By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina Post

Tucked next to the Salina Family YMCA, the Friends of the River Foundation celebrated the opening of a one-half-mile concrete walking path during the chilly morning hours on Saturday, Oct. 28.

More than 30 community members visited the ribbon cutting Saturday, wearing gloves, hats and thick winter coats to experience the newly-opened trail.

The Salina Area Chamber of Commerce supported the project through communication and helped facilitate and promote the ribbon-cutting event.

"This trail is the first construction project of many to come in the near future," said Friends of the River Foundation executive director Jane Anderson. "(It) allows the public to have a beginning glimpse of what the Smoky Hill River Renewal Project could bring to this community."

<a href="https://www.podbean.com/ei/pb-gcyfa-14b118a?wlapp=1">LISTEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;Jane Anderson gives a Friends of a River Update</a>

According to the Salina City Engineer Dan Stack, the 10-foot-wide walking path can support vehicles and other heavy machinery, too, for various repairs or projects that come up in the future.

The half-mile path is only the beginning of the project, where Stack said there is still more to go.

"We've got about 900 feet to go for the end over on Ohio, so that is next year's project," Stack said. "We're really close to getting that designed and the property for that to keep it going."

After Friends of the River Foundation board members and other supporters of the project cut the ribbon, attendees visited booths with various facts about the river and the supporters behind the project.

Friends of the River Foundation also offered t-shirts for sale to help continue supporting the project.

"It's one of those things people have been asking you about for a long time, so it's really nice to have a visible start to this project," said Salina Family YMCA president and CEO Angie Lassley. "There's a lot going on behind the scenes that are visible sort of progress."

Salina Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Renee Duxler said the Chamber helped support the project through advocacy, promoting the project during legislative sessions and spreading the word to the community.

"We always want to celebrate projects that spur economic development and create jobs," Duxler said. "In this case, it also improves the quality of life for the community as well as elevating public health, mental health, and community connectivity, and those are all things that the Chamber supports."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698703088297.jpeg" alt="Friends of the River Foundation Ribbon Cutting - Salina Utilities Director Martha Tasker and Friends of the River Board President Brad Stuewe cut the ceremonial ribbon at the Saturday event. Photos by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Friends of the River Foundation Ribbon Cutting - Salina Utilities Director Martha Tasker and Friends of the River Board President Brad Stuewe cut the ceremonial ribbon at the Saturday event. Photos by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostTucked next to the Salina Family YMCA, the Friends of the River Foundation celebrated the opening of a one-half-mile concrete walking path during the chilly morning hours on Saturday, Oct. 28.More than 30 community members visited the ribbon cutting Saturday, wearing gloves, hats and thick winter coats to experience the newly-opened trail.The Salina Area Chamber of Commerce supported the project through communication and helped facilitate and promote the ribbon-cutting event.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698703116379.jpeg" alt="Friends of the River Executive Director, Jane Anderson, delivers her remarks at the Friends of the River Foundation/YMCA ribbon-cutting event on Saturday.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Friends of the River Executive Director, Jane Anderson, delivers her remarks at the Friends of the River Foundation/YMCA ribbon-cutting event on Saturday.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>"This trail is the first construction project of many to come in the near future," said Friends of the River Foundation executive director Jane Anderson. "(It) allows the public to have a beginning glimpse of what the Smoky Hill River Renewal Project could bring to this community."<a href="https://www.podbean.com/ei/pb-gcyfa-14b118a?wlapp=1">LISTEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;Jane Anderson gives a Friends of a River Update</a>According to the Salina City Engineer Dan Stack, the 10-foot-wide walking path can support vehicles and other heavy machinery, too, for various repairs or projects that come up in the future.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FSalinaFamilyYMCA%2Fvideos%2F243406435391848%2F&show_text=true&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="591" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The half-mile path is only the beginning of the project, where Stack said there is still more to go."We've got about 900 feet to go for the end over on Ohio, so that is next year's project," Stack said. "We're really close to getting that designed and the property for that to keep it going."After Friends of the River Foundation board members and other supporters of the project cut the ribbon, attendees visited booths with various facts about the river and the supporters behind the project.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698703128093.jpeg" alt="Friends of the River Foundation Ribbon Cutting event" />
 <figcaption>Friends of the River Foundation Ribbon Cutting event</figcaption>
 </figure>Friends of the River Foundation also offered t-shirts for sale to help continue supporting the project."It's one of those things people have been asking you about for a long time, so it's really nice to have a visible start to this project," said Salina Family YMCA president and CEO Angie Lassley. "There's a lot going on behind the scenes that are visible sort of progress."Salina Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Renee Duxler said the Chamber helped support the project through advocacy, promoting the project during legislative sessions and spreading the word to the community."We always want to celebrate projects that spur economic development and create jobs," Duxler said. "In this case, it also improves the quality of life for the community as well as elevating public health, mental health, and community connectivity, and those are all things that the Chamber supports."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698703138793.jpeg" alt="Members of the community walk on the recently completed trail located near the Salina YMCA.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Members of the community walk on the recently completed trail located near the Salina YMCA.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>

 Friends of the River Foundation, Salina YMCA celebrate new trail with ribbon cutting

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;on Monday issued a sweeping <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-on-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence/">executive order </a>to guide the development of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;— requiring industry to develop safety and security standards, introducing new consumer protections and giving federal agencies an extensive to-do list to oversee the rapidly progressing technology.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-on-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence/">Click here to</a> read details of the order

The <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-on-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence/">order </a>reflects the government's effort to shape how AI evolves in a way that can maximize its possibilities and contain its perils. AI has been a source of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ai-artificial-intelligence-518ec2a9190cfb10db9dbcc1eaab3c4c#:~:text=Washington%20News-,In%20San%20Francisco%2C%20Biden%20talks%20with%20tech%20leaders%20about,and%20promises%20of%20artificial%20intelligence&amp;text=SAN%20FRANCISCO%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20President,enormous%20promises%E2%80%9D%20of%20artificial%20intelligence.">deep personal interest</a>&nbsp;for Biden, with its potential to affect the economy and national security.

White House chief of staff Jeff Zients recalled Biden giving his staff a directive to move with urgency on the issue, having considered the technology a top priority.

“We can’t move at a normal government pace,” Zients said the Democratic president told him. “We have to move as fast, if not faster than the technology itself.”

In Biden's view, the government was late to address the risks of social media and now U.S. youth are grappling with related mental health issues. AI has the positive ability to accelerate cancer research, model the impacts of climate change, boost economic output and improve government services among other benefits. But it could also warp basic notions of truth with false images, deepen racial and social inequalities and provide a tool to scammers and criminals.

The order builds on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-safeguards-joe-biden-kamala-harris-4caf02b94275429f764b06840897436c">voluntary commitments</a>&nbsp;already made by technology companies. It's part of a broader strategy that administration officials say also includes congressional legislation and international diplomacy, a sign of the disruptions already caused by the introduction of new AI tools such as ChatGPT that can generate new text, images and sounds.

Using the Defense Production Act, the order will require leading AI developers to share safety test results and other information with the government. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is to create standards to ensure AI tools are safe and secure before public release.

The Commerce Department is to issue guidance to label and watermark AI-generated content to help differentiate between authentic interactions and those generated by software. The order also touches on matters of privacy, civil rights, consumer protections, scientific research and worker rights.

An administration official who previewed the order on a Sunday call with reporters said the to-do lists within the order will be implemented and fulfilled over the range of 90 days to 365 days, with the safety and security items facing the earliest deadlines. The official briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, as required by the White House.

Last Thursday, Biden gathered his aides in the Oval Office to review and finalize the executive order, a 30-minute meeting that stretched to 70 minutes, despite other pressing matters including the mass shooting in Maine, the Israel-Hamas war and the selection of a new House speaker.

Biden was profoundly curious about the technology in the months of meetings that led up to drafting the order. His science advisory council focused on AI at two meetings and his Cabinet discussed it at two meetings. The president also pressed tech executives and civil society advocates about the technology's capabilities at multiple gatherings.

“He was as impressed and alarmed as anyone,” deputy White House chief of staff Bruce Reed said in an interview. “He saw fake AI images of himself, of his dog. He saw how it can make bad poetry. And he’s seen and heard the incredible and terrifying technology of voice cloning, which can take three seconds of your voice and turn it into an entire fake conversation.”

The possibility of false images and sounds led the president to prioritize the labeling and watermarking of anything produced by AI. Biden also wanted to thwart the risk of older Americans getting a phone call from someone who sounded like a loved one, only to be scammed by an AI tool.

Meetings could go beyond schedule, with Biden telling civil society advocates in a ballroom of San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel in June: “This is important. Take as long as you need.”

The president also talked with scientists and saw the upside that AI created if harnessed for good. He listened to a Nobel Prize-winning physicist talk about how AI could explain the origins of the universe. Another scientist showed how AI could model extreme weather like 100-year floods, as the past data used to assess these events has lost its accuracy because of climate change.

The issue of AI was seemingly inescapable for Biden. At Camp David one weekend, he relaxed by watching the Tom Cruise film “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One.” The film's villain is a sentient and rogue AI known as “the Entity” that sinks a submarine and kills its crew in the movie's opening minutes.

“If he hadn’t already been concerned about what could go wrong with AI before that movie, he saw plenty more to worry about,” said Reed, who watched the film with the president.

With Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/schumer-artificial-intelligence-elon-musk-senate-efcfb1067d68ad2f595db7e92167943c">still in the early stages</a>&nbsp;of debating AI safeguards, Biden's order stakes out a U.S. perspective as countries around the world race to establish&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-risk-of-extinction-ai-54ea8aadc60d1503e5a65878219aad43">their own guidelines</a>. After more than two years of deliberation, the European Union is putting the final touches on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-act-artificial-intelligence-europe-regulation-94e2b38703b38fdbfabc9580f845ef9a">a comprehensive set of regulations</a>&nbsp;that targets the riskiest applications for the technology. China, a key AI rival to the U.S., has also set some rules.

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also hopes to carve out a prominent role for Britain as an AI safety hub at a summit this week that Vice President Kamala&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-ai-artificial-intelligence-db8bbdc0e726f1993cced4b298eb8aa9">Harris plans to attend</a>.

The U.S., particularly its West Coast, is home to many of the leading developers of cutting-edge AI technology, including tech giants Google, Meta and Microsoft and AI-focused startups such as OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT. The White House took advantage of that industry weight earlier this year when it secured commitments from those companies to implement safety mechanisms as they build new AI models.

But the White House also faced significant pressure from Democratic allies, including labor and civil rights groups, to make sure its policies reflected their concerns about AI's real-world harms.

The American Civil Liberties Union is among the groups that met with the White House to try to ensure "we're holding the tech industry and tech billionaires accountable” so that algorithmic tools "work for all of us and not just a few,” said ReNika Moore, director of the ACLU's racial justice program.

Suresh Venkatasubramanian, a former Biden administration official who helped craft principles for approaching AI, said one of the biggest challenges within the federal government has been what to do about law enforcement’s use of AI tools, including at U.S. borders.

“These are all places where we know that the use of automation is very problematic, with facial recognition, drone technology,” Venkatasubramanian said. Facial recognition technology has been shown to perform unevenly across racial groups, and has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mistaken-arrests-facial-recognition-technology-lawsuits-b613161c56472459df683f54320d08a7">tied to mistaken arrests</a>.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;on Monday issued a sweeping <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-on-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence/">executive order </a>to guide the development of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;— requiring industry to develop safety and security standards, introducing new consumer protections and giving federal agencies an extensive to-do list to oversee the rapidly progressing technology.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NEW: Today, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> will issue a landmark Executive Order to ensure America leads the way in seizing the promise and managing the risks of AI. Watch as <a href="https://twitter.com/WHOSTP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WHOSTP</a> Director Arati Prabhakar explains the actions we’re taking, and then head to <a href="https://t.co/BkeiXp02Rt">https://t.co/BkeiXp02Rt</a> to learn more. <a href="https://t.co/nZUiBgaVOM">pic.twitter.com/nZUiBgaVOM</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1718983691446493640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-on-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence/">Click here to</a> read details of the orderThe <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-on-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence/">order </a>reflects the government's effort to shape how AI evolves in a way that can maximize its possibilities and contain its perils. AI has been a source of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ai-artificial-intelligence-518ec2a9190cfb10db9dbcc1eaab3c4c#:~:text=Washington%20News-,In%20San%20Francisco%2C%20Biden%20talks%20with%20tech%20leaders%20about,and%20promises%20of%20artificial%20intelligence&amp;text=SAN%20FRANCISCO%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20President,enormous%20promises%E2%80%9D%20of%20artificial%20intelligence.">deep personal interest</a>&nbsp;for Biden, with its potential to affect the economy and national security.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Here’s how President Biden’s landmark Executive Order on AI will ensure America leads the way in this period of technological change while keeping Americans safe. <a href="https://t.co/SvBPxiZk3M">pic.twitter.com/SvBPxiZk3M</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1719070211188687216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>White House chief of staff Jeff Zients recalled Biden giving his staff a directive to move with urgency on the issue, having considered the technology a top priority.“We can’t move at a normal government pace,” Zients said the Democratic president told him. “We have to move as fast, if not faster than the technology itself.”In Biden's view, the government was late to address the risks of social media and now U.S. youth are grappling with related mental health issues. AI has the positive ability to accelerate cancer research, model the impacts of climate change, boost economic output and improve government services among other benefits. But it could also warp basic notions of truth with false images, deepen racial and social inequalities and provide a tool to scammers and criminals.The order builds on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-safeguards-joe-biden-kamala-harris-4caf02b94275429f764b06840897436c">voluntary commitments</a>&nbsp;already made by technology companies. It's part of a broader strategy that administration officials say also includes congressional legislation and international diplomacy, a sign of the disruptions already caused by the introduction of new AI tools such as ChatGPT that can generate new text, images and sounds.Using the Defense Production Act, the order will require leading AI developers to share safety test results and other information with the government. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is to create standards to ensure AI tools are safe and secure before public release.The Commerce Department is to issue guidance to label and watermark AI-generated content to help differentiate between authentic interactions and those generated by software. The order also touches on matters of privacy, civil rights, consumer protections, scientific research and worker rights.An administration official who previewed the order on a Sunday call with reporters said the to-do lists within the order will be implemented and fulfilled over the range of 90 days to 365 days, with the safety and security items facing the earliest deadlines. The official briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, as required by the White House.Last Thursday, Biden gathered his aides in the Oval Office to review and finalize the executive order, a 30-minute meeting that stretched to 70 minutes, despite other pressing matters including the mass shooting in Maine, the Israel-Hamas war and the selection of a new House speaker.Biden was profoundly curious about the technology in the months of meetings that led up to drafting the order. His science advisory council focused on AI at two meetings and his Cabinet discussed it at two meetings. The president also pressed tech executives and civil society advocates about the technology's capabilities at multiple gatherings.“He was as impressed and alarmed as anyone,” deputy White House chief of staff Bruce Reed said in an interview. “He saw fake AI images of himself, of his dog. He saw how it can make bad poetry. And he’s seen and heard the incredible and terrifying technology of voice cloning, which can take three seconds of your voice and turn it into an entire fake conversation.”The possibility of false images and sounds led the president to prioritize the labeling and watermarking of anything produced by AI. Biden also wanted to thwart the risk of older Americans getting a phone call from someone who sounded like a loved one, only to be scammed by an AI tool.Meetings could go beyond schedule, with Biden telling civil society advocates in a ballroom of San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel in June: “This is important. Take as long as you need.”The president also talked with scientists and saw the upside that AI created if harnessed for good. He listened to a Nobel Prize-winning physicist talk about how AI could explain the origins of the universe. Another scientist showed how AI could model extreme weather like 100-year floods, as the past data used to assess these events has lost its accuracy because of climate change.The issue of AI was seemingly inescapable for Biden. At Camp David one weekend, he relaxed by watching the Tom Cruise film “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One.” The film's villain is a sentient and rogue AI known as “the Entity” that sinks a submarine and kills its crew in the movie's opening minutes.“If he hadn’t already been concerned about what could go wrong with AI before that movie, he saw plenty more to worry about,” said Reed, who watched the film with the president.With Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/schumer-artificial-intelligence-elon-musk-senate-efcfb1067d68ad2f595db7e92167943c">still in the early stages</a>&nbsp;of debating AI safeguards, Biden's order stakes out a U.S. perspective as countries around the world race to establish&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-risk-of-extinction-ai-54ea8aadc60d1503e5a65878219aad43">their own guidelines</a>. After more than two years of deliberation, the European Union is putting the final touches on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-act-artificial-intelligence-europe-regulation-94e2b38703b38fdbfabc9580f845ef9a">a comprehensive set of regulations</a>&nbsp;that targets the riskiest applications for the technology. China, a key AI rival to the U.S., has also set some rules.U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also hopes to carve out a prominent role for Britain as an AI safety hub at a summit this week that Vice President Kamala&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-ai-artificial-intelligence-db8bbdc0e726f1993cced4b298eb8aa9">Harris plans to attend</a>.The U.S., particularly its West Coast, is home to many of the leading developers of cutting-edge AI technology, including tech giants Google, Meta and Microsoft and AI-focused startups such as OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT. The White House took advantage of that industry weight earlier this year when it secured commitments from those companies to implement safety mechanisms as they build new AI models.But the White House also faced significant pressure from Democratic allies, including labor and civil rights groups, to make sure its policies reflected their concerns about AI's real-world harms.The American Civil Liberties Union is among the groups that met with the White House to try to ensure "we're holding the tech industry and tech billionaires accountable” so that algorithmic tools "work for all of us and not just a few,” said ReNika Moore, director of the ACLU's racial justice program.Suresh Venkatasubramanian, a former Biden administration official who helped craft principles for approaching AI, said one of the biggest challenges within the federal government has been what to do about law enforcement’s use of AI tools, including at U.S. borders.“These are all places where we know that the use of automation is very problematic, with facial recognition, drone technology,” Venkatasubramanian said. Facial recognition technology has been shown to perform unevenly across racial groups, and has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mistaken-arrests-facial-recognition-technology-lawsuits-b613161c56472459df683f54320d08a7">tied to mistaken arrests</a>.

🎥Biden Issues new Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence

Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes Coach Show 6 p.m. <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)</a>

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Kansas Wesleyan Lady Coyotes vs. Morningside University Lady Mustangs Basketball at Kansas Wesleyan University Mabee Arena  6 p.m.&nbsp; (Listen live on Prime FM 94.5FM and Salina Post)

Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes vs. Morningside University Mustangs Basketball at Kansas Wesleyan University Mabee Arena  8 p.m.&nbsp; (Listen live on Prime FM 94.5FM and Salina Post)

Kpreps Kansas Pregame Show 6 p.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA and 910kina.com</a>)

Southeast of Saline Trojans Football Pregame Show 6:30 p.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA </a>or Watch and Listen Live on Salina Post)

Southeast of Saline Trojans vs. Kingman Eagles Football at Steve Fritz Field, Gypsum, Ks 7 p.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA</a> or Watch and Listen Live on Salina Post)

KIN Scoreboard Show 10 p.m.&nbsp; (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA and 910kina.com</a>)

MRN Nascar Live 8 a.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA and 910kina.com</a>)

Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes Football Pregame Show  12 p.m.  (Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)

Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes VS Ottawa University Braves at Ottawa, Kansas 1 p.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)</a>

Kansas Wesleyan Lady Coyotes vs. Langston University Lady Lions Basketball at Kansas Wesleyan University Mabee Arena  4 p.m.  (Listen live on Prime FM 94.5 and Salina Post)

Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes vs Briar Cliff University Chargers Basketball at Kansas Wesleyan University Mabee Arena 6 p.m.&nbsp; <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen live on KINA and 910kina.com)</a>

Kansas City Chiefs VS Miami Dolphins at Frankfurt Stadium, Frankfurt, Germany 7 a.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA</a> and 99.9FM KSKG)

NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona 3 p.m. (Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and <a href="http://910kina.com">910KIINA.COM)</a>

<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><h2>Monday</h2>Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes Coach Show 6 p.m. <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)</a>Chiefs Kingdom Show 7 p.m.<a href="http://910kina.com"> (Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)</a><h2>Friday</h2>Kansas Wesleyan Lady Coyotes vs. Morningside University Lady Mustangs Basketball at Kansas Wesleyan University Mabee Arena 6 p.m.&nbsp; (Listen live on Prime FM 94.5FM and Salina Post)Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes vs. Morningside University Mustangs Basketball at Kansas Wesleyan University Mabee Arena 8 p.m.&nbsp; (Listen live on Prime FM 94.5FM and Salina Post)Kpreps Kansas Pregame Show 6 p.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA and 910kina.com</a>)Southeast of Saline Trojans Football Pregame Show 6:30 p.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA </a>or Watch and Listen Live on Salina Post)Southeast of Saline Trojans vs. Kingman Eagles Football at Steve Fritz Field, Gypsum, Ks 7 p.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA</a> or Watch and Listen Live on Salina Post)KIN Scoreboard Show 10 p.m.&nbsp; (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA and 910kina.com</a>)<h2>Saturday </h2>MRN Nascar Live 8 a.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA and 910kina.com</a>)Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes Football Pregame Show 12 p.m. (Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes VS Ottawa University Braves at Ottawa, Kansas 1 p.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)</a>Kansas Wesleyan Lady Coyotes vs. Langston University Lady Lions Basketball at Kansas Wesleyan University Mabee Arena 4 p.m. (Listen live on Prime FM 94.5 and Salina Post)Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes vs Briar Cliff University Chargers Basketball at Kansas Wesleyan University Mabee Arena 6 p.m.&nbsp; <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen live on KINA and 910kina.com)</a><h2>Sunday</h2>Kansas City Chiefs VS Miami Dolphins at Frankfurt Stadium, Frankfurt, Germany 7 a.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA</a> and 99.9FM KSKG)NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona 3 p.m. (Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and <a href="http://910kina.com">910KIINA.COM)</a>

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Join 910KINA's Saturday Morning Show hosts Dave and Sam this Saturday from 9-11 a.m. on 910AM.

Hear highlights about community events, public affairs, and all things happening in Salina. Their approach is friendly, informative, and entertaining. They're committed to making a difference in their community and keeping listeners up-to-date with updates from new and returning guests.

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>

9:05 a.m. Natasha Cundy, Deputy Director of Emergency Management on Operation Green Light for Veterans and transition to Civilian Life

9:30 a.m. Susan Hawksworth, Executive Director of Smoky Hill Museum on First Thursday and New Exhibit

10:05 a.m. Randall Holm, Director at Large, Salina Downtown Lions Club on 65th Annual Public BBQ

10:30 a.m. Captain Patricia and LT Luke Hirsh, Salvation Army on Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas Festivities. 

<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 9-11 a.m. on 910AM.Hear highlights about community events, public affairs, and all things happening in Salina. Their approach is friendly, informative, and entertaining. They're committed to making a difference in their community and keeping listeners up-to-date with updates from new and returning guests.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>9:05 a.m. Natasha Cundy, Deputy Director of Emergency Management on Operation Green Light for Veterans and transition to Civilian Life9:30 a.m. Susan Hawksworth, Executive Director of Smoky Hill Museum on First Thursday and New Exhibit10:05 a.m. Randall Holm, Director at Large, Salina Downtown Lions Club on 65th Annual Public BBQ10:30 a.m. Captain Patricia and LT Luke Hirsh, Salvation Army on Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas Festivities.

910KINA Saturday Morning Show lineup

Luava Marie Hederstedt, 96, longtime resident of Saline County, Kansas, died October 18, 2023, in Texas without major illness or hospitalization. Luava was born in Gove County, Kansas, as the eldest of Will and Marie Fullmer’s six children.

When Luava was 10, her family moved to central California during the Dust Bowl of the 1930’s, and soon after she trusted Christ as her Savior. Returning to Kansas in her twenties, Luava met and married Paul Hederstedt, who passed away in 2013 after 60 years of marriage. They farmed east of Salina for 20 years, and Luava spent countless hours driving gravel roads into town to give her children various opportunities—music and swim lessons, rollerskating, choir and others. They were longtime members of First Covenant Church, where Luava served as church secretary for many years.

 Before that, she worked as a secretary with two companies and later as an ALFAC insurance agent.Luava is remembered for her faith in God, for deeply loving her family, and for volunteering and serving others in countless ways behind the scenes, including Meals on Wheels. She took great joy in hearing her family make music and sing and play hymns. 

Her greatest regret in the past couple of years was not being able to read even a large-print Bible because of macular degeneration; listening to the YouVersion audio Bible on her iPad became a lifeline for her.Luava is survived by her three children (and their spouses):&nbsp; Randy (Chris, deceased), Kansas; Roger (Julie), South Carolina; and Sharon (John), Texas.&nbsp; Her 11 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren live in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, South Carolina and Michigan. She also has one brother, three sisters and many neices and nephews in California, along with numerous other cousins and relatives.

A memorial service is planned for 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, January 6, 2024, at Abilene Bible Baptist Church Family Life Center,&nbsp;409 N. Van Buren St, Abilene, KS 67410. Attire is casual and people are welcome to wear Luava’s favorite style of clothing: pink and floral. Those in attendance will have the opportunity to share a story or memory about Luava.In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to the above church (abilenebaptist.com), Novo Mission (novo.org) or Gateway Church (gatewaypeople.com). Written condolences may be sent to:&nbsp; The Hederstedt Family, Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home,&nbsp;740 S. Edmonds Lane, Lewisville, Texas 75067.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698417103067.png" alt="Luava&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Luava&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Luava Marie Hederstedt, 96, longtime resident of Saline County, Kansas, died October 18, 2023, in Texas without major illness or hospitalization. Luava was born in Gove County, Kansas, as the eldest of Will and Marie Fullmer’s six children.When Luava was 10, her family moved to central California during the Dust Bowl of the 1930’s, and soon after she trusted Christ as her Savior. Returning to Kansas in her twenties, Luava met and married Paul Hederstedt, who passed away in 2013 after 60 years of marriage. They farmed east of Salina for 20 years, and Luava spent countless hours driving gravel roads into town to give her children various opportunities—music and swim lessons, rollerskating, choir and others. They were longtime members of First Covenant Church, where Luava served as church secretary for many years. Before that, she worked as a secretary with two companies and later as an ALFAC insurance agent.Luava is remembered for her faith in God, for deeply loving her family, and for volunteering and serving others in countless ways behind the scenes, including Meals on Wheels. She took great joy in hearing her family make music and sing and play hymns. Her greatest regret in the past couple of years was not being able to read even a large-print Bible because of macular degeneration; listening to the YouVersion audio Bible on her iPad became a lifeline for her.Luava is survived by her three children (and their spouses):&nbsp; Randy (Chris, deceased), Kansas; Roger (Julie), South Carolina; and Sharon (John), Texas.&nbsp; Her 11 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren live in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, South Carolina and Michigan. She also has one brother, three sisters and many neices and nephews in California, along with numerous other cousins and relatives.A memorial service is planned for 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, January 6, 2024, at Abilene Bible Baptist Church Family Life Center,&nbsp;409 N. Van Buren St, Abilene, KS 67410. Attire is casual and people are welcome to wear Luava’s favorite style of clothing: pink and floral. Those in attendance will have the opportunity to share a story or memory about Luava.In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to the above church (abilenebaptist.com), Novo Mission (novo.org) or Gateway Church (gatewaypeople.com). Written condolences may be sent to:&nbsp; The Hederstedt Family, Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home,&nbsp;740 S. Edmonds Lane, Lewisville, Texas 75067.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Luava Marie Hederstedt

Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes Coach Show 6 p.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA and 910kina.com</a>)

Chiefs Kingdom Show 7 p.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA and 910kina.com</a>)

Sacred Heart Knights VS Sedgwick Cardinals Football at Valley Center Stadium,&nbsp;800 N. Meridian Ave., Valley Center, KS 67147 6 p.m. (<a href="http://www.salinapost.com">Watch and Listen on Salina Post)</a>

Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes VS Dickinson State Blue Hawks Basketball at Dickinson State University, Dickinson, ND 2 p.m.&nbsp; (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen live on Prime FM 94.5FM and Salina Post)</a>

Kansas Wesleyan Lady Coyotes VS Bellevue Lady Bruins Basketball at Bellevue University, Bellevue, Ne 5 p.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen live on Prime FM 94.5FM and Salina Post</a>)

Southeast of Saline Trojans Football Pregame Show 6:30 p.m. <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen on KINA or Watch and Listen Live on Salina Post)</a>

Southeast of Saline Trojans VS Chaparral Road Runners Football at Steve Fritz Field, Gypsum, Ks 7 p.m. <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen on KINA or Watch and Listen Live on Salina Post)</a>

Chapman Irish VS Rock Creek Mustangs Football at Rock Creek Jr/Sr High School, St George, Ks  7 p.m. (Watch and Listen on Salina Post)

KIN Scoreboard Show 10 p.m.&nbsp; <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)</a>

MRN Nascar Live 8am. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)</a>

Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes Football Pregame Show 12pm. <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)</a>

Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes VS Tabor College Blue Jays at Hillsboro, Ks 1pm. <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)</a>

Kansas Wesleyan Lady Coyotes VS Dickinson State Lady Blue Hawks Basketball at Dickinson State University, Dickinson, ND 1 p.m. <a href="http://910KINA.com">(Listen live on Prime FM 94.5 and Salina Post)</a>

Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes VS Bellevue Bruins Basketball at Bellevue University, Bellevue, Ne 7 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen live on KINA and 910kina.com)</a>

PRN The Pit Reporters 9 a.m. <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)</a>

Kansas City Chiefs VS Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Co  2pm.  (Listen on KINA and 99.9FM KSKG)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625885773462.jpeg" alt="KINA logo sq.jpg" />
 <figcaption>KINA logo sq.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Monday</h2>Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes Coach Show 6 p.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA and 910kina.com</a>)Chiefs Kingdom Show 7 p.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA and 910kina.com</a>)<h2>Thursday (UPDATED 10/26/2023)</h2>Sacred Heart Knights VS Sedgwick Cardinals Football at Valley Center Stadium,&nbsp;800 N. Meridian Ave., Valley Center, KS 67147 6 p.m. (<a href="http://www.salinapost.com">Watch and Listen on Salina Post)</a><h2>Friday</h2>Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes VS Dickinson State Blue Hawks Basketball at Dickinson State University, Dickinson, ND 2 p.m.&nbsp; (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen live on Prime FM 94.5FM and Salina Post)</a>Kansas Wesleyan Lady Coyotes VS Bellevue Lady Bruins Basketball at Bellevue University, Bellevue, Ne 5 p.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen live on Prime FM 94.5FM and Salina Post</a>)Kpreps Kansas Pregame Show 6 p.m. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA and 910kina.com</a>)Southeast of Saline Trojans Football Pregame Show 6:30 p.m. <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen on KINA or Watch and Listen Live on Salina Post)</a>Southeast of Saline Trojans VS Chaparral Road Runners Football at Steve Fritz Field, Gypsum, Ks 7 p.m. <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen on KINA or Watch and Listen Live on Salina Post)</a>Chapman Irish VS Rock Creek Mustangs Football at Rock Creek Jr/Sr High School, St George, Ks 7 p.m. (Watch and Listen on Salina Post)KIN Scoreboard Show 10 p.m.&nbsp; <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)</a><h2>Saturday </h2>MRN Nascar Live 8am. (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)</a>Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes Football Pregame Show 12pm. <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)</a>Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes VS Tabor College Blue Jays at Hillsboro, Ks 1pm. <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)</a>Kansas Wesleyan Lady Coyotes VS Dickinson State Lady Blue Hawks Basketball at Dickinson State University, Dickinson, ND 1 p.m. <a href="http://910KINA.com">(Listen live on Prime FM 94.5 and Salina Post)</a>Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes VS Bellevue Bruins Basketball at Bellevue University, Bellevue, Ne 7 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen live on KINA and 910kina.com)</a><h2>Sunday</h2>PRN The Pit Reporters 9 a.m. <a href="http://910kina.com">(Listen on KINA and 910kina.com)</a>Kansas City Chiefs VS Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Co 2pm. (Listen on KINA and 99.9FM KSKG)

UPDATED: 910KINA Weekly Sports Schedule

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina Post

Tabletop RPG dice rolls decided the disaster scenario for the Saline County Department of Emergency Management's training session last Thursday — a 4 p.m. tornado through the south side of Salina.

Subsequent dice rolls decided that the tornado caused 50 injuries during the event, one death, widespread damages and power outages across town.

RPG stands for 'role-playing game,' which is also commonly known as pen-and-paper games where players describe the actions they intend to take. Most games use dice rolls to decide the outcomes of the said actions.

Emergency Management director Michelle Weis said she plays Dungeons and Dragons and thought the dice-rolling aspect of the game would be helpful in a training scenario.

Read more: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/e99de854-b87e-444f-8508-ea39ccca9636">Michelle Weis helps prepare Saline County with emergency exercises</a>

A dice roll at 9 a.m. decided the disaster participants would respond to and each change throughout the day until 3 p.m. when some participants finished training with a media debrief.

Act as you train — realistic scenarios and solutions

Throughout the training exercise, Weis walked along the training room to allow participants to roll and decide the situation's outcome. Each roll decided on various factors throughout the day.

Weis said crisis training before this often focused on worst-case scenarios, with rigidly designed situations that don't allow first responders to think quickly and adapt to shifting environments.

"It can be pretty simple to say, 'I'm just going to show up and I'm going to do my job, and everything's going to be fine,'" Weis said. "In reality, we all know that nothing ever goes how we plan."

An important focus point of the day was quickly finding out the "who does what's" of the 17 various departments at the training event, defining each unit's roles in a crisis scenario.

Salina Regional Health Center infection preventionist and emergency preparedness coordinator Gerilyn Diederich said she was impressed by the communication skills between departments, quickly dividing up tasks and assistance for the community.

SRHC inpatient supervisor Misty Long and Diederich said the training was more realistic, allowing participants to adapt to changing scenarios with each dice roll.

"It makes you think on your toes, and that's exactly what you'll be doing in a disaster," Long said. "A lot of people are counting on us to think on our toes, and you always act as you train, so training with this kind of scenario is really very helpful for us."

Long and Diederich said they intend to present this type of training for SRHC, focusing on training for the various crisis scenarios the center could experience.

Salina Police Department sergeant Mike Miller said the training exercise was helpful for his department and wants to see more people in the room next time.

"I think we need to bring more city departments in, especially if we're going to have an emergency within the city," Miller said.

Most of the 17 departments that participated included county divisions, including some from Lincoln and Dickinson counties.

"They all essentially want to come together and help the community out for the greater good, whether that's in an emergency or whether that's dedicating six hours to sitting through a training," Weis said. "The fact that they put everything aside and dedicated a day to this speaks volumes to their commitment to making sure that the city and county are prepared for whatever incidents may occur here."

Weis said she intends to do the training exercise again with some improvements in the future.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698260831690.jpeg" alt="Saline County GIS technician Marina King rolls dice for a random factor confirmed by Saline County Emergency Management director Michelle Weis, left, during the tabletop RPG-inspired crisis training by the Saline County Department of Emergency Management on Thursday, Oct. 19, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Saline County GIS technician Marina King rolls dice for a random factor confirmed by Saline County Emergency Management director Michelle Weis, left, during the tabletop RPG-inspired crisis training by the Saline County Department of Emergency Management on Thursday, Oct. 19, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostTabletop RPG dice rolls decided the disaster scenario for the Saline County Department of Emergency Management's training session last Thursday — a 4 p.m. tornado through the south side of Salina.Subsequent dice rolls decided that the tornado caused 50 injuries during the event, one death, widespread damages and power outages across town.RPG stands for 'role-playing game,' which is also commonly known as pen-and-paper games where players describe the actions they intend to take. Most games use dice rolls to decide the outcomes of the said actions.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698261008423.jpeg" alt="Various Saline County departments prepare to respond to incidents and issues across Salina during the Saline County Department of Emergency Management's crisis training on Thursday, Oct. 19, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Various Saline County departments prepare to respond to incidents and issues across Salina during the Saline County Department of Emergency Management's crisis training on Thursday, Oct. 19, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Emergency Management director Michelle Weis said she plays Dungeons and Dragons and thought the dice-rolling aspect of the game would be helpful in a training scenario.Read more: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/e99de854-b87e-444f-8508-ea39ccca9636">Michelle Weis helps prepare Saline County with emergency exercises</a>A dice roll at 9 a.m. decided the disaster participants would respond to and each change throughout the day until 3 p.m. when some participants finished training with a media debrief.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698261486807.jpeg" alt="Michelle Weis, director of Saline County Emergency Management, watches as Salina Police Department lieutenant James Feldman rolls a die to decide a random factor during the Saline County Department of Emergency Management's tabletop RPG crisis training on Thursday, Oct. 19, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Michelle Weis, director of Saline County Emergency Management, watches as Salina Police Department lieutenant James Feldman rolls a die to decide a random factor during the Saline County Department of Emergency Management's tabletop RPG crisis training on Thursday, Oct. 19, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Act as you train — realistic scenarios and solutions</h2>Throughout the training exercise, Weis walked along the training room to allow participants to roll and decide the situation's outcome. Each roll decided on various factors throughout the day.Weis said crisis training before this often focused on worst-case scenarios, with rigidly designed situations that don't allow first responders to think quickly and adapt to shifting environments."It can be pretty simple to say, 'I'm just going to show up and I'm going to do my job, and everything's going to be fine,'" Weis said. "In reality, we all know that nothing ever goes how we plan."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698261926625.jpeg" alt="Salina Police Department sergeant Mike Miller, left, and SPD lieutenant James Feldman discuss the tornado's path and the various businesses and locations it could have impacted during the Saline County Department of Emergency Management's crisis training on Thursday, Oct. 19, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Salina Police Department sergeant Mike Miller, left, and SPD lieutenant James Feldman discuss the tornado's path and the various businesses and locations it could have impacted during the Saline County Department of Emergency Management's crisis training on Thursday, Oct. 19, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>An important focus point of the day was quickly finding out the "who does what's" of the 17 various departments at the training event, defining each unit's roles in a crisis scenario.Salina Regional Health Center infection preventionist and emergency preparedness coordinator Gerilyn Diederich said she was impressed by the communication skills between departments, quickly dividing up tasks and assistance for the community.SRHC inpatient supervisor Misty Long and Diederich said the training was more realistic, allowing participants to adapt to changing scenarios with each dice roll."It makes you think on your toes, and that's exactly what you'll be doing in a disaster," Long said. "A lot of people are counting on us to think on our toes, and you always act as you train, so training with this kind of scenario is really very helpful for us."Long and Diederich said they intend to present this type of training for SRHC, focusing on training for the various crisis scenarios the center could experience.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698262300324.jpeg" alt="Salina Fire Department deputy chief Shane Pearson listens to instructions before the Saline County Department of Emergency Management's crisis training on Thursday, Oct. 19, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Salina Fire Department deputy chief Shane Pearson listens to instructions before the Saline County Department of Emergency Management's crisis training on Thursday, Oct. 19, in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Salina Police Department sergeant Mike Miller said the training exercise was helpful for his department and wants to see more people in the room next time."I think we need to bring more city departments in, especially if we're going to have an emergency within the city," Miller said.Most of the 17 departments that participated included county divisions, including some from Lincoln and Dickinson counties."They all essentially want to come together and help the community out for the greater good, whether that's in an emergency or whether that's dedicating six hours to sitting through a training," Weis said. "The fact that they put everything aside and dedicated a day to this speaks volumes to their commitment to making sure that the city and county are prepared for whatever incidents may occur here."Weis said she intends to do the training exercise again with some improvements in the future.

Tabletop RPG methods kept first responders 'on their toes' during crisis training

K-State cattle experts discuss what to expect if anaplasmosis is identified in the area

By LISA MOSER K-State Research and Extension

MANHATTAN, Kan. — When hiking, many know to check their bodies for ticks to avoid getting Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Many of these tick diseases are region-specific.

In the same way, ticks can also carry diseases that make animals sick, said the veterinarians at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute.

Speaking on a recent Cattle Chat podcast, K-State veterinarian Brad White said anaplasmosis is a blood-borne pathogen carried primarily by ticks and can impact cattle in certain regions of the country.

“Because it is a blood-borne pathogen, cattle with anaplasmosis become anemic and that can lead to spontaneous abortions and in some cases, death,” White said.

K-State veterinarian Brian Lubbers said this disease often impacts a certain group of cows the most.“Anaplasmosis typically impacts the older cows the hardest because they have a harder time with the anemia,” he said.

With anemia, the first sign is often that cattle hold their heads down and act depressed, according to White. Spontaneous abortions can also be a sign that anaplasmosis is impacting the herd, he said.

“The abortions are related to the cattle getting sick systemically, meaning they get the disease and become sick enough that they can’t maintain the pregnancy,” White said.

If anaplasmosis is suspected in the herd, Lubbers said it is important to test the sick animals for an accurate diagnosis. He said that with a blood sample, veterinarians have three ways to confirm the presence of it in the herd.

“We can test the blood sample by looking for parasites on the blood cells, but that doesn’t typically show up until the cattle are clinically sick,” Lubbers said. “Other options are a PCR test where we look at the parasite's DNA, or a serology test where we look for antibodies in the blood, which would indicate exposure to the disease.”

If the disease is suspected, the sick animals are typically treated with tetracycline antibiotics, Lubbers said.

Not all herds will come in contact with ticks that carry anaplasmosis, said K-State veterinarian Bob Larson.

“This disease does have a geographic component to it, and the longer the disease is in the area the magnitude of the harm will decrease because the herd will build stability over time,” he said.

He also said that fall is the time of year when cases will peak in the Midwest.

“We tend to see peak cases a few weeks after the tick populations are at their highest, so that means September through November is often when the cattle show sickness,” Larson said.

White agreed, adding: “The delay of sickness results from the time it takes from the initial infection until when they show signs of illness from the infected blood cells.”

Because this disease is extremely difficult to keep out of the herd once the carrier ticks arrive in the area, White and the others agree it is important for producers to work with their local veterinarians to come up with a management plan ahead of anaplasmosis infecting the herd.

White said, “There is not a lot producers can do to prevent exposure to anaplasmosis, and so monitoring and control will be important in the management plan for this disease.”

To hear the full discussion, listen to the <a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/10/20/growing-your-operation-anaplasmosis-grazing-failed-beans/">Cattle Chat podcast</a> online or through your preferred streaming platform.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698156287871.jpeg" alt="Older cattle are more susceptible to anemia caused by anaplasmosis. Image Courtesy KSRE" />
 <figcaption>Older cattle are more susceptible to anemia caused by anaplasmosis. Image Courtesy KSRE</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>K-State cattle experts discuss what to expect if anaplasmosis is identified in the area</h2>By LISA MOSER K-State Research and ExtensionMANHATTAN, Kan. — When hiking, many know to check their bodies for ticks to avoid getting Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Many of these tick diseases are region-specific.In the same way, ticks can also carry diseases that make animals sick, said the veterinarians at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute.Speaking on a recent Cattle Chat podcast, K-State veterinarian Brad White said anaplasmosis is a blood-borne pathogen carried primarily by ticks and can impact cattle in certain regions of the country.“Because it is a blood-borne pathogen, cattle with anaplasmosis become anemic and that can lead to spontaneous abortions and in some cases, death,” White said.K-State veterinarian Brian Lubbers said this disease often impacts a certain group of cows the most.“Anaplasmosis typically impacts the older cows the hardest because they have a harder time with the anemia,” he said.With anemia, the first sign is often that cattle hold their heads down and act depressed, according to White. Spontaneous abortions can also be a sign that anaplasmosis is impacting the herd, he said.“The abortions are related to the cattle getting sick systemically, meaning they get the disease and become sick enough that they can’t maintain the pregnancy,” White said.If anaplasmosis is suspected in the herd, Lubbers said it is important to test the sick animals for an accurate diagnosis. He said that with a blood sample, veterinarians have three ways to confirm the presence of it in the herd.“We can test the blood sample by looking for parasites on the blood cells, but that doesn’t typically show up until the cattle are clinically sick,” Lubbers said. “Other options are a PCR test where we look at the parasite's DNA, or a serology test where we look for antibodies in the blood, which would indicate exposure to the disease.”If the disease is suspected, the sick animals are typically treated with tetracycline antibiotics, Lubbers said.Not all herds will come in contact with ticks that carry anaplasmosis, said K-State veterinarian Bob Larson.“This disease does have a geographic component to it, and the longer the disease is in the area the magnitude of the harm will decrease because the herd will build stability over time,” he said.He also said that fall is the time of year when cases will peak in the Midwest.“We tend to see peak cases a few weeks after the tick populations are at their highest, so that means September through November is often when the cattle show sickness,” Larson said.White agreed, adding: “The delay of sickness results from the time it takes from the initial infection until when they show signs of illness from the infected blood cells.”Because this disease is extremely difficult to keep out of the herd once the carrier ticks arrive in the area, White and the others agree it is important for producers to work with their local veterinarians to come up with a management plan ahead of anaplasmosis infecting the herd.White said, “There is not a lot producers can do to prevent exposure to anaplasmosis, and so monitoring and control will be important in the management plan for this disease.”To hear the full discussion, listen to the <a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/10/20/growing-your-operation-anaplasmosis-grazing-failed-beans/">Cattle Chat podcast</a> online or through your preferred streaming platform.

KSRE Cattle Chat: Managing tick-related sickness in the herd

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — This season of the Kansas City Chiefs might someday be remembered for two distinct eras: pre-Taylor and post-Taylor.

Whether coincidence or fate or a function of true love, the Chiefs tight end has been on a tear since his overtures toward pop superstar Taylor Swift resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-kelce-e97f370dc8931de37cc0875dd53cf46d">a newfound relationship</a>. Kelce was out with a hyperextended knee in Week 1, when the Chiefs lost to the Lions, and had four catches for 26 yards in his return against the Jaguars. But in the six games since Swift first watched Kelce play, he's caught 48 passes for 499 yards and four touchdowns.

That includes a 12-catch performance for 179 yards and a score in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chargers-chiefs-kansas-city-los-angeles-nfl-9de04ec31e8987fdb2d0522ae158d8cc">a 31-17 win over the Chargers</a>&nbsp;on Sunday, when Swift was back in an Arrowhead Stadium suite and chest-bumping Brittany Mahomes, wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

In the four games Swift has attended, Kelce has averaged 108 yards receiving. He averaged 46.5 in the two games she did not.

That led Chiefs coach Andy Reid to say: “Taylor can stay around as long as she want.”

He wasn't joking, either. She might be Kelce's good-luck charm.

Or maybe he's just defying logic by getting better with age.

Even though he turned 34 earlier this month, the same age as retired tight end Rob Gronkowski, Kelce continues to make plays that leave everyone wondering just how he did that. Take his game against the Chargers, a division rival that has seen him plenty of times yet was powerless to prevent him from finding open nooks and crannies in their defense.

In one case, Kelce found a yawning chasm and ran 54 yards before he was finally brought down by the Chargers.

“The younger Trav would have scored on that one,” Mahomes said with a smile, “I'll say that.”

He might not have been that open, though. Mahomes said the biggest difference in the 34-year-old Kelce from the one who broke into the league a decade ago is his ability to diagnose what the defense is doing, then quickly find a way to counteract it.

“He's played every single team and every single coverage,” Mahomes said, “and knows every way to make them pay.”

That much is true regardless of whether Swift is in the house.

The Chiefs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-chargers-chiefs-nfl-herbert-48b3f6993df37cc4ef89e9f2687e58e2">sacked Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert five times</a>&nbsp;on Sunday, and each came from a different player — and none from Chris Jones, whose streak of eight straight regular-season games with a sack came to an end. That production from across the board is a good sign for the Chiefs' pass rush, which has been relying heavily on their All-Pro defensive tackle for years.

“All of us are versatile, we’re all playing inside or out. Getting us all on the field is huge — every single one of us can rush,” said Mike Danna, who had one of the sacks Sunday. "Keep on stacking the reps and getting better with the guys.”

The Chiefs were penalized six times for 43 yards, but a few of them were particularly painful. One was a questionable block in the back on left guard Joe Thuney well downfield that took away Jerick McKinnon's 48-yard touchdown reception; the Chiefs wound up getting a field goal on the drive instead.

Second-round draft pick Rashee Rice is quickly developing into an impact wide receiver. He had five catches for 60 yards and a score against Los Angeles, and he's had at least four catches in each of his last three games.

“He’s doing a really good job of just doing what he’s supposed to do and making the plays that he’s supposed to make, not trying to be anything that he’s not,” wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling said. “You see a lot of rookies come in and try to do too much and can’t figure out the right thing to do and the wrong thing to do. He’s just been doing his job and it’s been paying off for him. He’s a quiet kid who listens to what he’s told to do. He always wants to learn. He’s always taking notes, and it shows.”

Former first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire's time in Kansas City is coming to a lackluster end. He had just two carries for five yards against the Chargers and has 32 for 105 yards through seven games in the final season of his rookie contract.

Playmaking linebacker Nick Bolton fractured his wrist while tackling the Chargers' Keenan Allen. Bolton was only in his second game back after missing the previous three with an ankle injury.

29 and 3 — Mahomes has 29 wins and three losses in his career against the AFC West. And with the victory over the Chargers, the Chiefs have a three-game lead in the division just seven weeks into the season.

The Chiefs can do more damage in the AFC West race when they visit the Broncos on Sunday. The two will be playing for the second time in three weeks after Kansas City scraped its way to a 19-8 win on Oct. 12 at Arrowhead Stadium.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698142671796.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, center left, and singer Taylor Swift leave Arrowhead stadium after an NFL football game between the Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, center left, and singer Taylor Swift leave Arrowhead stadium after an NFL football game between the Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — This season of the Kansas City Chiefs might someday be remembered for two distinct eras: pre-Taylor and post-Taylor.Travis Kelce's season certainly will be.Whether coincidence or fate or a function of true love, the Chiefs tight end has been on a tear since his overtures toward pop superstar Taylor Swift resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-kansas-city-kelce-e97f370dc8931de37cc0875dd53cf46d">a newfound relationship</a>. Kelce was out with a hyperextended knee in Week 1, when the Chiefs lost to the Lions, and had four catches for 26 yards in his return against the Jaguars. But in the six games since Swift first watched Kelce play, he's caught 48 passes for 499 yards and four touchdowns.That includes a 12-catch performance for 179 yards and a score in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chargers-chiefs-kansas-city-los-angeles-nfl-9de04ec31e8987fdb2d0522ae158d8cc">a 31-17 win over the Chargers</a>&nbsp;on Sunday, when Swift was back in an Arrowhead Stadium suite and chest-bumping Brittany Mahomes, wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.In the four games Swift has attended, Kelce has averaged 108 yards receiving. He averaged 46.5 in the two games she did not.That led Chiefs coach Andy Reid to say: “Taylor can stay around as long as she want.”He wasn't joking, either. She might be Kelce's good-luck charm.Or maybe he's just defying logic by getting better with age.Even though he turned 34 earlier this month, the same age as retired tight end Rob Gronkowski, Kelce continues to make plays that leave everyone wondering just how he did that. Take his game against the Chargers, a division rival that has seen him plenty of times yet was powerless to prevent him from finding open nooks and crannies in their defense.In one case, Kelce found a yawning chasm and ran 54 yards before he was finally brought down by the Chargers.“The younger Trav would have scored on that one,” Mahomes said with a smile, “I'll say that.”He might not have been that open, though. Mahomes said the biggest difference in the 34-year-old Kelce from the one who broke into the league a decade ago is his ability to diagnose what the defense is doing, then quickly find a way to counteract it.“He's played every single team and every single coverage,” Mahomes said, “and knows every way to make them pay.”That much is true regardless of whether Swift is in the house.WHAT’S WORKINGThe Chiefs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-chargers-chiefs-nfl-herbert-48b3f6993df37cc4ef89e9f2687e58e2">sacked Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert five times</a>&nbsp;on Sunday, and each came from a different player — and none from Chris Jones, whose streak of eight straight regular-season games with a sack came to an end. That production from across the board is a good sign for the Chiefs' pass rush, which has been relying heavily on their All-Pro defensive tackle for years.“All of us are versatile, we’re all playing inside or out. Getting us all on the field is huge — every single one of us can rush,” said Mike Danna, who had one of the sacks Sunday. "Keep on stacking the reps and getting better with the guys.”WHAT NEEDS HELPThe Chiefs were penalized six times for 43 yards, but a few of them were particularly painful. One was a questionable block in the back on left guard Joe Thuney well downfield that took away Jerick McKinnon's 48-yard touchdown reception; the Chiefs wound up getting a field goal on the drive instead.STOCK UPSecond-round draft pick Rashee Rice is quickly developing into an impact wide receiver. He had five catches for 60 yards and a score against Los Angeles, and he's had at least four catches in each of his last three games.“He’s doing a really good job of just doing what he’s supposed to do and making the plays that he’s supposed to make, not trying to be anything that he’s not,” wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling said. “You see a lot of rookies come in and try to do too much and can’t figure out the right thing to do and the wrong thing to do. He’s just been doing his job and it’s been paying off for him. He’s a quiet kid who listens to what he’s told to do. He always wants to learn. He’s always taking notes, and it shows.”STOCK DOWNFormer first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire's time in Kansas City is coming to a lackluster end. He had just two carries for five yards against the Chargers and has 32 for 105 yards through seven games in the final season of his rookie contract.INJURIESPlaymaking linebacker Nick Bolton fractured his wrist while tackling the Chargers' Keenan Allen. Bolton was only in his second game back after missing the previous three with an ankle injury.KEY NUMBER29 and 3 — Mahomes has 29 wins and three losses in his career against the AFC West. And with the victory over the Chargers, the Chiefs have a three-game lead in the division just seven weeks into the season.NEXT STEPSThe Chiefs can do more damage in the AFC West race when they visit the Broncos on Sunday. The two will be playing for the second time in three weeks after Kansas City scraped its way to a 19-8 win on Oct. 12 at Arrowhead Stadium.

🏈 Chiefs' Travis Kelce has been taking his play to a new level with Taylor Swift in the house

WASHINGTON&nbsp; (AP)— President Joe Biden spoke on the phone with two freed Americans who had been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.

Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter, Natalie, were released Friday. It was the first such hostage release from among the roughly 200 people the militant group abducted from Israel during its Oct. 7 rampage.

Video of Biden speaking with them by phone was posted Saturday on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter. He told the mother and daughter that he was glad they had been released.

“We’re going to get them all out, God willing,” he said.

Natalie thanked Biden for his “services” to Israel. Judith said they are in good health.

Hamas said it released the mother and daughter for humanitarian reasons in an agreement with the Qatari government.

Family members have said Judith and Natalie had been on a trip from their home in the Chicago suburb of Evanston to Israel to celebrate Judith’s mother’s birthday and the Jewish holidays.

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — The father of freed American teen hostage Natalie Raanan said Friday she’s doing well following two weeks in captivity after she and her mother were abducted in Israel by Hamas and held in Gaza.

Uri Raanan of Illinois told The Associated Press that he spoke to his daughter Friday by telephone. “She’s doing good. She’s doing very good,” said Uri, who lives in the Chicago suburbs. “I’m in tears, and I feel very, very good.”

The 71-year-old said he saw on the news earlier Friday that an American mother and daughter would be released by Hamas, and he spent the day hoping that meant his daughter and her mother, Judith.

Knowing Natalie may be able to celebrate her 18th birthday next week at home with family and friends feels “wonderful. The best news,” Uri Raanan said.

He said he believes Natalie and Judith to be in transit to Tel Aviv to reunite with relatives, and that both will be back in the U.S. early next week.

U.S. President Joe Biden was among the many celebrating the stunning news that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-ed6875f15ea0d2bc196e4033b54b7194">the Raanans had been freed.</a>

An Israeli army spokesman said the two Americans were out of the Gaza Strip and with the Israeli military.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/israel-hamas-war-news-10-19-2023">Hamas said Friday</a>&nbsp;it released them for humanitarian reasons in an agreement with the Qatari government.

They were the first hostages to be released since Hamas militants, according to Israel, abducted roughly 200 people during their Oct. 7 rampage.

“I am overjoyed that they will soon be reunited with their family, who has been wracked with fear,” Biden said in Washington. The president spoke Friday with Judith and Natalie and "relayed that they will have the full support of the U.S. government as they recover from this terrible ordeal,” the White House said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, which transported the freed Americans from Gaza to Israel, said their release offered "a sliver of hope” for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostages-israel-hamas-war-what-to-know-406920c384818fa4fe3525327adf3f50">those still being held</a>.

Judith and Natalie Ranaan had been on a trip from their home in the Chicago suburb of Evanston to Israel to celebrate the Jewish holidays, according to family members. They were in Nahal Oz, near Gaza, on Oct. 7 for Simchat Torah, a festive Jewish holiday, when Hamas militants stormed into southern Israeli towns, killing hundreds of people and abducting others.

Their family had heard nothing from them since the attack and were later told by U.S. and Israeli officials that they were being held in Gaza, Natalie’s brother Ben has said.

“The news that Judith and Natalie have been released from the hands of Hamas is overwhelming. It brings us a tremendous amount of gratitude to the Almighty, to God, for this incredible miracle,” Meir Hecht, Judith Raanan’s rabbi, said at a press conference outside his home in Evanston on Friday afternoon.

“At the same time we hold our pain very deep,” said Hecht, who called for the other hostages to be released as soon as possible. “We need to continue besieging whoever we can and however we can, and praying for their release.”

Judith came regularly to Meir’s congregation and felt like “part of our family,” the rabbi said.

Natalie Raanan loves art, makeup, fashion, and DoorDash -- “she hates eating at home,” according to her brother Ben, who is based in Denver. She graduated from high school this year and was deciding between going to college to study interior or fashion design and taking an apprenticeship with a tattoo shop.

Ben Raanan described Natalie as “just a very loving, kind person.” Their middle brother, Adam, is nonverbal and much older than she is, but Natalie makes it a priority to maintain a strong bond with him, he explained.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth expressed relief at news of the Raanans’ release while asking people to remember other families whose relatives were abducted.

“They are now safe and receiving necessary medical treatment,” Pritzker said of Natalie and Judith. “I cannot wait to welcome them back home after demonstrating immense strength and bravery in the face of unthinkable terror.”

French President Emmanuel Macron said the release of the two Americans is “a very good result” and expressed hope it could help pave the way for others to be freed, including French-Israelis feared held in Gaza.

Qatar said it would continue its dialogue with Israel and Hamas in hopes of winning the release of all hostages “with the ultimate aim of de-escalating the current crisis and restoring peace.”

Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Israel was continuing to work to return hostages and find the missing, and its goals had not changed. “We are continuing the war against Hamas and ready for the next stage of the war,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697842903063.png" alt="In this photo provided by the Government of Israel, Judith Raanan, right, and her 17-year-old daughter Natalie are escorted by Israeli soldiers and Gal Hirsch, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's special coordinator for returning the hostages, as they return to Israel from captivity in the Gaza Strip, Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Hamas released the pair in what it said was a goodwill gesture late Friday, nearly two weeks after they were captured in a bloody cross-border raid by the Islamic militant group. The Hamas attack sparked a war that is entering its third week, and Hamas is believed to still be holding some 200 people hostage. (Government of Israel via AP Photo)" />
 <figcaption>In this photo provided by the Government of Israel, Judith Raanan, right, and her 17-year-old daughter Natalie are escorted by Israeli soldiers and Gal Hirsch, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's special coordinator for returning the hostages, as they return to Israel from captivity in the Gaza Strip, Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Hamas released the pair in what it said was a goodwill gesture late Friday, nearly two weeks after they were captured in a bloody cross-border raid by the Islamic militant group. The Hamas attack sparked a war that is entering its third week, and Hamas is believed to still be holding some 200 people hostage. (Government of Israel via AP Photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp; (AP)— President Joe Biden spoke on the phone with two freed Americans who had been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Judith and Natalie, I’m so glad you’re coming home. <a href="https://t.co/c7az0PcYXn">pic.twitter.com/c7az0PcYXn</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1715740319772295519?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter, Natalie, were released Friday. It was the first such hostage release from among the roughly 200 people the militant group abducted from Israel during its Oct. 7 rampage.Video of Biden speaking with them by phone was posted Saturday on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter. He told the mother and daughter that he was glad they had been released.“We’re going to get them all out, God willing,” he said.Natalie thanked Biden for his “services” to Israel. Judith said they are in good health.Hamas said it released the mother and daughter for humanitarian reasons in an agreement with the Qatari government.Family members have said Judith and Natalie had been on a trip from their home in the Chicago suburb of Evanston to Israel to celebrate Judith’s mother’s birthday and the Jewish holidays.-----------<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697827658899.png" alt="In this undated photo provided by Rabbi Meir Hecht on behalf of the Raanan family is Judith Raanan, left, and her daughter Natalie, 18, after Natalie's recent high school graduation. Judith and Natalie are missing while visiting relatives in Nahal Oz for Simchat Torah, a festive Jewish holiday that marks the conclusion of the annual reading of the Torah. (Raanan Family via AP)" />
 <figcaption>In this undated photo provided by Rabbi Meir Hecht on behalf of the Raanan family is Judith Raanan, left, and her daughter Natalie, 18, after Natalie's recent high school graduation. Judith and Natalie are missing while visiting relatives in Nahal Oz for Simchat Torah, a festive Jewish holiday that marks the conclusion of the annual reading of the Torah. (Raanan Family via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — The father of freed American teen hostage Natalie Raanan said Friday she’s doing well following two weeks in captivity after she and her mother were abducted in Israel by Hamas and held in Gaza.Uri Raanan of Illinois told The Associated Press that he spoke to his daughter Friday by telephone. “She’s doing good. She’s doing very good,” said Uri, who lives in the Chicago suburbs. “I’m in tears, and I feel very, very good.”The 71-year-old said he saw on the news earlier Friday that an American mother and daughter would be released by Hamas, and he spent the day hoping that meant his daughter and her mother, Judith.Knowing Natalie may be able to celebrate her 18th birthday next week at home with family and friends feels “wonderful. The best news,” Uri Raanan said.He said he believes Natalie and Judith to be in transit to Tel Aviv to reunite with relatives, and that both will be back in the U.S. early next week.U.S. President Joe Biden was among the many celebrating the stunning news that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-ed6875f15ea0d2bc196e4033b54b7194">the Raanans had been freed.</a>An Israeli army spokesman said the two Americans were out of the Gaza Strip and with the Israeli military.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/israel-hamas-war-news-10-19-2023">Hamas said Friday</a>&nbsp;it released them for humanitarian reasons in an agreement with the Qatari government.They were the first hostages to be released since Hamas militants, according to Israel, abducted roughly 200 people during their Oct. 7 rampage.“I am overjoyed that they will soon be reunited with their family, who has been wracked with fear,” Biden said in Washington. The president spoke Friday with Judith and Natalie and "relayed that they will have the full support of the U.S. government as they recover from this terrible ordeal,” the White House said.The International Committee of the Red Cross, which transported the freed Americans from Gaza to Israel, said their release offered "a sliver of hope” for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostages-israel-hamas-war-what-to-know-406920c384818fa4fe3525327adf3f50">those still being held</a>.Judith and Natalie Ranaan had been on a trip from their home in the Chicago suburb of Evanston to Israel to celebrate the Jewish holidays, according to family members. They were in Nahal Oz, near Gaza, on Oct. 7 for Simchat Torah, a festive Jewish holiday, when Hamas militants stormed into southern Israeli towns, killing hundreds of people and abducting others.Their family had heard nothing from them since the attack and were later told by U.S. and Israeli officials that they were being held in Gaza, Natalie’s brother Ben has said.“The news that Judith and Natalie have been released from the hands of Hamas is overwhelming. It brings us a tremendous amount of gratitude to the Almighty, to God, for this incredible miracle,” Meir Hecht, Judith Raanan’s rabbi, said at a press conference outside his home in Evanston on Friday afternoon.“At the same time we hold our pain very deep,” said Hecht, who called for the other hostages to be released as soon as possible. “We need to continue besieging whoever we can and however we can, and praying for their release.”Judith came regularly to Meir’s congregation and felt like “part of our family,” the rabbi said.Natalie Raanan loves art, makeup, fashion, and DoorDash -- “she hates eating at home,” according to her brother Ben, who is based in Denver. She graduated from high school this year and was deciding between going to college to study interior or fashion design and taking an apprenticeship with a tattoo shop.Ben Raanan described Natalie as “just a very loving, kind person.” Their middle brother, Adam, is nonverbal and much older than she is, but Natalie makes it a priority to maintain a strong bond with him, he explained.Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth expressed relief at news of the Raanans’ release while asking people to remember other families whose relatives were abducted.“They are now safe and receiving necessary medical treatment,” Pritzker said of Natalie and Judith. “I cannot wait to welcome them back home after demonstrating immense strength and bravery in the face of unthinkable terror.”French President Emmanuel Macron said the release of the two Americans is “a very good result” and expressed hope it could help pave the way for others to be freed, including French-Israelis feared held in Gaza.Qatar said it would continue its dialogue with Israel and Hamas in hopes of winning the release of all hostages “with the ultimate aim of de-escalating the current crisis and restoring peace.”Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Israel was continuing to work to return hostages and find the missing, and its goals had not changed. “We are continuing the war against Hamas and ready for the next stage of the war,” he said.

🎧 Listen to Biden phone call with 2 freed American hostages

Join K-State Research &amp; Extension and Kansas Wesleyan University&nbsp;Community Resilience Hub&nbsp;for an opportunity to share, listen, and learn about what is happening in our community around local food systems. We want to hear from you about what is working well and what challenges our community is facing related to local foods. This event will also provide the opportunity to connect with others in our area that are interested in local foods and learn about resources available to help make progress.

The goal of the roundtable is to help K-State Research &amp; Extension staff better understand the great work that has already been done related to local foods, areas where we are struggling to make progress, and what resources are needed to improve our local food system. The information collected from the roundtables across the state will help inform the development of new K-State Research &amp; Extension programs related to local food systems.

This roundtable will be held on November 14th&nbsp;from 3-4:30 p.m. at Kansas Wesleyan University (100 E. Claflin Ave Salina, KS 67401) in the Student Activity Center Room 203.

RSVP to attend online at:&nbsp; https://salinalocalfood.eventbrite.com/

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697817435158.png" alt="Community Roundtable" />
 <figcaption>Community Roundtable</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedJoin K-State Research &amp; Extension and Kansas Wesleyan University&nbsp;Community Resilience Hub&nbsp;for an opportunity to share, listen, and learn about what is happening in our community around local food systems. We want to hear from you about what is working well and what challenges our community is facing related to local foods. This event will also provide the opportunity to connect with others in our area that are interested in local foods and learn about resources available to help make progress.The goal of the roundtable is to help K-State Research &amp; Extension staff better understand the great work that has already been done related to local foods, areas where we are struggling to make progress, and what resources are needed to improve our local food system. The information collected from the roundtables across the state will help inform the development of new K-State Research &amp; Extension programs related to local food systems.This roundtable will be held on November 14th&nbsp;from 3-4:30 p.m. at Kansas Wesleyan University (100 E. Claflin Ave Salina, KS 67401) in the Student Activity Center Room 203.RSVP to attend online at:&nbsp; https://salinalocalfood.eventbrite.com/