By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

With the exception of a few loyalists wearing purple and white on Thursday night, the entire state of Kansas counted Southeast of Saline out in their semifinal matchup with Hesston.

The three-time defending 3A state champs were the top seed in the bracket, came in with a pristine 17-3 record, and had already dominated Southeast once in a 49-32 season opener victory.

Some already had the Swathers penciled in for a final with Santa Fe Trail on Saturday.

“We haven’t been in this position for a few years where nobody expects us to win,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “Nobody expected us to compete with the upper-echelon teams in the state but our guys didn’t listen to any of that, they believe they belong and that can be dangerous.”

This game was a dogfight right from the start, and Hesston delivered the first punch, taking a 12-3 lead off the starting line, but the Trojans battled back to cut the lead to two at the end of the first quarter.

Amidst a second-quarter run, with 3:31 remaining in the half Owen Bailey splashed a three from the left wing to give the Trojans their first lead since the opening minutes and Southeast slammed the gas to take a nine-point lead into the break.

“We knew at halftime that they weren’t going away,” Flax said. “It’s embedded in their program that those guys are winners but I thought we did a good job of staying the course and battling on every possession in the second half.”

Southeast tightened the screws defensively in the third quarter, holding Hesston to just three made field goals and extending their lead to ten, a lead they would hold on to win by at the final buzzer.

“We told the guys that every possession was going to be a battle and you have to win more of those than Hesston does,” Flax said. “We started off a little slow and a little soft but once we settled in man we competed and it was so fun to see those guys battle for four quarters.”

Six different Trojans recorded a bucket in the win, led by Gannon Jacobson (16), Owen Bailey (12), Daniel Kejr (9) and Omar Calzada (9).

On the other side Adrian Hernandez (14) and Jackson Fry (10) were the leading scorers for the Swathers, but it wasn’t enough as Hesston’s season draws to a close at 18-4.

The Trojans meanwhile, move to 13-9, and earn a date with Santa Fe Trail in the sub-state championship game on their own home floor this Saturday.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>With the exception of a few loyalists wearing purple and white on Thursday night, the entire state of Kansas counted Southeast of Saline out in their semifinal matchup with Hesston.The three-time defending 3A state champs were the top seed in the bracket, came in with a pristine 17-3 record, and had already dominated Southeast once in a 49-32 season opener victory.Some already had the Swathers penciled in for a final with Santa Fe Trail on Saturday.The Trojans had other plans.“We haven’t been in this position for a few years where nobody expects us to win,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “Nobody expected us to compete with the upper-echelon teams in the state but our guys didn’t listen to any of that, they believe they belong and that can be dangerous.”This game was a dogfight right from the start, and Hesston delivered the first punch, taking a 12-3 lead off the starting line, but the Trojans battled back to cut the lead to two at the end of the first quarter.Amidst a second-quarter run, with 3:31 remaining in the half Owen Bailey splashed a three from the left wing to give the Trojans their first lead since the opening minutes and Southeast slammed the gas to take a nine-point lead into the break.“We knew at halftime that they weren’t going away,” Flax said. “It’s embedded in their program that those guys are winners but I thought we did a good job of staying the course and battling on every possession in the second half.”Southeast tightened the screws defensively in the third quarter, holding Hesston to just three made field goals and extending their lead to ten, a lead they would hold on to win by at the final buzzer.“We told the guys that every possession was going to be a battle and you have to win more of those than Hesston does,” Flax said. “We started off a little slow and a little soft but once we settled in man we competed and it was so fun to see those guys battle for four quarters.”Six different Trojans recorded a bucket in the win, led by Gannon Jacobson (16), Owen Bailey (12), Daniel Kejr (9) and Omar Calzada (9).On the other side Adrian Hernandez (14) and Jackson Fry (10) were the leading scorers for the Swathers, but it wasn’t enough as Hesston’s season draws to a close at 18-4.The Trojans meanwhile, move to 13-9, and earn a date with Santa Fe Trail in the sub-state championship game on their own home floor this Saturday.

Trojans Shock Swathers in Semifinal Upset

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — More than 1,000 child care providers and stakeholders from all 105 Kansas counties urged lawmakers to channel more money into the state’s overwhelmed child care programs.&nbsp;

<a target="_blank" href="https://stage.worklifesystems.com/Kansas?county=all">Child care data</a>&nbsp;in the state suggests only 46% of children in Kansas are receiving child care services, and that an additional 85,000 child care slots are needed to meet demand.&nbsp;

To alleviate some of the financial strain faced by providers, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly introduced a $56 million allocation as part of her proposed budget for<a target="_blank" href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-kelly-announces-fiscal-year-2025-budget/">&nbsp;fiscal year 2025</a>.&nbsp;The funding includes nearly $30 million for the construction of child care facilities and $5 million for a northwest Kansas pilot program seeking to test practices for public-private child care partnerships in rural areas.&nbsp;

Another $15 million will go toward workforce grants to support child care providers struggling in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fiscal year 2025, the money would provide an estimated 3,500 child care organizations with $4,000 grants.

Child care providers and stakeholders signed onto a letter supporting the allocation, calling the move a critical economic development and one that would bolster struggling Kansas families.&nbsp;

“Too many Kansas families are struggling with the high costs of child care,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/KSOG/2024/02/27/file_attachments/2796444/Kansas%20Early%20Childhood%20Sign-On%20Letter.pdf">the letter reads</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Investing in early childhood programs included in the budget will make child care more affordable and more available in communities from Kansas City to Garden City. …We need to invest in early childhood education to make sure all Kansas kids get started on the right track.”&nbsp;

Lawmakers in the Republican-majority Legislature will go through budget items before sending the budget back to Kelly. If enacted, this allocation would be the largest single-year investment in early childhood care and education in Kansas history, according to the governor’s office.&nbsp;

“Early childhood providers are essential to preparing our children for lifelong success and know how critical it is to invest in our state’s early childhood system,” Kelly said in a Wednesday statement. “Legislators should listen to these experts and approve the crucial budget proposals needed to expand access to child care, support our working families and businesses, and grow our economy.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685738907816.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;File photo-Child care system slots may increase under new funding provisions.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;File photo-Child care system slots may increase under new funding provisions.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — More than 1,000 child care providers and stakeholders from all 105 Kansas counties urged lawmakers to channel more money into the state’s overwhelmed child care programs.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://stage.worklifesystems.com/Kansas?county=all">Child care data</a>&nbsp;in the state suggests only 46% of children in Kansas are receiving child care services, and that an additional 85,000 child care slots are needed to meet demand.&nbsp;To alleviate some of the financial strain faced by providers, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly introduced a $56 million allocation as part of her proposed budget for<a target="_blank" href="https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-kelly-announces-fiscal-year-2025-budget/">&nbsp;fiscal year 2025</a>.&nbsp;The funding includes nearly $30 million for the construction of child care facilities and $5 million for a northwest Kansas pilot program seeking to test practices for public-private child care partnerships in rural areas.&nbsp;Another $15 million will go toward workforce grants to support child care providers struggling in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fiscal year 2025, the money would provide an estimated 3,500 child care organizations with $4,000 grants.Child care providers and stakeholders signed onto a letter supporting the allocation, calling the move a critical economic development and one that would bolster struggling Kansas families.&nbsp;“Too many Kansas families are struggling with the high costs of child care,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/KSOG/2024/02/27/file_attachments/2796444/Kansas%20Early%20Childhood%20Sign-On%20Letter.pdf">the letter reads</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Investing in early childhood programs included in the budget will make child care more affordable and more available in communities from Kansas City to Garden City. …We need to invest in early childhood education to make sure all Kansas kids get started on the right track.”&nbsp;Lawmakers in the Republican-majority Legislature will go through budget items before sending the budget back to Kelly. If enacted, this allocation would be the largest single-year investment in early childhood care and education in Kansas history, according to the governor’s office.&nbsp;“Early childhood providers are essential to preparing our children for lifelong success and know how critical it is to invest in our state’s early childhood system,” Kelly said in a Wednesday statement. “Legislators should listen to these experts and approve the crucial budget proposals needed to expand access to child care, support our working families and businesses, and grow our economy.”&nbsp;

‘Families are struggling’: Kansas child care providers ask for funding increase

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 a.m.&nbsp; Linn Exline, USD 305, Superintendent of Schools on the new USD 305 school safety video

9:30 a.m.&nbsp; Jenni Jones and Bill Taylor from Presbyterian Manner for a Villas update

10:05 a.m. Vickee Spicer, executive director of the Prairieland Market gives an update on the market's move to downtown Salina

10:30 a.m.&nbsp; Kelly Hall, Hall Contracting on good things they have done for the community and around the world

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625885773462.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></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 a.m.&nbsp; Linn Exline, USD 305, Superintendent of Schools on the new USD 305 school safety video9:30 a.m.&nbsp; Jenni Jones and Bill Taylor from Presbyterian Manner for a Villas update10:05 a.m. Vickee Spicer, executive director of the Prairieland Market gives an update on the market's move to downtown Salina10:30 a.m.&nbsp; Kelly Hall, Hall Contracting on good things they have done for the community and around the world

910KINA Saturday Morning Show Lineup

By NATE KING Salina Post

On Monday, Salina City commissioners entered an agreement with Kansas City-based firm&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wskfarch.com/firm-profile/">WSKF Architects&nbsp;</a>for design and professional services for the relocated Fire Station Four. The contract listed WSKF's service cost for Phase II at $629,120.

"The relocation and rebuilding of Fire Station Four has been included in the City's long-range capital improvement plan since 2014 or maybe even before then," said Jason Wood, Deputy City Manager.

Phase One of the project, completed by WSKF, includes:

● Schematic Design (selection of furniture, fixtures and equipment)

● Development approval services (survey, platting/zoning, drainage study)

During the meeting, commissioners agreed to move forward with Phase Two of the project to relocate and replace the firehouse currently located at 669 Briarcliffe Road to its new location at Crawford St. and Markley Road.

With the completion of Phase One, for $147,760, WSKF begins Phase Two, which includes the following key items:

● Architectural Design for design development

● Post Occupancy services, including warranty monitoring

The 2020 budget detailed an initial estimated project cost of about $5 million. In 2021, the city added the project to the 2022-2026 capital improvement plan at the same price. When city staff began creating the preliminary design, they recognized that due to the time that had passed since the original estimates, the project would be closer to $10 million.&nbsp;

Commissioner Hoppock said he felt "sticker shock" after seeing the increase in the overall project cost.

"Obviously, it's a little bit of a sticker shock as to where we were when we started," Hoppock said. "We can have a philosophical discussion about, would it [project costs] be more or would it be less in a year or two because of the demand for construction right now."

LISTEN MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/c14c2f3e-49cf-4d68-a9ff-d63b936a3438">🎙King in the Community: Salina Fire update with Chief Tony Sneidar</a>

According to WSKF Architect Doug Boe, the project is estimated to cost $479 per square foot, which aligns with the cost per square foot of similar projects that WSKF has completed.&nbsp;

"The range for square footage is actually a real reasonable range from what we're seeing," Boe said. " It depends on which market. Kansas City runs a little higher, typically per square foot."

Boe said that in the post-pandemic world, rising construction costs over the past three years are starting to level out but not decreasing.&nbsp;

City of Salina documents note that Garden City recently approved the construction of a similar fire station for $465 per square foot.

Toward the end of 2023, Salina Arts &amp; Humanities staff and the Community Art and Design Committee began working with Fire Department leadership by establishing a site committee to advise on the possible locations of the new fire station and the functions of art and design elements.

The site committee members are neighborhood residents, project stakeholders, firefighters, a representative liaison from the Community Art &amp; Design Advisory Committee and architects with WSKF.

In an effort to keep costs at a reasonable level, in Dec. of 2023, the site committee determined that it could make design modifications to reduce the project's overall cost.&nbsp;

● Eliminating a display area for an antique fire truck

The reductions resulted in a schematic design and a construction cost of approximately $9.4 million. Wood provided reasons for why the site committee decided to make reductions to the training room.&nbsp;

"The city has many facilities that can host classroom-style training," Wood said. "It's not like training space out on a ladder or a tower or anything like that. So, for a million dollars, the city has a lot of other training places that we could go to for that."

LISTEN MORE:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://salinapost.com/posts/140e87e1-d32a-4194-a588-a1835fa6f5e9">🎙King in the Community: Salina Mayor, Bill Longbine</a>

In the 2024 budget, city finance office staff included debt financing for this $10 million, or $402,000 annually, project supported by the current property tax levy.

City staff also recommended to commissioners that an additional $1 million be added to the project to account for the increased cost, making the project's total cost $11 million.

Staff believes the current mill levy could finance the additional $1 million debt, $75,000 annually; however, if more levied property tax is needed, the annual cost of approximately $75,000 per year would be an additional .14 mills&nbsp;

In 2007, the City of Salina adopted a community art and design policy. This policy was last updated in 2019 and included guidelines for art and design elements for selected capital improvement projects.&nbsp;

"When we started with the community art design approach, there was a presumption that pretty much every project would get 5 percent of the project dedicated to the arts," said Mike Schrage, Salina City Manager. "There's been very few, and for quite some time, we've identified the fire station as kind of a community amenity that needs to show well, not to say that this design doesn't do that, but I think there was kind of a recognition of being selective about which projects to attach community art to."&nbsp;

Brad Anderson, executive director for Salina Arts and Humanities, informed commissioners about a stand-alone art option.

"In this process of discovery, with WSKF and with the site committee, being both respectful of limited budgets and so on, to put a $400,000 amount on there sounds exorbitant, especially when there are value engineering decisions that have been made," Anderson said. "This is meant to be an opportunity for you [commissioners] to make an informed decision of what percentage, if you choose to include any art and design component with this, that's your prerogative, and if so, to be able to let you know what a $400,000 component might mean, as opposed to something smaller."

As the project continues into the subsequent phases, Anderson said with 4.5 percent of the overall budget, the site committee could provide commissioners with additional direction.&nbsp;

"We'd be able to, with your direction, say we're really interested in a standalone 'beacon of peace' on the eastern edge of town," Anderson said.

A standalone art piece isn't the only option available. Anderson said previous capital projects, like the Salina Fieldhouse, have integrated artwork into the overall project design.&nbsp;

"We've been able to work very successfully with architects and designers over the years with a smaller budget," Anderson said. "The Fieldhouse as an example. I think we were allotted up to $170,000 or so we were able to help meet a need of the architects to create some shade for that building with an integrated piece of art and design that also served a function that was part of the budget for construction already."

Salina Vice-Mayor Greg Lenkiewicz said although he is a fan of art, his mindset on this issue is more pragmatic.&nbsp;

"This is a public safety facility. It's going to be a flagship facility for quite a while," Greg said. "I just would hate to see 10 years from now, we look back and forth on this [and decide] that we didn't do more. I like the art concept, and I'm not saying I'm completely against it — it's just that I feel my mindset is a little bit more pragmatic when it applies to a public safety department."

Salina Fire Chief Tony Sneidar, who joined Monday's meeting via Zoom, said he and other Salina firefighters support the desire to include public art.&nbsp;

"Arts and Humanities, the city folks, and the site committee that is involved in these discussions, as well as more than a couple of firefighters, one being myself and two others, we believe, as Mr. Anderson is right, this is going to be a gateway into Salina. We feel that it should be somewhat impactful to say, 'This is Salina' this isn't just the Salina Fire Department."

"We're happy to have both the site committee and Crystal Hammerschmidt on our staff lead that effort with the architects and designers to say, 'City Commission is authorizing this amount of money with a desire for us to integrate art and design elements into the architecture of the facility that would make both citizens proud that firefighters to see their values reflected and for you all to give the direction you need in terms of your tolerance for the budget," Anderson said.&nbsp;

Wood informed commissioners they could decide whether to approve the $11 million project and revisit the amount allocated for artwork later.

"All of this is going to have to come back to you [the commission] before final approval. I don't think there's any way we're going to sneak some art by you without it being brought back for your consideration," Schrage said.&nbsp;

Salina City Commissioners voted 5-0 to approve the project. According to a schedule provided by WSKF, construction will begin in the Fall of 2024 and be completed in early 2026.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708725680505.jpeg" alt="Salina City Commission" />
 <figcaption>Salina City Commission</figcaption>
 </figure>By NATE KING Salina PostOn Monday, Salina City commissioners entered an agreement with Kansas City-based firm&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wskfarch.com/firm-profile/">WSKF Architects&nbsp;</a>for design and professional services for the relocated Fire Station Four. The contract listed WSKF's service cost for Phase II at $629,120."The relocation and rebuilding of Fire Station Four has been included in the City's long-range capital improvement plan since 2014 or maybe even before then," said Jason Wood, Deputy City Manager.Phase One of the project, completed by WSKF, includes:● Space programming● Schematic Design (selection of furniture, fixtures and equipment)● Development approval services (survey, platting/zoning, drainage study)● Cost estimatesDuring the meeting, commissioners agreed to move forward with Phase Two of the project to relocate and replace the firehouse currently located at 669 Briarcliffe Road to its new location at Crawford St. and Markley Road.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709167550243.png" alt="Future location for Fire Station Four Image Courtesy WSKF" />
 <figcaption>Future location for Fire Station Four Image Courtesy WSKF</figcaption>
 </figure>With the completion of Phase One, for $147,760, WSKF begins Phase Two, which includes the following key items:● Architectural Design for design development● Construction Documents● Bidding/Negotiations of the project● Construction Administration● Post Occupancy services, including warranty monitoringThe 2020 budget detailed an initial estimated project cost of about $5 million. In 2021, the city added the project to the 2022-2026 capital improvement plan at the same price. When city staff began creating the preliminary design, they recognized that due to the time that had passed since the original estimates, the project would be closer to $10 million.&nbsp;Commissioner Hoppock said he felt "sticker shock" after seeing the increase in the overall project cost."Obviously, it's a little bit of a sticker shock as to where we were when we started," Hoppock said. "We can have a philosophical discussion about, would it [project costs] be more or would it be less in a year or two because of the demand for construction right now."LISTEN MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/c14c2f3e-49cf-4d68-a9ff-d63b936a3438">🎙King in the Community: Salina Fire update with Chief Tony Sneidar</a>According to WSKF Architect Doug Boe, the project is estimated to cost $479 per square foot, which aligns with the cost per square foot of similar projects that WSKF has completed.&nbsp;"The range for square footage is actually a real reasonable range from what we're seeing," Boe said. " It depends on which market. Kansas City runs a little higher, typically per square foot."Boe said that in the post-pandemic world, rising construction costs over the past three years are starting to level out but not decreasing.&nbsp;City of Salina documents note that Garden City recently approved the construction of a similar fire station for $465 per square foot.Toward the end of 2023, Salina Arts &amp; Humanities staff and the Community Art and Design Committee began working with Fire Department leadership by establishing a site committee to advise on the possible locations of the new fire station and the functions of art and design elements.The site committee members are neighborhood residents, project stakeholders, firefighters, a representative liaison from the Community Art &amp; Design Advisory Committee and architects with WSKF.In an effort to keep costs at a reasonable level, in Dec. of 2023, the site committee determined that it could make design modifications to reduce the project's overall cost.&nbsp;Areas reduced in size include:● The classroom-style training room● Eliminating a display area for an antique fire truck● The data room● Some living spaceThe reductions resulted in a schematic design and a construction cost of approximately $9.4 million. Wood provided reasons for why the site committee decided to make reductions to the training room.&nbsp;"The city has many facilities that can host classroom-style training," Wood said. "It's not like training space out on a ladder or a tower or anything like that. So, for a million dollars, the city has a lot of other training places that we could go to for that."LISTEN MORE:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://salinapost.com/posts/140e87e1-d32a-4194-a588-a1835fa6f5e9">🎙King in the Community: Salina Mayor, Bill Longbine</a>In the 2024 budget, city finance office staff included debt financing for this $10 million, or $402,000 annually, project supported by the current property tax levy. City staff also recommended to commissioners that an additional $1 million be added to the project to account for the increased cost, making the project's total cost $11 million.Staff believes the current mill levy could finance the additional $1 million debt, $75,000 annually; however, if more levied property tax is needed, the annual cost of approximately $75,000 per year would be an additional .14 mills&nbsp;<h2>Possible public art at Fire Station Four</h2>In 2007, the City of Salina adopted a community art and design policy. This policy was last updated in 2019 and included guidelines for art and design elements for selected capital improvement projects.&nbsp;"When we started with the community art design approach, there was a presumption that pretty much every project would get 5 percent of the project dedicated to the arts," said Mike Schrage, Salina City Manager. "There's been very few, and for quite some time, we've identified the fire station as kind of a community amenity that needs to show well, not to say that this design doesn't do that, but I think there was kind of a recognition of being selective about which projects to attach community art to."&nbsp;Brad Anderson, executive director for Salina Arts and Humanities, informed commissioners about a stand-alone art option."In this process of discovery, with WSKF and with the site committee, being both respectful of limited budgets and so on, to put a $400,000 amount on there sounds exorbitant, especially when there are value engineering decisions that have been made," Anderson said. "This is meant to be an opportunity for you [commissioners] to make an informed decision of what percentage, if you choose to include any art and design component with this, that's your prerogative, and if so, to be able to let you know what a $400,000 component might mean, as opposed to something smaller."As the project continues into the subsequent phases, Anderson said with 4.5 percent of the overall budget, the site committee could provide commissioners with additional direction.&nbsp;"We'd be able to, with your direction, say we're really interested in a standalone 'beacon of peace' on the eastern edge of town," Anderson said.A standalone art piece isn't the only option available. Anderson said previous capital projects, like the Salina Fieldhouse, have integrated artwork into the overall project design.&nbsp;"We've been able to work very successfully with architects and designers over the years with a smaller budget," Anderson said. "The Fieldhouse as an example. I think we were allotted up to $170,000 or so we were able to help meet a need of the architects to create some shade for that building with an integrated piece of art and design that also served a function that was part of the budget for construction already."Salina Vice-Mayor Greg Lenkiewicz said although he is a fan of art, his mindset on this issue is more pragmatic.&nbsp;"This is a public safety facility. It's going to be a flagship facility for quite a while," Greg said. "I just would hate to see 10 years from now, we look back and forth on this [and decide] that we didn't do more. I like the art concept, and I'm not saying I'm completely against it — it's just that I feel my mindset is a little bit more pragmatic when it applies to a public safety department."Salina Fire Chief Tony Sneidar, who joined Monday's meeting via Zoom, said he and other Salina firefighters support the desire to include public art.&nbsp;"Arts and Humanities, the city folks, and the site committee that is involved in these discussions, as well as more than a couple of firefighters, one being myself and two others, we believe, as Mr. Anderson is right, this is going to be a gateway into Salina. We feel that it should be somewhat impactful to say, 'This is Salina' this isn't just the Salina Fire Department.""We're happy to have both the site committee and Crystal Hammerschmidt on our staff lead that effort with the architects and designers to say, 'City Commission is authorizing this amount of money with a desire for us to integrate art and design elements into the architecture of the facility that would make both citizens proud that firefighters to see their values reflected and for you all to give the direction you need in terms of your tolerance for the budget," Anderson said.&nbsp;Wood informed commissioners they could decide whether to approve the $11 million project and revisit the amount allocated for artwork later."All of this is going to have to come back to you [the commission] before final approval. I don't think there's any way we're going to sneak some art by you without it being brought back for your consideration," Schrage said.&nbsp;Salina City Commissioners voted 5-0 to approve the project. According to a schedule provided by WSKF, construction will begin in the Fall of 2024 and be completed in early 2026.&nbsp;

Salina City Commission approves $11 million for new Fire Station Four

K-State veterinarians say weight and reproductive maturity are two factors to assess

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

Walk through the halls of a high school and it is easy to see that not all kids develop at the same pace – some look like mature adults while others appear younger than their age.

Similarly, individual animals in a cattle herd also reach maturity at different times, say the experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute.

Speaking on a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/42RTP6n">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast, the experts addressed factors that influence the pace at which heifers reach their maturity.

“Most heifers reach puberty at 12-13 months of age; there are some Brahman-influenced breeds that are a little older when they begin cycling,” said K-State veterinarian Bob Larson.

To help producers identify the heifers that are most likely to get bred early in the breeding season, Larson advises that producers complete a pre-breeding evaluation of the heifers.

“The two things that drive maturity are their age and their body weight,” Larson said.

When Larson conducts the pre-breeding evaluation, he assesses their reproductive tract.

“As they get closer to puberty, their reproductive tract starts to feel more like an adult tract with a thicker, larger uterus and some follicle structures on the ovaries,” Larson said.

He said there are two main times these evaluations are done.

“Six weeks before the breeding season, I can get an idea of the likelihood they’ll be cycling at breeding, and I still have time to help that along with nutrition. The other time is when we are getting ready for a synchronization protocol and I can separate the ones that are not likely to get bred,” Larson said.

Another factor affecting development is the amount of body fat heifers are carrying, which can be controlled by the heifer’s diet. The experts agree that the easiest way to measure that is through weighing the heifers.

“As heifers grow, they start to deposit more fat in each pound of gain and less muscle. So when they get to about 60-65% of their mature weight, the hormones will signal to the body that it is time to ovulate,” said K-State beef cattle nutritionist Philip Lancaster.

If these are retained heifers, Larson said, often producers will know a target weight that their females in the herd start to cycle. While it varies among herds, for many he said that is about 850 pounds.

Six weeks before breeding, Lancaster said producers can evaluate the heifer’s body condition and adjust accordingly.

“We can safely increase their nutrition to get more energy in their diet to push them to gain 2-2.5 pounds per day. As long as we start 70-90 days before the breeding season, many of those heifers will reach puberty on time,” Lancaster said.

To hear the full discussion, listen to&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/42RTP6n">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;on your preferred streaming platform.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709136994000.jpeg" alt="Image Courtesy KSRE" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy KSRE</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>K-State veterinarians say weight and reproductive maturity are two factors to assess</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lmoser@ksu.edu">LISA MOSER </a>K-State Research and Extension news service&nbsp;&nbsp;Walk through the halls of a high school and it is easy to see that not all kids develop at the same pace – some look like mature adults while others appear younger than their age.Similarly, individual animals in a cattle herd also reach maturity at different times, say the experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute.Speaking on a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/42RTP6n">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast, the experts addressed factors that influence the pace at which heifers reach their maturity.“Most heifers reach puberty at 12-13 months of age; there are some Brahman-influenced breeds that are a little older when they begin cycling,” said K-State veterinarian Bob Larson.To help producers identify the heifers that are most likely to get bred early in the breeding season, Larson advises that producers complete a pre-breeding evaluation of the heifers.“The two things that drive maturity are their age and their body weight,” Larson said.When Larson conducts the pre-breeding evaluation, he assesses their reproductive tract.“As they get closer to puberty, their reproductive tract starts to feel more like an adult tract with a thicker, larger uterus and some follicle structures on the ovaries,” Larson said.He said there are two main times these evaluations are done.“Six weeks before the breeding season, I can get an idea of the likelihood they’ll be cycling at breeding, and I still have time to help that along with nutrition. The other time is when we are getting ready for a synchronization protocol and I can separate the ones that are not likely to get bred,” Larson said.Another factor affecting development is the amount of body fat heifers are carrying, which can be controlled by the heifer’s diet. The experts agree that the easiest way to measure that is through weighing the heifers.“As heifers grow, they start to deposit more fat in each pound of gain and less muscle. So when they get to about 60-65% of their mature weight, the hormones will signal to the body that it is time to ovulate,” said K-State beef cattle nutritionist Philip Lancaster.If these are retained heifers, Larson said, often producers will know a target weight that their females in the herd start to cycle. While it varies among herds, for many he said that is about 850 pounds.Six weeks before breeding, Lancaster said producers can evaluate the heifer’s body condition and adjust accordingly.“We can safely increase their nutrition to get more energy in their diet to push them to gain 2-2.5 pounds per day. As long as we start 70-90 days before the breeding season, many of those heifers will reach puberty on time,” Lancaster said.To hear the full discussion, listen to&nbsp;<a href="https://ksre-learn.com/42RTP6n">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;on your preferred streaming platform.

KSRE Cattle Chat: Evaluating heifers before breeding

LANSING, Mich. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;easily won their party’s primaries in Michigan, but Tuesday’s results showed that both candidates have cause for concern in their bid to to win the swing state in November.

An “uncommitted” vote in Michigan's Democratic primary was the first indication of how backlash over President Biden's handling of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;in Gaza might impact his reelection campaign. Trump won his primary by a large margin, but support for rival Nikki Haley once again showed that some Republican voters may have misgivings about giving the former president another four years in the general election.

Biden, Trump each move closer to party's nomination

Michigan was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-michigan-election-2024-results">last major primary state before</a>&nbsp;Super Tuesday, and both sides were watching closely for implications for the November general election in one of the few genuine swing states left in the country.

Biden has now cruised to victories over lesser known candidates in South Carolina, Nevada and New Hampshire, which he won in a write-in campaign. Tuesday's results show that his standing is still strong in Michigan, which Biden returned to the Democratic column in 2020.

Trump has swept all five of the early state contests, including South Carolina, the home state of rival Haley. He now heads into Super Tuesday, when 15 states and one territory hold Republican nominating contests, as the overwhelming favorite to lock up the Republican nomination.

Michigan was one of three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-virus-outbreak-wisconsin-pennsylvania-27d3205028e5e43fa0031913c40b0b7d">so-called blue wall</a>&nbsp;states, including Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, that Trump won in 2016. He predicted a big win beforehand.

Just 16 of Michigan’s 55 Republican presidential delegates will be determined by the primary results, while the remaining delegates will be allocated during a March 2 convention. Trump’s anticipated dominance at the state convention, where grassroots activists will play a key role, will decide the allocation of the remaining 39 GOP delegates.

Some Democrats express anger over Gaza with ‘uncommitted’ vote

Michigan has become the focal point of Democratic frustration regarding the White House’s actions in the Israel-Hamas conflict. It has the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the nation.

That anger came through loud and clear on Tuesday as some voters marked “uncommitted” on their ballot in the Democratic primary. Biden still dominated the primary, but the result could be a concern in a state he won by less than 3% in 2020 and likely can’t afford to lose this year.

Organizers of the “uncommitted” movement had purposely kept expectations low, having only seriously begun their push a few weeks ago. The “Listen to Michigan” campaign that organized the push said they were hoping for 10,000 votes, pointing to Trump’s win of less than 11,000 votes in 2016 to show the significance of that number.

When Barack Obama ran for reelection in 2012, the last time a Democratic presidential incumbent sought re-election, the “uncommitted” option received close to 21,000 votes — or 11 percentage points.

The “uncommitted” vote totals would need to be between 20 and 30 percentage points for Democrats to worry about their impact in November, said Richard Czuba, a pollster who has long tracked Michigan politics.

“Twenty percent gets my attention. If it rises to 25%, that gets a lot more attention and if it rises above 30%, I think that’s a signal that Joe Biden has pretty substantial issues in his base,” said Czuba.

Much of the “uncommitted” vote was expected to come from the east side of the state, in communities such as Dearborn and Hamtramck, where Arab Americans represent close to half of the population. Biden won Dearborn by a roughly 3-to-1 advantage in 2020 and Hamtramck by a 5 to 1 margin.

Despite Trump's clear victory in Michigan, Haley still saw significant support from the swing state's Republicans.

Some of her best results came in Oakland and Kent counties, where Democrats have been gaining ground in recent years, contributing to their recent statewide success. She also performed better in counties where the state’s largest universities are located, Washtenaw and Ingham counties.

Trump has dominated in primaries with help from his base but his strength among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">general election</a>&nbsp;voters remains unclear. The former president has appeared in Michigan regularly in the eight years since he became president, while Haley only began stumping in the state over the weekend.

AP VoteCast reveals that a large portion of Trump’s opposition within the Republican primaries has come from voters who abandoned him before this year.

All three statewide Republican candidates that Trump endorsed in the 2022 midterms were crushed by Democratic incumbents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709081885197.png" alt="An “uncommitted” vote in Michigan's Democratic primary was the first indication of how backlash over President Biden's handling of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;in Gaza might impact his reelection campaign-image from video on Biden campaign social media page." />
 <figcaption>An “uncommitted” vote in Michigan's Democratic primary was the first indication of how backlash over President Biden's handling of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;in Gaza might impact his reelection campaign-image from video on Biden campaign social media page.</figcaption>
 </figure>LANSING, Mich. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;easily won their party’s primaries in Michigan, but Tuesday’s results showed that both candidates have cause for concern in their bid to to win the swing state in November.An “uncommitted” vote in Michigan's Democratic primary was the first indication of how backlash over President Biden's handling of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;in Gaza might impact his reelection campaign. Trump won his primary by a large margin, but support for rival Nikki Haley once again showed that some Republican voters may have misgivings about giving the former president another four years in the general election.Here are some takeaways from Michigan:Biden, Trump each move closer to party's nominationMichigan was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-michigan-election-2024-results">last major primary state before</a>&nbsp;Super Tuesday, and both sides were watching closely for implications for the November general election in one of the few genuine swing states left in the country.Biden has now cruised to victories over lesser known candidates in South Carolina, Nevada and New Hampshire, which he won in a write-in campaign. Tuesday's results show that his standing is still strong in Michigan, which Biden returned to the Democratic column in 2020.Trump has swept all five of the early state contests, including South Carolina, the home state of rival Haley. He now heads into Super Tuesday, when 15 states and one territory hold Republican nominating contests, as the overwhelming favorite to lock up the Republican nomination.Michigan was one of three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-virus-outbreak-wisconsin-pennsylvania-27d3205028e5e43fa0031913c40b0b7d">so-called blue wall</a>&nbsp;states, including Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, that Trump won in 2016. He predicted a big win beforehand.Just 16 of Michigan’s 55 Republican presidential delegates will be determined by the primary results, while the remaining delegates will be allocated during a March 2 convention. Trump’s anticipated dominance at the state convention, where grassroots activists will play a key role, will decide the allocation of the remaining 39 GOP delegates.Some Democrats express anger over Gaza with ‘uncommitted’ voteMichigan has become the focal point of Democratic frustration regarding the White House’s actions in the Israel-Hamas conflict. It has the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the nation.That anger came through loud and clear on Tuesday as some voters marked “uncommitted” on their ballot in the Democratic primary. Biden still dominated the primary, but the result could be a concern in a state he won by less than 3% in 2020 and likely can’t afford to lose this year.Organizers of the “uncommitted” movement had purposely kept expectations low, having only seriously begun their push a few weeks ago. The “Listen to Michigan” campaign that organized the push said they were hoping for 10,000 votes, pointing to Trump’s win of less than 11,000 votes in 2016 to show the significance of that number.When Barack Obama ran for reelection in 2012, the last time a Democratic presidential incumbent sought re-election, the “uncommitted” option received close to 21,000 votes — or 11 percentage points.The “uncommitted” vote totals would need to be between 20 and 30 percentage points for Democrats to worry about their impact in November, said Richard Czuba, a pollster who has long tracked Michigan politics.“Twenty percent gets my attention. If it rises to 25%, that gets a lot more attention and if it rises above 30%, I think that’s a signal that Joe Biden has pretty substantial issues in his base,” said Czuba.Much of the “uncommitted” vote was expected to come from the east side of the state, in communities such as Dearborn and Hamtramck, where Arab Americans represent close to half of the population. Biden won Dearborn by a roughly 3-to-1 advantage in 2020 and Hamtramck by a 5 to 1 margin.Some Republicans still oppose TrumpDespite Trump's clear victory in Michigan, Haley still saw significant support from the swing state's Republicans.Some of her best results came in Oakland and Kent counties, where Democrats have been gaining ground in recent years, contributing to their recent statewide success. She also performed better in counties where the state’s largest universities are located, Washtenaw and Ingham counties.Trump has dominated in primaries with help from his base but his strength among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">general election</a>&nbsp;voters remains unclear. The former president has appeared in Michigan regularly in the eight years since he became president, while Haley only began stumping in the state over the weekend.AP VoteCast reveals that a large portion of Trump’s opposition within the Republican primaries has come from voters who abandoned him before this year.All three statewide Republican candidates that Trump endorsed in the 2022 midterms were crushed by Democratic incumbents.

Trump, Biden win Michigan primary but both face warning signs

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;cast doubt Monday on state laws that could affect how Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube and other social media platforms regulate content posted by their users. The cases are among several this term in which the justices could set standards for free speech in the digital age.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/22-555">Click here to listen </a>to a replay of the oral argument

In nearly four hours of arguments, several justices questioned aspects of laws adopted by Republican-dominated legislatures and signed by Republican governors in Florida and Texas in 2021. But they seemed wary of a broad ruling, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett warning of “land mines” she and her colleagues need to avoid in resolving the two cases.

While the details vary, both laws aimed to address conservative complaints that the social media companies were liberal-leaning and censored users based on their viewpoints, especially on the political right.

Differences on the court Wednesday emerged over how to think about the platforms — as akin to newspapers that have broad free-speech protections, or telephone companies, known as common carriers that are susceptible to broader regulation.

Chief Justice John Roberts suggested he was in the former camp, saying early in the session, “And I wonder, since we’re talking about the First Amendment, whether our first concern should be with the state regulating what we have called the modern public square?”

Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas appeared most ready to embrace arguments made by lawyers for the states. Thomas raised the idea that the companies are iseeking constitutional protection for “censoring other speech.”

Alito complained about the term “content moderation” that the sites employ to keep material off their platforms.

“Is it anything more than a euphemism for censorship?” he asked, later musing that term struck him as Orwellian.

But Justice Brett Kavanaugh, seemingly more favorable to the companies, took issue with calling the actions of private companies censorship, a term he said should be reserved for restrictions imposed by the government.

“When I think of Orwellian, I think of the state, not the private sector, not private individuals,” Kavanaugh said.

The precise contours of rulings in the two cases were not clear after arguments, although it seemed likely the court would not let the laws take effect. The justices posed questions about how the laws might affect businesses that are not the primary targets of the laws, including e-commerce sites like Uber and Etsy and email and messaging services.

The cases are among several the justices have grappled with over the past year involving social media platforms. Next month, the court will hear an appeal from Louisiana, Missouri and other parties accusing administration officials of pressuring social media companies to silence conservative points of view. Two more cases awaiting decision concern whether public officials can block critics from commenting on their social media accounts, an issue that previously came up in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-dimisses-case-trump-twitter-critics-bcdfcc37052e9c737ac5a1318b02a71c">a case involving then-President Donald Trump</a>. The court dismissed the Trump case when his presidential term ended in January 2021.

The Florida and Texas laws were passed in the months following decisions by Facebook and Twitter, now X, to cut Trump off over his posts related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.

Trade associations representing the companies sued in federal court, claiming that the laws violated the platforms’ speech rights. One federal appeal struck down Florida’s statute, while another upheld the Texas law. But both are on hold pending the outcome at the Supreme Court.

In a statement when he signed the bill into law, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the measure would be “protection against the Silicon Valley elites.”

When Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Texas law, he said that it was needed to protect free speech in what he termed the new public square. Social media platforms "are a place for healthy public debate where information should be able to flow freely — but there is a dangerous movement by social media companies to silence conservative viewpoints and ideas. That is wrong, and we will not allow it in Texas,“ Abbott said.

But much has changed since then. Elon Musk purchased Twitter and, in addition to changing its name, eliminated teams focused on content moderation, welcomed back many users previously banned for hate speech and used the site to spread conspiracy theories.

The Biden administration is siding with the challengers. Lawyers for Trump have filed a brief in the Florida case urging the court to uphold the state law.

Still, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, cautioned the court to seek a narrow ruling that blocked the laws. Prelogar said governments maintain the ability to impose regulations to ensure competition, preserve data privacy and protect consumer interests.

Several academics and privacy advocacy groups told the court that they view the laws at issue in these cases as unconstitutional, but want the justices to preserve the government's ability to regulate social media companies to some extent.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660141848593.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;cast doubt Monday on state laws that could affect how Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube and other social media platforms regulate content posted by their users. The cases are among several this term in which the justices could set standards for free speech in the digital age.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/22-555">Click here to listen </a>to a replay of the oral argumentIn nearly four hours of arguments, several justices questioned aspects of laws adopted by Republican-dominated legislatures and signed by Republican governors in Florida and Texas in 2021. But they seemed wary of a broad ruling, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett warning of “land mines” she and her colleagues need to avoid in resolving the two cases.While the details vary, both laws aimed to address conservative complaints that the social media companies were liberal-leaning and censored users based on their viewpoints, especially on the political right.Differences on the court Wednesday emerged over how to think about the platforms — as akin to newspapers that have broad free-speech protections, or telephone companies, known as common carriers that are susceptible to broader regulation.Chief Justice John Roberts suggested he was in the former camp, saying early in the session, “And I wonder, since we’re talking about the First Amendment, whether our first concern should be with the state regulating what we have called the modern public square?”Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas appeared most ready to embrace arguments made by lawyers for the states. Thomas raised the idea that the companies are iseeking constitutional protection for “censoring other speech.”Alito complained about the term “content moderation” that the sites employ to keep material off their platforms.“Is it anything more than a euphemism for censorship?” he asked, later musing that term struck him as Orwellian.But Justice Brett Kavanaugh, seemingly more favorable to the companies, took issue with calling the actions of private companies censorship, a term he said should be reserved for restrictions imposed by the government.“When I think of Orwellian, I think of the state, not the private sector, not private individuals,” Kavanaugh said.The precise contours of rulings in the two cases were not clear after arguments, although it seemed likely the court would not let the laws take effect. The justices posed questions about how the laws might affect businesses that are not the primary targets of the laws, including e-commerce sites like Uber and Etsy and email and messaging services.The cases are among several the justices have grappled with over the past year involving social media platforms. Next month, the court will hear an appeal from Louisiana, Missouri and other parties accusing administration officials of pressuring social media companies to silence conservative points of view. Two more cases awaiting decision concern whether public officials can block critics from commenting on their social media accounts, an issue that previously came up in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-dimisses-case-trump-twitter-critics-bcdfcc37052e9c737ac5a1318b02a71c">a case involving then-President Donald Trump</a>. The court dismissed the Trump case when his presidential term ended in January 2021.The Florida and Texas laws were passed in the months following decisions by Facebook and Twitter, now X, to cut Trump off over his posts related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.Trade associations representing the companies sued in federal court, claiming that the laws violated the platforms’ speech rights. One federal appeal struck down Florida’s statute, while another upheld the Texas law. But both are on hold pending the outcome at the Supreme Court.In a statement when he signed the bill into law, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the measure would be “protection against the Silicon Valley elites.”When Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Texas law, he said that it was needed to protect free speech in what he termed the new public square. Social media platforms "are a place for healthy public debate where information should be able to flow freely — but there is a dangerous movement by social media companies to silence conservative viewpoints and ideas. That is wrong, and we will not allow it in Texas,“ Abbott said.But much has changed since then. Elon Musk purchased Twitter and, in addition to changing its name, eliminated teams focused on content moderation, welcomed back many users previously banned for hate speech and used the site to spread conspiracy theories.The Biden administration is siding with the challengers. Lawyers for Trump have filed a brief in the Florida case urging the court to uphold the state law.Still, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, cautioned the court to seek a narrow ruling that blocked the laws. Prelogar said governments maintain the ability to impose regulations to ensure competition, preserve data privacy and protect consumer interests.Several academics and privacy advocacy groups told the court that they view the laws at issue in these cases as unconstitutional, but want the justices to preserve the government's ability to regulate social media companies to some extent.

🎧 Supreme Court casts doubt on states' efforts to regulate social media platforms

Kim Michelle Lake October 18, 1959 ~ February 22, 2024

Kim Michelle Lake of Abilene, KS died February 22, 2024, from complications of Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis.

Kim was born on October 18, 1959, in Abilene, KS to Bernice (Barlow) Davis Abbott. Kim was adopted by Robert Davis and his loving family after the union of Robert and Bernice.

Kim lived her entire life in Abilene, graduating from Abilene High School in 1977. Kim attended Cloud Community College.

On July 19, 1980, Kim married James Ray Lake. Jim and Kim had two children, Jeremy Ryan Lake and Jessica Robin Lake. The couple were married for 43 years.

Kim worked for Duckwall ALCO for 34 years until its closing in 2015. In 2015, Kim started working remotely for Orscheln Farm and Home as a PC Technician. Kim made many lifelong friends while working. She medically retired on April 29, 2022.

Kim enjoyed working in her flower garden, watching the Kansas City Chiefs with Jim’s grandma, Leona Stammeyer, listening to Elvis tunes, fishing at Milford Lake, spending time with her brothers and sisters and playing with her children and grandchildren.

Kim and Jessica had grand adventures across the US; diamond mining, hot air ballooning, gambling in Las Vegas, shopping at the US’s largest mall, sampling teas at Celestial Seasonings, emerald and ruby mining in the Carolina’s, attending renaissance festivals, whitewater rafting, touring national parks, camping and horseback riding in the Colorado mountains, viewing movies, dinner theaters, Broadway plays, and zoo trips.

Kim is survived by husband Jim; daughter Jessica; three grandchildren; Brianna Lake , Kohen Luchsinger, and Bryce Dickerman and three great-granddaughters; Lavaeh Burdine, Palmer and Aurora Moffith; siblings; Chris (Roxie) Davis of Salina KS, Lisa (Al) Wal of Chino Valley AZ, Curt (Lori) Davis of Delphos KS and Julie (Dean) Gier of Wichita KS; Mother-in-law Vivian Lake, sister-in-law Kimberly Lake, many loved family members, and Shaun the beloved family dog.

Kim was preceded in death by her parents; stepfather, Allen Abbott; grandparents OC and Elma Barlow &amp; Darrell and Arlene Davis; son, Jeremy; brother, Mark A. Davis; father-in-law, James E. Lake; infant nephew, Jacob Driver; and several aunts and uncles.

Memorials may be made to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention or Dickinson County Home Health and Hospice and may be sent in care of the Danner Funeral Home, 501 N. Buckeye, Abilene, Kansas 67410, but Kim would have preferred you to enjoy a movie, picnic or playdate with your children or grandchildren in her memory.

A celebration of life will be announced later.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/8a3a34c1-5a7c-4ecc-9368-0d4a66ab661d">📸 Flashback Friday: Salina Post - The town of Kipp - Vol. 30</a>

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 </figure>Kim Michelle Lake October 18, 1959 ~ February 22, 2024 Kim Michelle Lake of Abilene, KS died February 22, 2024, from complications of Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis.Kim was born on October 18, 1959, in Abilene, KS to Bernice (Barlow) Davis Abbott. Kim was adopted by Robert Davis and his loving family after the union of Robert and Bernice.Kim lived her entire life in Abilene, graduating from Abilene High School in 1977. Kim attended Cloud Community College.On July 19, 1980, Kim married James Ray Lake. Jim and Kim had two children, Jeremy Ryan Lake and Jessica Robin Lake. The couple were married for 43 years.Kim worked for Duckwall ALCO for 34 years until its closing in 2015. In 2015, Kim started working remotely for Orscheln Farm and Home as a PC Technician. Kim made many lifelong friends while working. She medically retired on April 29, 2022.Kim enjoyed working in her flower garden, watching the Kansas City Chiefs with Jim’s grandma, Leona Stammeyer, listening to Elvis tunes, fishing at Milford Lake, spending time with her brothers and sisters and playing with her children and grandchildren.Kim and Jessica had grand adventures across the US; diamond mining, hot air ballooning, gambling in Las Vegas, shopping at the US’s largest mall, sampling teas at Celestial Seasonings, emerald and ruby mining in the Carolina’s, attending renaissance festivals, whitewater rafting, touring national parks, camping and horseback riding in the Colorado mountains, viewing movies, dinner theaters, Broadway plays, and zoo trips.Kim is survived by husband Jim; daughter Jessica; three grandchildren; Brianna Lake , Kohen Luchsinger, and Bryce Dickerman and three great-granddaughters; Lavaeh Burdine, Palmer and Aurora Moffith; siblings; Chris (Roxie) Davis of Salina KS, Lisa (Al) Wal of Chino Valley AZ, Curt (Lori) Davis of Delphos KS and Julie (Dean) Gier of Wichita KS; Mother-in-law Vivian Lake, sister-in-law Kimberly Lake, many loved family members, and Shaun the beloved family dog.Kim was preceded in death by her parents; stepfather, Allen Abbott; grandparents OC and Elma Barlow &amp; Darrell and Arlene Davis; son, Jeremy; brother, Mark A. Davis; father-in-law, James E. Lake; infant nephew, Jacob Driver; and several aunts and uncles.Memorials may be made to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention or Dickinson County Home Health and Hospice and may be sent in care of the Danner Funeral Home, 501 N. Buckeye, Abilene, Kansas 67410, but Kim would have preferred you to enjoy a movie, picnic or playdate with your children or grandchildren in her memory.A celebration of life will be announced later.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/8a3a34c1-5a7c-4ecc-9368-0d4a66ab661d">📸 Flashback Friday: Salina Post - The town of Kipp - Vol. 30</a>

Kim M. Lake

Michael David Adams September 10, 1958 ~ February 23, 2024

Michael’s life began on September 10, 1958, in El Dorado. He was the son of Richard and Nadine (Paige) Adams. Michael is a 1977 graduate of El Dorado High School. He recently retired from Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital where he worked in housekeeping for 22 years. Mike was enjoying his retirement, talking to family and friends, and listening to country music. He is survived by his life partner Vikki Rountree of Potwin; children Jessica (Sam Moore) Rountree and Henry (Angel) Rountree; grandchildren Annie and Zack; his siblings Gale Morgan, Richard Morgan, and Raymond “Skip” Morgan; nieces and families Casi Morgan, Asta Morgan, Amber Morgan, and Wendi Morgan. Michael passed away at his home on Friday February 23, 2024. He is preceded in death by his parents, and brothers James (Tuck) Morgan and twin Patrick Adams. His family will gather with friends on Saturday March 2, 2024, from 11 to 1 p.m. at Lamb Funeral Home, Whitewater. His funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. Michael will be laid to rest in Potwin Cemetery. Please sign his online guestbook and leave a memory of Michael at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.yazelmeglifh.com/">www.yazelmeglifh.com</a>.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709221106629.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>Michael David Adams September 10, 1958 ~ February 23, 2024Michael’s life began on September 10, 1958, in El Dorado. He was the son of Richard and Nadine (Paige) Adams. Michael is a 1977 graduate of El Dorado High School. He recently retired from Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital where he worked in housekeeping for 22 years. Mike was enjoying his retirement, talking to family and friends, and listening to country music. He is survived by his life partner Vikki Rountree of Potwin; children Jessica (Sam Moore) Rountree and Henry (Angel) Rountree; grandchildren Annie and Zack; his siblings Gale Morgan, Richard Morgan, and Raymond “Skip” Morgan; nieces and families Casi Morgan, Asta Morgan, Amber Morgan, and Wendi Morgan. Michael passed away at his home on Friday February 23, 2024. He is preceded in death by his parents, and brothers James (Tuck) Morgan and twin Patrick Adams. His family will gather with friends on Saturday March 2, 2024, from 11 to 1 p.m. at Lamb Funeral Home, Whitewater. His funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. Michael will be laid to rest in Potwin Cemetery. Please sign his online guestbook and leave a memory of Michael at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.yazelmeglifh.com/">www.yazelmeglifh.com</a>.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/8a3a34c1-5a7c-4ecc-9368-0d4a66ab661d">📸 Flashback Friday: Salina Post - The town of Kipp - Vol. 30</a>

Michael D. Adams

Kansas Wesleyan Coaches Show 6 pm&nbsp; - Audio on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>

<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank"></a>Southeast of Saline boys vs. Council Grove Basketball - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Video on Salina Post - Pregame Show 6:50pm&nbsp;&nbsp; - Tip-off 7:00 Sacred Heart girls vs. Lincoln Basketball - Video on Salina Post - Pregame show 6:45 pm - Tip-off 7pm

Southeast of Saline girls vs. Osage City - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Video on Salina Post - Pregame Show 5:45pm&nbsp;&nbsp; - Tip-off 6 pm&nbsp;

Sacred Heart boys vs. Republic County - Video on Salina Post - Pregame Show: 5:45 pm - Tip-off 7 pm

Kansas Wesleyan WBB vs. Evangel University Basketball - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Pregame Show&nbsp; TBD - Tip-off TBD

Kansas Wesleyan MBB vs. Ottawa University Basketball - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Pregame Show 6:30pm - MBB 7 pm

KINA Scoreboard Show&nbsp; 10 pm - Audio on 910Am/107.5fm and 910KINA.com

MRN Nascar Live 10 pm&nbsp; - Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KINA.COM</a>)

PRN&nbsp; The Pit Reporters 11 pm&nbsp; - Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KINA.COM</a>)

PRN Pennzoil 400, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV.

MondayKansas Wesleyan Coaches Show 6 pm&nbsp; - Audio on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a><a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank"></a>Southeast of Saline boys vs. Council Grove Basketball - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Video on Salina Post - Pregame Show 6:50pm&nbsp;&nbsp; - Tip-off 7:00 Sacred Heart girls vs. Lincoln Basketball - Video on Salina Post - Pregame show 6:45 pm - Tip-off 7pmTuesdaySoutheast of Saline girls vs. Osage City - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Video on Salina Post - Pregame Show 5:45pm&nbsp;&nbsp; - Tip-off 6 pm&nbsp;Sacred Heart boys vs. Republic County - Video on Salina Post - Pregame Show: 5:45 pm - Tip-off 7 pmWednesdayKansas Wesleyan WBB vs. Evangel University Basketball - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Pregame Show&nbsp; TBD - Tip-off TBDThursdayKansas Wesleyan MBB vs. Ottawa University Basketball - Audio on 910AM/107.5fm and 910KINA.com - Pregame Show 6:30pm - MBB 7 pmFriday KINA Scoreboard Show&nbsp; 10 pm - Audio on 910Am/107.5fm and 910KINA.comSaturday&nbsp;&nbsp;MRN Nascar Live 10 pm&nbsp; - Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KINA.COM</a>) PRN&nbsp; The Pit Reporters 11 pm&nbsp; - Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KINA.COM</a>)SundayPRN Pennzoil 400, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV.

KINA Sports Schedule

Virginia Dennison Garrelts December 8, 1922 ~ February 22, 2024

Virginia Dennison Garrelts, age 101, died Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024.&nbsp; She was born in Salina Dec. 8, 1922, the daughter of Orval and Alma (Zeh) Dennison, and was a lifelong resident.

She is survived by two daughters, Susan Kelly (Robert), Salina, Nancy Garrelts, Johns Creek, Ga.; four grandchildren, Christopher Ruegsegger (Sandra), Carissa Liebowitz (Adam), Tasha Campbell (Timothy), and Forrest Teske; two great grandchildren, Rhett and Charlotte Campbell. She also had numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne, in 2003; a daughter, Kathy Teske in 1997; her parents; a sister, Joan Dennison Smith; 4 brothers, Philip, Robert, Richard, and William.

She was a lifelong member of St. John’s Lutheran Church. A &nbsp;graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, February 26, 2024 at Roselawn.&nbsp; Memorials may be made to the church.&nbsp; Ryan Mortuary is handling arrangements.

LISTEN:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/c14c2f3e-49cf-4d68-a9ff-d63b936a3438">🎙King in the Community: Salina Fire update with Chief Tony Sneidar</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1560792573667.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Virginia Dennison Garrelts December 8, 1922 ~ February 22, 2024Virginia Dennison Garrelts, age 101, died Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024.&nbsp; She was born in Salina Dec. 8, 1922, the daughter of Orval and Alma (Zeh) Dennison, and was a lifelong resident.She is survived by two daughters, Susan Kelly (Robert), Salina, Nancy Garrelts, Johns Creek, Ga.; four grandchildren, Christopher Ruegsegger (Sandra), Carissa Liebowitz (Adam), Tasha Campbell (Timothy), and Forrest Teske; two great grandchildren, Rhett and Charlotte Campbell. She also had numerous nieces and nephews.She was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne, in 2003; a daughter, Kathy Teske in 1997; her parents; a sister, Joan Dennison Smith; 4 brothers, Philip, Robert, Richard, and William.She was a lifelong member of St. John’s Lutheran Church. A &nbsp;graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, February 26, 2024 at Roselawn.&nbsp; Memorials may be made to the church.&nbsp; Ryan Mortuary is handling arrangements.LISTEN:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/c14c2f3e-49cf-4d68-a9ff-d63b936a3438">🎙King in the Community: Salina Fire update with Chief Tony Sneidar</a>

Virginia D. Garrelts

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

905 a.m.&nbsp; Pam Severson, Noon Network Ambucs on Bid Appétit Fund Raiser. 9:30 a.m.&nbsp; Jason Graves, KSU Extension on Horticulture, Plants, Lawns and Spring. 10:05 a.m. Salina Fire Department Chief Tony Sneidar on Fire Station Four and other upgrades. 10:30 a.m.&nbsp; Cami Dinkel, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Marketing and Events Coordinator on Bowl for Kids Sake.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691172591916.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTJoin 910KINA's Saturday Morning Show hosts Dave and Sam 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;905 a.m.&nbsp; Pam Severson, Noon Network Ambucs on Bid Appétit Fund Raiser. 9:30 a.m.&nbsp; Jason Graves, KSU Extension on Horticulture, Plants, Lawns and Spring. 10:05 a.m. Salina Fire Department Chief Tony Sneidar on Fire Station Four and other upgrades. 10:30 a.m.&nbsp; Cami Dinkel, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Marketing and Events Coordinator on Bowl for Kids Sake.&nbsp;&nbsp;

910KINA Saturday Morning Show lineup

One of the bills would mandate ultrasound and description of embryo

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — House and Senate Republicans — in their latest attempts to weaken the state’s constitutional right to bodily autonomy — have introduced legislation to require prison time for coercing a pregnant person into getting an abortion and to mandate ultrasounds before terminating a pregnancy.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2813/">House Bill 2813</a>&nbsp;and<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb527/">&nbsp;Senate Bill 527</a>&nbsp;would create the felony crime of “coercion to obtain an abortion,” which means convincing someone to get an abortion by threatening physical of financial harm, threatening deportation, destroying or hiding a passport, or controlling medications.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2814/">House Bill 2814</a>&nbsp;and<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb528/">&nbsp;Senate Bill 528</a>&nbsp;would create the Kansas Ultrasound Act, requiring an obstetric ultrasound to be performed before having an abortion.

The bills are the latest&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/18/church-and-state-kansas-republicans-ignore-voters-and-pass-new-anti-abortion-laws/">in a long line</a>&nbsp;to be introduced following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June 2022 to overturn Roe v. Wade, which gave states authority over reproductive health care, and the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/02/kansas-voters-defeat-abortion-amendment-in-unexpected-landslide-1/">August 2022 vote</a>&nbsp;in Kansas to preserve access to abortion.

The Kansas Supreme Court in 2019 determined the state constitution’s right to bodily autonomy extends to the decision to terminate a pregnancy, and set a high standard for justifying restrictions. A state court last year blocked enforcement of long-standing restrictions, including an ultrasound requirement.

The new legislation to mandate ultrasounds would allow “a woman to avert her eyes from such images.”

“The voters spoke. The courts ruled. And still, extremist politicians are hellbent on interfering in private medical decisions,” said Anamarie Rebori Simmons, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes. “The ultrasound proposal does nothing but double down on an unconstitutional law, and the coercion bill creates a false narrative. Medical providers are listening to patients in a way the Legislature never has. The true source of coercion — in the form of scare tactics, nonmedical requirements, and taxpayer dollars sent to misleading anti-abortion facilities — is under the Capitol dome.”

Sen. Kristen O’Shea, R-Topeka, introduced the Senate version of the bills, although they are officially attributed to the Federal and State Affairs Committee. In the House, Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, R-Ottawa, introduced the “coercion” bill, and Rep. Leah Howell, R-Derby, introduced the ultrasound bill at the request of anti-abortion groups Kansans for Life and Kansas Family Voice.

Jeanne Gawdun, director of government relations for Kansans for Life, said the ultrasound bill is narrowly tailored “to protect a woman from the dangers of an undetected ectopic pregnancy that could be life-threatening without an ultrasound to discover it, chemical abortion pills being administered to her late in pregnancy, and other safety risks.”

She also said everyone should agree that “every woman in Kansas should have protection from being coerced into an abortion.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708622082125.png" alt=" Sen. Kristen O'Shea, seen during a Feb. 15, 2023, committee hearing, introduced two anti-abortion bills in the Senate. Republicans Leah Howell and Rebecca Schmoe introduced companion bills in the House. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Sen. Kristen O'Shea, seen during a Feb. 15, 2023, committee hearing, introduced two anti-abortion bills in the Senate. Republicans Leah Howell and Rebecca Schmoe introduced companion bills in the House. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>One of the bills would mandate ultrasound and description of embryo</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — House and Senate Republicans — in their latest attempts to weaken the state’s constitutional right to bodily autonomy — have introduced legislation to require prison time for coercing a pregnant person into getting an abortion and to mandate ultrasounds before terminating a pregnancy.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2813/">House Bill 2813</a>&nbsp;and<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb527/">&nbsp;Senate Bill 527</a>&nbsp;would create the felony crime of “coercion to obtain an abortion,” which means convincing someone to get an abortion by threatening physical of financial harm, threatening deportation, destroying or hiding a passport, or controlling medications.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2814/">House Bill 2814</a>&nbsp;and<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb528/">&nbsp;Senate Bill 528</a>&nbsp;would create the Kansas Ultrasound Act, requiring an obstetric ultrasound to be performed before having an abortion.The bills are the latest&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/18/church-and-state-kansas-republicans-ignore-voters-and-pass-new-anti-abortion-laws/">in a long line</a>&nbsp;to be introduced following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June 2022 to overturn Roe v. Wade, which gave states authority over reproductive health care, and the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/02/kansas-voters-defeat-abortion-amendment-in-unexpected-landslide-1/">August 2022 vote</a>&nbsp;in Kansas to preserve access to abortion.The Kansas Supreme Court in 2019 determined the state constitution’s right to bodily autonomy extends to the decision to terminate a pregnancy, and set a high standard for justifying restrictions. A state court last year blocked enforcement of long-standing restrictions, including an ultrasound requirement.The new legislation to mandate ultrasounds would allow “a woman to avert her eyes from such images.”“The voters spoke. The courts ruled. And still, extremist politicians are hellbent on interfering in private medical decisions,” said Anamarie Rebori Simmons, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes. “The ultrasound proposal does nothing but double down on an unconstitutional law, and the coercion bill creates a false narrative. Medical providers are listening to patients in a way the Legislature never has. The true source of coercion — in the form of scare tactics, nonmedical requirements, and taxpayer dollars sent to misleading anti-abortion facilities — is under the Capitol dome.”Sen. Kristen O’Shea, R-Topeka, introduced the Senate version of the bills, although they are officially attributed to the Federal and State Affairs Committee. In the House, Rep. Rebecca Schmoe, R-Ottawa, introduced the “coercion” bill, and Rep. Leah Howell, R-Derby, introduced the ultrasound bill at the request of anti-abortion groups Kansans for Life and Kansas Family Voice.Jeanne Gawdun, director of government relations for Kansans for Life, said the ultrasound bill is narrowly tailored “to protect a woman from the dangers of an undetected ectopic pregnancy that could be life-threatening without an ultrasound to discover it, chemical abortion pills being administered to her late in pregnancy, and other safety risks.”She also said everyone should agree that “every woman in Kansas should have protection from being coerced into an abortion.”The proposed legislation creates a felony crime for “engaging in coercion with knowledge that a woman is pregnant and with the intent to compel such woman to obtain an abortion when such woman has expressed her desire to not obtain an abortion.”The bill would require at least 30 days and no more than 1 year in prison, along with a fine of $500 to $5,000. If the crime is committed by a father who is older than 18 and the pregnant individual is younger than 18, the minimum prison time is 90 days and the fine ranges from $1,000 to $10,000.The ultrasound bill would require a physician to display images and describe the “dimensions of the embryo or fetus” and the presence of internal and external organs. The physician also must offer “a sonogram picture of her unborn child” at no additional cost.Physicians who fail to comply with the bill would be guilty of a felony crime, and subject to civil lawsuits by a father who is married to the pregnant person at the time of the abortion.