He held 2 Masters Degrees and was proud to be an educator for 44 years. Stan spent most of his extensive career as a guidance counselor at Salina South High School where he supported countless young people as they navigated the path through high school and the first steps beyond graduation.&nbsp; He was honored to be recognized as 1998 Kansas Master Teacher of the Year and was selected to be a Fulbright Teacher Memorial Fund to Japan honoree.&nbsp; He held many leadership positions in various professional, religious and civic organizations throughout his life and career.&nbsp; Stan was a devout Christian having served his home church, Salina First Church of the Nazarene in countless ways over the years.&nbsp; He loved doing genealogy research, reading American and Egyptian History, learning about NASA and space science, and was the best listener and problem solver in the whole world.

Most importantly, Stan was known by all who knew him as a man of God with great integrity who was loyal, steadfast and deeply devoted to his beloved wife, his family and his community.

He is preceded in death by his Mother and Father.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Sharon, daughter Jennifer Segal (Peter) of Cumberland, ME, son Brian (Bridgette) Standridge of Salina, grandchildren Quincy Segal, Charles Segal and Jack Segal; sister Dorthea (Bob) Baker, of Barnsdall, OK; his brothers and sisters-in-law as well as many nieces and nephews, and his bonus “found” family Sheila and Joe Barber, Devin Barber, Desmond Barber, Denae (Brandon) Harris, and their children.

Visitation will be Tuesday, April 9, 2024 from 11-2 pm and Funeral Service at 2 pm, both at the First Church of the Nazarene.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/119b1026-9b71-4b97-9dd4-8e633e803509">Proclamations, noxious weed control, city property mowing bid on the Salina City Commission Meeting agenda</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712584476245.jpeg" alt="Floyd “Stan” Standridge, Jr." />
 <figcaption>Floyd “Stan” Standridge, Jr.</figcaption>
 </figure>Floyd “Stan” Standridge, Jr. September 19, 1942 ~ April 5, 2024Floyd “Stan” Standridge, Jr., 81, Salina, passed away peacefully on April 5, 2024. Stan was born September 19, 1942 in Sallisaw, OK, the son of Floyd Sr.&nbsp; and Voyce Irene (Brewer) Standridge. He held 2 Masters Degrees and was proud to be an educator for 44 years. Stan spent most of his extensive career as a guidance counselor at Salina South High School where he supported countless young people as they navigated the path through high school and the first steps beyond graduation.&nbsp; He was honored to be recognized as 1998 Kansas Master Teacher of the Year and was selected to be a Fulbright Teacher Memorial Fund to Japan honoree.&nbsp; He held many leadership positions in various professional, religious and civic organizations throughout his life and career.&nbsp; Stan was a devout Christian having served his home church, Salina First Church of the Nazarene in countless ways over the years.&nbsp; He loved doing genealogy research, reading American and Egyptian History, learning about NASA and space science, and was the best listener and problem solver in the whole world.Most importantly, Stan was known by all who knew him as a man of God with great integrity who was loyal, steadfast and deeply devoted to his beloved wife, his family and his community.He is preceded in death by his Mother and Father.He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Sharon, daughter Jennifer Segal (Peter) of Cumberland, ME, son Brian (Bridgette) Standridge of Salina, grandchildren Quincy Segal, Charles Segal and Jack Segal; sister Dorthea (Bob) Baker, of Barnsdall, OK; his brothers and sisters-in-law as well as many nieces and nephews, and his bonus “found” family Sheila and Joe Barber, Devin Barber, Desmond Barber, Denae (Brandon) Harris, and their children.Visitation will be Tuesday, April 9, 2024 from 11-2 pm and Funeral Service at 2 pm, both at the First Church of the Nazarene.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/119b1026-9b71-4b97-9dd4-8e633e803509">Proclamations, noxious weed control, city property mowing bid on the Salina City Commission Meeting agenda</a>

Floyd “Stan” Standridge, Jr.

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;

9:05-9:40 a.m. Nona Miller, Curator of Education at the Smoky Hill Museum talks about the upcoming exhibit titled, <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/e1b0971b-8be5-4964-89a2-426f265584aa">"Step Up to the Task."</a> Learn about the struggles and triumphs of six local Salina women who helped break down discrimination towards women in the workplace.&nbsp;

9:40-10:05 a.m. Michael Chambers with the Greater Salina Community Foundation stops by to talk about <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/0b38fcb6-2c8b-4eda-bc8e-861a3bf1c7a4">Match Madness</a>

10:05- 10:30 a.m. Paul Forrester, executive director at CAPS talks about programming and events for April: Child Abuse Prevention Month and the <a href="https://e.givesmart.com/events/Ag4/">ongoing auction</a>.&nbsp;

10:30-11 a.m. Melissa McCoy, Public Information Officer for Saline County, shares about <a href="https://www.naco.org/page/national-county-government-month">County Government Month</a> and the increased risk for severe weather.

<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;9:05-9:40 a.m. Nona Miller, Curator of Education at the Smoky Hill Museum talks about the upcoming exhibit titled, <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/e1b0971b-8be5-4964-89a2-426f265584aa">"Step Up to the Task."</a> Learn about the struggles and triumphs of six local Salina women who helped break down discrimination towards women in the workplace.&nbsp;9:40-10:05 a.m. Michael Chambers with the Greater Salina Community Foundation stops by to talk about <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/0b38fcb6-2c8b-4eda-bc8e-861a3bf1c7a4">Match Madness</a>10:05- 10:30 a.m. Paul Forrester, executive director at CAPS talks about programming and events for April: Child Abuse Prevention Month and the <a href="https://e.givesmart.com/events/Ag4/">ongoing auction</a>.&nbsp;10:30-11 a.m. Melissa McCoy, Public Information Officer for Saline County, shares about <a href="https://www.naco.org/page/national-county-government-month">County Government Month</a> and the increased risk for severe weather.

910 KINA Saturday Morning Show Lineup

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina Post

The Saline County Commission met for its regular meeting this week and discussed four proclamations, considered three different purchases and approved the recipients of the Oliver Hagg Scholarship Awards.

Board of County Commissioners present on Tuesday, April 2: District One — Monte Shadwick District Two — Robert Vidricksen District Three — Rodger Sparks District Four — James Weese District Five — Chairman Joe Hay Jr.

The board of commissioners first approved its consent agenda, which included the regular tax roll adjustments, accounts payable and previous meeting minutes.&nbsp;

It also included approval for the recipients of the Oliver Hagg Scholarship and reappointing Saline County Deputy Administrator Hannah Bett to the North Central Regional Homeland Security Council [LINK].

Once commissioners approved the consent agenda, Jes Pfannenstiel, a <a href="https://www.kworcc.com/">KWORCC</a>&nbsp;loss prevention specialist and marketing director, presented an award to Saline County for a low-loss ratio in worker's compensation.

Next on the agenda were the eight action items for commissioners to consider, the first of which included a proclamation for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

<a href="http://dvack.org/">DVACK</a>&nbsp;Sexual Assault Advocate Angie White presented the proclamation to the commission.

White shared a few statistics on sexual violence and DVACK's services for victims of sexual violence. Hay asked what events the organization would plan for the month-long observance.

The community resource will host a vigil for sexual violence victims at Kansas Wesleyan University on Monday, April 8, and an Ad Astra Speak Night on Friday, April 19, for survivors to share their stories.

The following proclamation was for Child Abuse Prevention Month, presented to the commission by <a href="https://capsofsalina.org/">Child Advocacy and Parenting Services (CAPS)</a> Interim Executive Director Paul Forrester.

Hay similarly asked what events or campaigns the organization will host for the observance. Forrester said CAPS has multiple activities planned, including <a href="https://e.givesmart.com/events/Ag4/">an online auction</a>, Go Blue Salina Denim Days, Shine a Light for Survivors and Pinwheels for Prevention Challenge.

After that, the commission considered two more proclamations, one for National County Government Month and National Public Health Week.

Commissioners approved all four proclamations for the county.&nbsp;

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/a198af7c-fb50-44bc-99a6-6d0624d87744">Saline County residents enter race for county attorney</a>

Jason Tiller, the Saline County Health Department director, presented the proclamation on National Public Health Week, and after approving three month-long observances, Weese asked Tiller one question after approving the declaration.

"Jason, why do you only get a week while everyone else gets a month?" Weese posed.

"I guess because we had like three years," Tiller answered. The audience and county staff met that answer with a round of laughter.

Bid considerations and broadband community assessment

Once commissioners approved all four proclamations, the next agenda item included the purchase of a new dump truck for Saline County Road and Bridge.

Darren Fishel, the Road and Bridge administrator, presented two quotes for the commission, one from MHC Kenworth in Salina for $187,265.55 or the other from Truck Center Companies in Wichita for $147,396.00.

"Both trucks were specced the same, and that one was just that much cheaper," Fishel said.

Truck Center Companies' quote was almost $40,000 less than MHC Kenworth's, so the commission approved Truck Center Companies for the purchase 5-0.

Saline County Public Information Officer Melissa McCoy presented the next agenda item — a broadband community assessment to identify county areas without reliable internet.

Saline County initially requested this assessment during the January 31 meeting earlier this year. McCoy detailed that two companies submitted proposals to the county, one estimated for $48,000 by Design Nine Broadband Planners and another for $169,580 from Essentia.

A review committee comprised of Renee Duxler, president and CEO of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, Claire Ludes, executive director of the Salina Area United Way, and Amy Adams, assistant director of the Salina Public Library, met on March 13 to discuss the two proposals.

The price difference between the two businesses reaches more than $120,000, but McCoy said the scope of the assessment is similar for both proposals.

"Everyone on the committee agreed, even given the same price, they would have chosen Design Nine. It is a big disparity, [but] looking at the proposals side by side, the scope of work is not much different," McCoy said. "I don't have a great answer as to why one of them is so much more expensive than the other."

LISTEN:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/bf675502-008d-4306-9771-be284ed89dd4">🎙King in the Community: Saline County Administrator, Phil Smith-Hanes</a>

McCoy said the staff recommended that commissioners accept Design Nine's proposal to proceed with the assessment.

After presenting the two proposals, Sparks asked McCoy why the county sought this assessment and what the county would do after completing the study. Sparks' main concern was that, after completing the evaluation, would the county then provide internet access to those without a reliable connection?

McCoy answered that the study would show where county residents do not have access to reliable internet and have information to create a "road map" for better internet access.

Commissioners then considered it for a few more moments until it was motioned for action, which passed 4-1, with Sparks voting against the proposal.

The commissioners' next agenda item was a bid consideration for a roof layover at the previous Saline County Jail, which now houses Court Services.

Earlier this year, Saline County Administrator Phil Smith-Hanes told commissioners about the poor condition of the Court Services building's roof, leading commissioners to seek bids for its repair.

At first, commissioners hesitated to continue spending money on the old jail and its connecting offices. However, Hay said it changed his mind after walking through the building and recognizing the comfortable fit for Court Services.

"When we first went into this and took that tour over there, I was very against spending any money at all on that jail itself until I went in and took a tour with court services," Hay said. "I think that's going to be money well-spent to keep them in a building where they are comfortable, safe, and able to utilize that building well."

Hannah Bett, the Saline County deputy administrator, presented the five bids opened on March 22 to the commission. Staff recommended Meridian Roofing's bid of $67,055 for a layover repair.

After a few more minutes of deliberation, commissioners approved Meridian Roofing's bid 5-0.

The last action item listed was lawn mowing at the now Court Services building since Saline County Sheriff's Office maintenance staff used to mow the lawn at that facility.

Bett presented various bids for lawn mowing services between April 15 and November 1 this year, which Vidricksen met with some dissatisfaction.

Vidricksen asked Bett and Smith-Hanes why other county maintenance staff couldn't add Court Services and the Police Department buildings to their mowing list.

"What I would like to see happen is send this back to staff and come up with an alternate solution in addition to what you already have here," Vidricksen said.

Smith-Hanes said staff could look into restructuring how Saline County maintenance staff mow the lawns at Saline County buildings, but it would take some time.

"I don't think that's going to happen before the lawn needs mowed, so we need a solution for April 15," Smith-Hanes said.&nbsp;

Vidricksen then offered that the commissioners could fill in while staff found a solution for lawn mowing. Shadwick chuckled and said, "I don't even cut my own grass."

Shadwick then moved that the commission table the topic until next week to avoid paying for lawn mowing services from a local company.

Informational items covered at the meeting

The last action item concluded with the lawn mowing topic, and commissioners moved into the next portion of the meeting, which included a quarterly report from the engineering department.

Justin Mader, the county engineer, presented the various projects the department has conducted since the beginning of 2024.

This included a Farrelly Road pipe lining project completion, material bids for pipe culverts and traffic paint, opening bids for the 2024 chip and crack sealing projects, an update on the overlay and patching projects around the county and plans for a low water crossing on McReynolds Road.

Smith-Hanes also provided a legislative update to commissioners to conclude the meeting. Next week's meeting will include an update from the Saline County Emergency Management Department and a bid award for the 2024 chip sealing project.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695675567531.jpeg" alt="Saline County and Salina City Building, on Iron Street in Salina, KS. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Saline County and Salina City Building, on Iron Street in Salina, KS. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostThe Saline County Commission met for its regular meeting this week and discussed four proclamations, considered three different purchases and approved the recipients of the Oliver Hagg Scholarship Awards.Board of County Commissioners present on Tuesday, April 2: District One — Monte Shadwick District Two — Robert Vidricksen District Three — Rodger Sparks District Four — James Weese District Five — Chairman Joe Hay Jr.The board of commissioners first approved its consent agenda, which included the regular tax roll adjustments, accounts payable and previous meeting minutes.&nbsp;It also included approval for the recipients of the Oliver Hagg Scholarship and reappointing Saline County Deputy Administrator Hannah Bett to the North Central Regional Homeland Security Council [LINK].Once commissioners approved the consent agenda, Jes Pfannenstiel, a <a href="https://www.kworcc.com/">KWORCC</a>&nbsp;loss prevention specialist and marketing director, presented an award to Saline County for a low-loss ratio in worker's compensation.Next on the agenda were the eight action items for commissioners to consider, the first of which included a proclamation for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.<a href="http://dvack.org/">DVACK</a>&nbsp;Sexual Assault Advocate Angie White presented the proclamation to the commission.White shared a few statistics on sexual violence and DVACK's services for victims of sexual violence. Hay asked what events the organization would plan for the month-long observance.The community resource will host a vigil for sexual violence victims at Kansas Wesleyan University on Monday, April 8, and an Ad Astra Speak Night on Friday, April 19, for survivors to share their stories.The following proclamation was for Child Abuse Prevention Month, presented to the commission by <a href="https://capsofsalina.org/">Child Advocacy and Parenting Services (CAPS)</a> Interim Executive Director Paul Forrester.Hay similarly asked what events or campaigns the organization will host for the observance. Forrester said CAPS has multiple activities planned, including <a href="https://e.givesmart.com/events/Ag4/">an online auction</a>, Go Blue Salina Denim Days, Shine a Light for Survivors and Pinwheels for Prevention Challenge.After that, the commission considered two more proclamations, one for National County Government Month and National Public Health Week.Commissioners approved all four proclamations for the county.&nbsp;READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/a198af7c-fb50-44bc-99a6-6d0624d87744">Saline County residents enter race for county attorney</a>Jason Tiller, the Saline County Health Department director, presented the proclamation on National Public Health Week, and after approving three month-long observances, Weese asked Tiller one question after approving the declaration."Jason, why do you only get a week while everyone else gets a month?" Weese posed."I guess because we had like three years," Tiller answered. The audience and county staff met that answer with a round of laughter.<h2>Bid considerations and broadband community assessment</h2>Once commissioners approved all four proclamations, the next agenda item included the purchase of a new dump truck for Saline County Road and Bridge.Darren Fishel, the Road and Bridge administrator, presented two quotes for the commission, one from MHC Kenworth in Salina for $187,265.55 or the other from Truck Center Companies in Wichita for $147,396.00."Both trucks were specced the same, and that one was just that much cheaper," Fishel said.Truck Center Companies' quote was almost $40,000 less than MHC Kenworth's, so the commission approved Truck Center Companies for the purchase 5-0.Saline County Public Information Officer Melissa McCoy presented the next agenda item — a broadband community assessment to identify county areas without reliable internet.Saline County initially requested this assessment during the January 31 meeting earlier this year. McCoy detailed that two companies submitted proposals to the county, one estimated for $48,000 by Design Nine Broadband Planners and another for $169,580 from Essentia.A review committee comprised of Renee Duxler, president and CEO of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, Claire Ludes, executive director of the Salina Area United Way, and Amy Adams, assistant director of the Salina Public Library, met on March 13 to discuss the two proposals.The price difference between the two businesses reaches more than $120,000, but McCoy said the scope of the assessment is similar for both proposals."Everyone on the committee agreed, even given the same price, they would have chosen Design Nine. It is a big disparity, [but] looking at the proposals side by side, the scope of work is not much different," McCoy said. "I don't have a great answer as to why one of them is so much more expensive than the other."LISTEN:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/bf675502-008d-4306-9771-be284ed89dd4">🎙King in the Community: Saline County Administrator, Phil Smith-Hanes</a>McCoy said the staff recommended that commissioners accept Design Nine's proposal to proceed with the assessment.After presenting the two proposals, Sparks asked McCoy why the county sought this assessment and what the county would do after completing the study. Sparks' main concern was that, after completing the evaluation, would the county then provide internet access to those without a reliable connection?McCoy answered that the study would show where county residents do not have access to reliable internet and have information to create a "road map" for better internet access.Commissioners then considered it for a few more moments until it was motioned for action, which passed 4-1, with Sparks voting against the proposal.The commissioners' next agenda item was a bid consideration for a roof layover at the previous Saline County Jail, which now houses Court Services.Earlier this year, Saline County Administrator Phil Smith-Hanes told commissioners about the poor condition of the Court Services building's roof, leading commissioners to seek bids for its repair.At first, commissioners hesitated to continue spending money on the old jail and its connecting offices. However, Hay said it changed his mind after walking through the building and recognizing the comfortable fit for Court Services."When we first went into this and took that tour over there, I was very against spending any money at all on that jail itself until I went in and took a tour with court services," Hay said. "I think that's going to be money well-spent to keep them in a building where they are comfortable, safe, and able to utilize that building well."Hannah Bett, the Saline County deputy administrator, presented the five bids opened on March 22 to the commission. Staff recommended Meridian Roofing's bid of $67,055 for a layover repair.After a few more minutes of deliberation, commissioners approved Meridian Roofing's bid 5-0.The last action item listed was lawn mowing at the now Court Services building since Saline County Sheriff's Office maintenance staff used to mow the lawn at that facility.Bett presented various bids for lawn mowing services between April 15 and November 1 this year, which Vidricksen met with some dissatisfaction.Vidricksen asked Bett and Smith-Hanes why other county maintenance staff couldn't add Court Services and the Police Department buildings to their mowing list."What I would like to see happen is send this back to staff and come up with an alternate solution in addition to what you already have here," Vidricksen said.Smith-Hanes said staff could look into restructuring how Saline County maintenance staff mow the lawns at Saline County buildings, but it would take some time."I don't think that's going to happen before the lawn needs mowed, so we need a solution for April 15," Smith-Hanes said.&nbsp;Vidricksen then offered that the commissioners could fill in while staff found a solution for lawn mowing. Shadwick chuckled and said, "I don't even cut my own grass."Shadwick then moved that the commission table the topic until next week to avoid paying for lawn mowing services from a local company.<h2>Informational items covered at the meeting</h2>The last action item concluded with the lawn mowing topic, and commissioners moved into the next portion of the meeting, which included a quarterly report from the engineering department.Justin Mader, the county engineer, presented the various projects the department has conducted since the beginning of 2024.This included a Farrelly Road pipe lining project completion, material bids for pipe culverts and traffic paint, opening bids for the 2024 chip and crack sealing projects, an update on the overlay and patching projects around the county and plans for a low water crossing on McReynolds Road.Smith-Hanes also provided a legislative update to commissioners to conclude the meeting. Next week's meeting will include an update from the Saline County Emergency Management Department and a bid award for the 2024 chip sealing project.

Saline County Commissioners consider proclamations and awarding bids at regular meeting

In the latest episode of the <a href="https://kinginthecommunity.podbean.com/">King in the Community podcast</a>, Salina Post News Director and host, Nate King meets with Salina City Manager Mike Schrage for their monthly conversation about the city's affairs.&nbsp;

Through thoughtful discourse and analysis, the episode navigates a spectrum of relevant and local topics, from the <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/0b38fcb6-2c8b-4eda-bc8e-861a3bf1c7a4">philanthropic Match Madness event</a> to the controversy surrounding possible public art at Salina Fire Station Four.

Listen in and hear about the city's strategic vision for the inclusion of public art in capital improvement projects — like the fire station rebuild.

 Schrage also discusses the associated costs of expanding the municipal landfill.&nbsp;

King asks Schrage about the <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/b7a82c09-d61b-4d2d-bbf2-82933261af24">recent data breach in Salina</a>, shedding light on the robust cybersecurity measures being deployed to fortify defenses against attacks/

Schrage underscores the need of civic engagement through service on city boards and commissions. There are more than<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/473f044c-0052-4309-9bff-ce43243c8e83"> 200 volunteer positions available</a> to actively contribute to the community's advancement

Join Nate King each month for an update from Salina City Manager Mike Schrage.&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Salina City Manager, Mike Schrage" allowtransparency="true" height="315" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:315px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=xcxac-15d0e82-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By SALINA POSTIn the latest episode of the <a href="https://kinginthecommunity.podbean.com/">King in the Community podcast</a>, Salina Post News Director and host, Nate King meets with Salina City Manager Mike Schrage for their monthly conversation about the city's affairs.&nbsp;Through thoughtful discourse and analysis, the episode navigates a spectrum of relevant and local topics, from the <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/0b38fcb6-2c8b-4eda-bc8e-861a3bf1c7a4">philanthropic Match Madness event</a> to the controversy surrounding possible public art at Salina Fire Station Four.Listen in and hear about the city's strategic vision for the inclusion of public art in capital improvement projects — like the fire station rebuild. Schrage also discusses the associated costs of expanding the municipal landfill.&nbsp;King asks Schrage about the <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/b7a82c09-d61b-4d2d-bbf2-82933261af24">recent data breach in Salina</a>, shedding light on the robust cybersecurity measures being deployed to fortify defenses against attacks/Schrage underscores the need of civic engagement through service on city boards and commissions. There are more than<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/473f044c-0052-4309-9bff-ce43243c8e83"> 200 volunteer positions available</a> to actively contribute to the community's advancementJoin Nate King each month for an update from Salina City Manager Mike Schrage.&nbsp;<div><iframe title="King in the Community" allowtransparency="true" height="315" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:315px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=skmut-558a99-pbblog-playlist&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&order=episodic&limit=10&filter=publish_time&publish_start=&publish_end=2024-04-01&ss=4192767204120dcba8040466e41dbce0&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=315" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

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

WASHINGTON (AP) — Shortly after an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">airstrike widely attributed to Israel destroyed an Iranian consulate building in Syria</a>, the United States had an urgent message for Iran: We had nothing to do with it.

But that may not be enough for the U.S. to avoid retaliation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">targeting its forces in the region.</a>&nbsp;A top U.S. commander warned on Wednesday of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-attacks-ships-red-sea-7b86941c985a934281c68d6624baff1b">danger to American troops.</a>

And if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent broadening of targeted strikes on adversaries around the region to include Iranian security operatives and leaders deepens regional hostilities, analysts say, it's not clear the United States can avoid being pulled into deeper regional conflict as well.

The Biden administration insists it had no advance knowledge of the airstrike Monday. But the United States is closely tied to Israel's military regardless. The U.S. remains Israel’s indispensable ally and unstinting supplier of weapons, responsible for some 70% of Israeli weapon imports and an estimated 15% of Israel's defense budget. That includes providing the kind of advanced aircraft and munitions that appear to have been employed in the attack.

Israel hasn’t acknowledged a role in the airstrike, but Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Tuesday that the U.S. has assessed Israel was responsible.

Multiple arms of Iran's government served notice that they would hold the United States accountable for the fiery attack. The strike, in the Syrian capital of Damascus, killed senior commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for Syria and Lebanon, an officer of the powerful Iran-allied Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, and others.

American forces in Syria and Iraq already are frequent targets when Iran and its regional allies seek retaliation for strikes by Israelis, notes Charles Lister, the Syria program director for the Middle East Institute.

“What the Iranians have always done for years when they have felt most aggressively targeted by Israel is not to hit back at Israelis, but Americans,” seeing them as soft targets in the region, Lister said.

On Wednesday in Washington, the top U.S. Air Force commander for the Middle East, Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, said Iran’s assertion that the U.S. bears responsibility for Israeli actions could bring an end to a pause in militia attacks on U.S. forces that has lasted since early February.

He said he sees no specific threat to U.S. troops right now, but “I am concerned because of the Iranian rhetoric talking about the U.S., that there could be a risk to our forces."

U.S. officials have recorded more than 150 attacks by Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria on U.S. forces at bases in those countries since war between Hamas and Israel began on Oct. 7.

One, in late January, killed three U.S. service members and injured dozens more at a base in Jordan.

In retaliation, the U.S. launched a massive air assault, hitting more than 85 targets at seven locations in Iraq and Syria, including command and control headquarters, drone and ammunition storage sites and other facilities connected to the militias or the IRGC’s Quds Force, the Guard’s expeditionary unit that handles Tehran’s relationship with and arming of regional militias. There have been no publicly reported attacks on U.S. troops in the region since that response.

Grynkewich told reporters the U.S. is watching and listening carefully to what Iran is saying and doing to evaluate how Tehran might respond.

Analysts and diplomats cite a range of ways Iran could retaliate.

Since Oct. 7, Iran and the regional militias allied to it in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen have followed a strategy of calibrated attacks that stop short of triggering an all-out conflict that could subject Iran’s homeland forces or Hezbollah to full-blown war with Israel or the United States.

Beyond strikes on U.S. troops, possibilities for Iranian retaliation could include a limited missile strike directly from Iranian soil to Israel, Lister said. That would reciprocate for Israel's strike on what under international law was sovereign Iranian soil, at the Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus.

A concentrated attack on a U.S. position abroad on the scale of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-marines-bombing-beirut-1983-hezbollah-israel-hamas-iran-34f61ac47909c52de800dd35b375e782">1983 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Beirut</a>&nbsp;is possible, but seems unlikely given the scale of U.S. retaliation that would draw, analysts say. Iran also could escalate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-sanctions-treasury-terrorism-bolton-soleimani-rushdie-a3b96b9008b0f4d64c8279717d1f4dea">an existing effort to kill Trump-era officials</a>&nbsp;behind the United States' 2020 drone killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

How far any other retaliation and potential escalation goes may depend on two things out of U.S. control: Whether Iran wants to keep regional hostilities at their current level or escalate, and whether Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's far-right government does.

Sina Toossi, a fellow at the Center for International Policy, said analysts in Iran are among those trying to read Netanyahu's mind since the attack, struggling to choose between two competing narratives for Israel's objective.

“One perceives Israel’s actions as a deliberate provocation of war that Iran should respond to with restraint,” Toossi wrote in the U.S.-based think tank's journal. “The other suggests that Israel is capitalizing on Iran’s typically restrained responses,” and that failing to respond in kind will only embolden Israel.

Ultimately, Iran’s sense that it is already winning its strategic goals as the Hamas-Israel war continues — elevating the Palestinian cause and costing Israel friends globally — may go the furthest in persuading Iranian leaders not to risk open warfare with Israel or U.S. in whatever response they make to Monday’s airstrike, some analysts and diplomats say.

Shira Efron, a director of policy research at the U.S.-based Israel Policy Forum, rejected suggestions that Netanyahu was actively trying with attacks like the one in Damascus to draw the U.S. into a potentially decisive conflict alongside Israel against their common rivals, at least for now.

“First, the risk of escalation has increased. No doubt,” Efron said.

“I don't think Netanyahu is interested in full-blown war though,” she said. “And whereas in the past Israel was thought to be interested in drawing the U.S. into a greater conflict, even if the desire still exists in some circles, it is not more than wishful thinking at the moment.”

U.S. President Joe Biden is facing pressure from the other direction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705969629635.png" alt="File photo from U.S. strikes in the Middle East in February-U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo from U.S. strikes in the Middle East in February-U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>By ELLEN KNICKMEYER and LOLITA C. BALDORWASHINGTON (AP) — Shortly after an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">airstrike widely attributed to Israel destroyed an Iranian consulate building in Syria</a>, the United States had an urgent message for Iran: We had nothing to do with it.But that may not be enough for the U.S. to avoid retaliation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">targeting its forces in the region.</a>&nbsp;A top U.S. commander warned on Wednesday of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houthi-attacks-ships-red-sea-7b86941c985a934281c68d6624baff1b">danger to American troops.</a>And if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent broadening of targeted strikes on adversaries around the region to include Iranian security operatives and leaders deepens regional hostilities, analysts say, it's not clear the United States can avoid being pulled into deeper regional conflict as well.The Biden administration insists it had no advance knowledge of the airstrike Monday. But the United States is closely tied to Israel's military regardless. The U.S. remains Israel’s indispensable ally and unstinting supplier of weapons, responsible for some 70% of Israeli weapon imports and an estimated 15% of Israel's defense budget. That includes providing the kind of advanced aircraft and munitions that appear to have been employed in the attack.Israel hasn’t acknowledged a role in the airstrike, but Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Tuesday that the U.S. has assessed Israel was responsible.Multiple arms of Iran's government served notice that they would hold the United States accountable for the fiery attack. The strike, in the Syrian capital of Damascus, killed senior commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for Syria and Lebanon, an officer of the powerful Iran-allied Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, and others.American forces in Syria and Iraq already are frequent targets when Iran and its regional allies seek retaliation for strikes by Israelis, notes Charles Lister, the Syria program director for the Middle East Institute.“What the Iranians have always done for years when they have felt most aggressively targeted by Israel is not to hit back at Israelis, but Americans,” seeing them as soft targets in the region, Lister said.On Wednesday in Washington, the top U.S. Air Force commander for the Middle East, Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, said Iran’s assertion that the U.S. bears responsibility for Israeli actions could bring an end to a pause in militia attacks on U.S. forces that has lasted since early February.He said he sees no specific threat to U.S. troops right now, but “I am concerned because of the Iranian rhetoric talking about the U.S., that there could be a risk to our forces."U.S. officials have recorded more than 150 attacks by Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria on U.S. forces at bases in those countries since war between Hamas and Israel began on Oct. 7.One, in late January, killed three U.S. service members and injured dozens more at a base in Jordan.In retaliation, the U.S. launched a massive air assault, hitting more than 85 targets at seven locations in Iraq and Syria, including command and control headquarters, drone and ammunition storage sites and other facilities connected to the militias or the IRGC’s Quds Force, the Guard’s expeditionary unit that handles Tehran’s relationship with and arming of regional militias. There have been no publicly reported attacks on U.S. troops in the region since that response.Grynkewich told reporters the U.S. is watching and listening carefully to what Iran is saying and doing to evaluate how Tehran might respond.Analysts and diplomats cite a range of ways Iran could retaliate.Since Oct. 7, Iran and the regional militias allied to it in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen have followed a strategy of calibrated attacks that stop short of triggering an all-out conflict that could subject Iran’s homeland forces or Hezbollah to full-blown war with Israel or the United States.Beyond strikes on U.S. troops, possibilities for Iranian retaliation could include a limited missile strike directly from Iranian soil to Israel, Lister said. That would reciprocate for Israel's strike on what under international law was sovereign Iranian soil, at the Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus.A concentrated attack on a U.S. position abroad on the scale of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-marines-bombing-beirut-1983-hezbollah-israel-hamas-iran-34f61ac47909c52de800dd35b375e782">1983 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Beirut</a>&nbsp;is possible, but seems unlikely given the scale of U.S. retaliation that would draw, analysts say. Iran also could escalate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-sanctions-treasury-terrorism-bolton-soleimani-rushdie-a3b96b9008b0f4d64c8279717d1f4dea">an existing effort to kill Trump-era officials</a>&nbsp;behind the United States' 2020 drone killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.How far any other retaliation and potential escalation goes may depend on two things out of U.S. control: Whether Iran wants to keep regional hostilities at their current level or escalate, and whether Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's far-right government does.Sina Toossi, a fellow at the Center for International Policy, said analysts in Iran are among those trying to read Netanyahu's mind since the attack, struggling to choose between two competing narratives for Israel's objective.“One perceives Israel’s actions as a deliberate provocation of war that Iran should respond to with restraint,” Toossi wrote in the U.S.-based think tank's journal. “The other suggests that Israel is capitalizing on Iran’s typically restrained responses,” and that failing to respond in kind will only embolden Israel.Ultimately, Iran’s sense that it is already winning its strategic goals as the Hamas-Israel war continues — elevating the Palestinian cause and costing Israel friends globally — may go the furthest in persuading Iranian leaders not to risk open warfare with Israel or U.S. in whatever response they make to Monday’s airstrike, some analysts and diplomats say.Shira Efron, a director of policy research at the U.S.-based Israel Policy Forum, rejected suggestions that Netanyahu was actively trying with attacks like the one in Damascus to draw the U.S. into a potentially decisive conflict alongside Israel against their common rivals, at least for now.“First, the risk of escalation has increased. No doubt,” Efron said.“I don't think Netanyahu is interested in full-blown war though,” she said. “And whereas in the past Israel was thought to be interested in drawing the U.S. into a greater conflict, even if the desire still exists in some circles, it is not more than wishful thinking at the moment.”U.S. President Joe Biden is facing pressure from the other direction.So far he's resisting calls from growing numbers of Democratic lawmakers and voters to limit the flow of American arms to Israel as a way to press Netanyahu to ease Israeli military killing of civilians in Gaza and to heed other U.S. appeals.As criticism has grown of U.S. military support of Israel’s war in Gaza, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller has increasingly pointed to Israel’s longer-term need for weapons — to defend itself against Iran and Iranian-allied Hezbollah in Lebanon.The U.S. is ″always concerned about anything that would be escalatory,” Miller said after the attack in Damascus. “It has been one of the goals of this administration since October 7th to keep the conflict from spreading, recognizing that Israel has the right to defend itself from adversaries that are sworn to its destruction.''Israel for years has hit at Iranian proxies and their sites in the region, knocking back their ability to build strength and cause trouble for Israelis.Since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, one of a network of Iran-aligned militias in the region, that shattered Israel’s sense of security, Netanyahu’s government has increasingly added Iranian security operatives and leaders to target lists in the region, Lister notes.The U.S. military already has deepened engagement from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea since the Hamas-Israel war opened — deploying aircraft carriers to the region to discourage rear-guard attacks against Israel, opening airstrikes to quell attacks on shipping by Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen.It is also moving to build a pier off Gaza to try to get more aid to Palestinian civilians despite obstacles that include Israel’s restrictions and attacks on aid deliveries.