WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators on Sunday released a highly anticipated $118 billion package that pairs border enforcement policy with wartime aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies, but it quickly ran into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-trump-a8601ec6629ddc5b769028ca99ad9879">wall of opposition from top House Republicans</a>, including Speaker Mike Johnson

<a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/emergency_national_security_supplemental_bill_text.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the full text of the bill

On Monday morning, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall expressed his opinion on the long-awaited legislation, "President Biden already has the tools needed to shut the border down. I don’t see anything in this bill that compels the Biden Administration to change course and address the worst border crisis in history which remains our greatest most immediate threat to our national security."

"Throughout this process, I said I was listening and hoping for a solution, but to my disappointment, this bill misses the mark."

"It will not secure the border. It does not go far enough on asylum, and perhaps makes Biden’s parole abuse even worse, by supercharging NGOs with BILLIONS of taxpayer dollars to fly illegal migrants to an airport near you. As the lead Democrat negotiator bragged last night: This bill doesn’t close the border.”

The proposal could be the best chance for President Joe Biden to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">resupply Ukraine with wartime aid</a>&nbsp;— a major foreign policy goal that is shared with both the Senate’s top Democrat, Sen. Chuck Schumer, and top Republican, Sen. Mitch McConnell. The Senate was expected this week to hold a key test vote on the legislation, but within hours of the text being released Johnson said on social media that it would be “dead on arrival” if it reaches the House.

With Congress stalled on approving $60 billion in Ukraine aid, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-money-congress-weapons-dd5076b30bf8fab5c914a1222186e7f0">U.S. has halted shipments</a>&nbsp;of ammunition and missiles to Kyiv, leaving Ukrainian soldiers outgunned as they try to beat back Russia’s invasion.

Senators have been working for months on the carefully negotiated compromise intended to overcome opposition from conservatives who have tired of funding Ukraine’s fight. But the coming days will be a crucial test of whether congressional leaders can once again muscle their members to support a package designed to assert American strength — and commitment — around the world.

They will also be weighing whether to continue pressing on one of the most fraught issues in American politics — border and immigration legislation.

Biden said in a statement that the Senate proposal “allows the United States to continue our vital work, together with partners all around the world, to stand up for Ukraine’s freedom and support its ability to defend itself against Russia’s aggression.”

And on the border, Biden said that the immigration system has been broken for too long, and it’s time to fix it. “It will make our country safer, make our border more secure, treat people fairly and humanely while preserving legal immigration, consistent with our values as a nation,” the Democratic president said.

The proposal would overhaul the asylum system with faster and tougher enforcement, as well as give presidents new powers to immediately expel migrants if authorities become overwhelmed with the number of people applying for asylum. The new bill would also invest in U.S. defense manufacturing, send $14 billion in military aid to Israel, steer nearly $5 billion to allies in the Asia-Pacific, and provide humanitarian assistance to civilians caught in conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

In a call with reporters after releasing the legislation, Schumer said he has never worked so closely with McConnell. He called the bill a “monumental step” toward strengthening national security at home and abroad.

Without the Ukraine aid, Schumer said, he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin “could be rolling over Ukraine and even into Eastern Europe.”

McConnell said in a statement that the Senate must be “prepared to act.”

“America’s sovereignty is being tested here at home, and our credibility is being tested by emboldened adversaries around the world,” McConnell said. “The challenges we face will not resolve themselves, nor will our adversaries wait for America to muster the resolve to meet them.”

In a bid to overcome opposition from House Republicans,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-border-security-congress-0c35bad8790ccbbeed1bc14057457648">McConnell had insisted last year</a>&nbsp;that border policy changes be included in the national security funding package. However, in an election-year shift on immigration, Biden and many Democrats have embraced the idea of strict border enforcement, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-trump-biden-2d2f804057a77bfaa41e64ab601f9b0e">Donald Trump and his allies</a>&nbsp;have criticized the proposed measures as insufficient.

Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said on social media, “I’ve seen enough. This bill is even worse than we expected, and won’t come close to ending the border catastrophe the President has created.”

Republicans have been reluctant to give Biden a political win on an issue they see as one of his biggest vulnerabilities and argue that presidents already have enough authority to curb illegal border crossings — a stance that would ensure immigration remains a major issue in the presidential election. Yet at the same time, House Republicans have also pushed for their own, stricter version of border security legislation.

That bill, which passed the House last year without a single Democratic vote, currently has no chance of gaining the Democratic support it would need in the Senate. GOP senators also attempted to add it on to other legislation last year, but that effort only gained 46 votes.

Johnson indicated Saturday that the House will vote on a separate package of $17.6 billion of military aid for Israel — a move that allows House Republicans to show support for Israel apart from the Senate deal.

It is also unclear if the bill will pass in the Senate. Senate Republicans have been divided on the bill, with several in McConnell’s ranks arguing that it isn’t strong enough. Some quickly said they would vote against it.

“The ‘border deal’ is an easy NO. It reads like a parody of an actual border security bill,” Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, posted on social media.

The bipartisan proposal is aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-biden-cf4aa608de350a480fabd8e6a3e062ff">gaining control of an asylum system</a>&nbsp;that has been overwhelmed by historic numbers of migrants coming to the border.

Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford, who negotiated the bill for Republicans, told reporters that GOP critics were missing parts of the bill that would give Republicans wins on issues they have talked about for years.

He said it provides border-wall money, expands deportation flights, increases the number of border officers and creates a faster process for deportation. Republican critics, he said, should look at “how it clears up a lot of the long-term issues and loopholes that have existed in the asylum law and it gives us an emergency authority that stops the chaos right now on the border.”

Migrants who seek asylum, which provides protection for people facing persecution in their home countries, would face a tougher and faster process to having their claim evaluated. The standard in initial interviews would be raised, and many would receive those interviews within days of arriving at the border.

Final decisions on their asylum claims would happen within months, rather than the often years-long wait that happens now. They would also be given work permits if they pass the initial screenings.

“America is and continues to be a bastion of hope for true asylum seekers,” Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent who negotiated the border proposal, told reporters on a phone call. “But it is not an open door for economic migrants. It has been, as we know, exploited dramatically by cartels in the last four to five years.”

If the number of illegal border crossings reaches above 5,000 daily for a five-day average,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-immigration-election-2182fec11fa008ec96c4202e5656d19e">an expulsion authority</a>&nbsp;would automatically kick in so that migrants who cross illegally are expelled without an opportunity to make an asylum claim. If the number reaches 4,000, presidential administrations would have the option of using the new authority. Under the proposal, migrants could still apply at ports of entry.

Biden, referencing the authority, has said he would use it to “shut down the border” as soon as the bill is signed into law.

The bill would allot $20 billion to immigration enforcement, including the hiring of thousands of new officers to evaluate asylum claims and hundreds of Border Patrol agents, as well as funding local governments that have seen influxes of migrants.

Among Democrats, the tougher asylum standards have raised concern, especially from progressive and Hispanic lawmakers. Sen. Alex Padilla, a Democrat of California, said in a statement that the proposal would cause “more chaos at the border, not less.”

Immigration advocates were highly critical of new limits on asylum, with some urging that the bill be rejected in its current form.

The $14 billion in the package intended for military support for Israel could also splinter Democratic votes. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent of Vermont, is pushing to strip $10 billion for offensive weaponry for Israel from the package while maintaining money for defensive systems.

Schumer said he would schedule a key test vote on the legislation Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695343466970.png" alt="Migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border-photo U.S. Senator Roger Marshall" />
 <figcaption>Migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border-photo U.S. Senator Roger Marshall</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators on Sunday released a highly anticipated $118 billion package that pairs border enforcement policy with wartime aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies, but it quickly ran into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-trump-a8601ec6629ddc5b769028ca99ad9879">wall of opposition from top House Republicans</a>, including Speaker Mike Johnson<a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/emergency_national_security_supplemental_bill_text.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the full text of the bill<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am a NO on the Senate Border Deal. Authorizing 1.8 million illegal immigrants to enter our country every single year (5K per day, 150K per month) will only further incentivize mass migration and exacerbate this worsening crisis. Our communities are getting crushed by Joe… <a href="https://t.co/1Vg3huGH16">pic.twitter.com/1Vg3huGH16</a>&mdash; Rep. Jake LaTurner (@RepLaTurner) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepLaTurner/status/1754543472156016876?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Monday morning, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall expressed his opinion on the long-awaited legislation, "President Biden already has the tools needed to shut the border down. I don’t see anything in this bill that compels the Biden Administration to change course and address the worst border crisis in history which remains our greatest most immediate threat to our national security.""Throughout this process, I said I was listening and hoping for a solution, but to my disappointment, this bill misses the mark.""It will not secure the border. It does not go far enough on asylum, and perhaps makes Biden’s parole abuse even worse, by supercharging NGOs with BILLIONS of taxpayer dollars to fly illegal migrants to an airport near you. As the lead Democrat negotiator bragged last night: This bill doesn’t close the border.”The proposal could be the best chance for President Joe Biden to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">resupply Ukraine with wartime aid</a>&nbsp;— a major foreign policy goal that is shared with both the Senate’s top Democrat, Sen. Chuck Schumer, and top Republican, Sen. Mitch McConnell. The Senate was expected this week to hold a key test vote on the legislation, but within hours of the text being released Johnson said on social media that it would be “dead on arrival” if it reaches the House.With Congress stalled on approving $60 billion in Ukraine aid, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-money-congress-weapons-dd5076b30bf8fab5c914a1222186e7f0">U.S. has halted shipments</a>&nbsp;of ammunition and missiles to Kyiv, leaving Ukrainian soldiers outgunned as they try to beat back Russia’s invasion.Senators have been working for months on the carefully negotiated compromise intended to overcome opposition from conservatives who have tired of funding Ukraine’s fight. But the coming days will be a crucial test of whether congressional leaders can once again muscle their members to support a package designed to assert American strength — and commitment — around the world.They will also be weighing whether to continue pressing on one of the most fraught issues in American politics — border and immigration legislation.Biden said in a statement that the Senate proposal “allows the United States to continue our vital work, together with partners all around the world, to stand up for Ukraine’s freedom and support its ability to defend itself against Russia’s aggression.”And on the border, Biden said that the immigration system has been broken for too long, and it’s time to fix it. “It will make our country safer, make our border more secure, treat people fairly and humanely while preserving legal immigration, consistent with our values as a nation,” the Democratic president said.The proposal would overhaul the asylum system with faster and tougher enforcement, as well as give presidents new powers to immediately expel migrants if authorities become overwhelmed with the number of people applying for asylum. The new bill would also invest in U.S. defense manufacturing, send $14 billion in military aid to Israel, steer nearly $5 billion to allies in the Asia-Pacific, and provide humanitarian assistance to civilians caught in conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.In a call with reporters after releasing the legislation, Schumer said he has never worked so closely with McConnell. He called the bill a “monumental step” toward strengthening national security at home and abroad.Without the Ukraine aid, Schumer said, he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin “could be rolling over Ukraine and even into Eastern Europe.”McConnell said in a statement that the Senate must be “prepared to act.”“America’s sovereignty is being tested here at home, and our credibility is being tested by emboldened adversaries around the world,” McConnell said. “The challenges we face will not resolve themselves, nor will our adversaries wait for America to muster the resolve to meet them.”In a bid to overcome opposition from House Republicans,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-border-security-congress-0c35bad8790ccbbeed1bc14057457648">McConnell had insisted last year</a>&nbsp;that border policy changes be included in the national security funding package. However, in an election-year shift on immigration, Biden and many Democrats have embraced the idea of strict border enforcement, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-trump-biden-2d2f804057a77bfaa41e64ab601f9b0e">Donald Trump and his allies</a>&nbsp;have criticized the proposed measures as insufficient.Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said on social media, “I’ve seen enough. This bill is even worse than we expected, and won’t come close to ending the border catastrophe the President has created.”Republicans have been reluctant to give Biden a political win on an issue they see as one of his biggest vulnerabilities and argue that presidents already have enough authority to curb illegal border crossings — a stance that would ensure immigration remains a major issue in the presidential election. Yet at the same time, House Republicans have also pushed for their own, stricter version of border security legislation.That bill, which passed the House last year without a single Democratic vote, currently has no chance of gaining the Democratic support it would need in the Senate. GOP senators also attempted to add it on to other legislation last year, but that effort only gained 46 votes.Johnson indicated Saturday that the House will vote on a separate package of $17.6 billion of military aid for Israel — a move that allows House Republicans to show support for Israel apart from the Senate deal.It is also unclear if the bill will pass in the Senate. Senate Republicans have been divided on the bill, with several in McConnell’s ranks arguing that it isn’t strong enough. Some quickly said they would vote against it.“The ‘border deal’ is an easy NO. It reads like a parody of an actual border security bill,” Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, posted on social media.The bipartisan proposal is aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-biden-cf4aa608de350a480fabd8e6a3e062ff">gaining control of an asylum system</a>&nbsp;that has been overwhelmed by historic numbers of migrants coming to the border.Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford, who negotiated the bill for Republicans, told reporters that GOP critics were missing parts of the bill that would give Republicans wins on issues they have talked about for years.He said it provides border-wall money, expands deportation flights, increases the number of border officers and creates a faster process for deportation. Republican critics, he said, should look at “how it clears up a lot of the long-term issues and loopholes that have existed in the asylum law and it gives us an emergency authority that stops the chaos right now on the border.”Migrants who seek asylum, which provides protection for people facing persecution in their home countries, would face a tougher and faster process to having their claim evaluated. The standard in initial interviews would be raised, and many would receive those interviews within days of arriving at the border.Final decisions on their asylum claims would happen within months, rather than the often years-long wait that happens now. They would also be given work permits if they pass the initial screenings.“America is and continues to be a bastion of hope for true asylum seekers,” Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent who negotiated the border proposal, told reporters on a phone call. “But it is not an open door for economic migrants. It has been, as we know, exploited dramatically by cartels in the last four to five years.”If the number of illegal border crossings reaches above 5,000 daily for a five-day average,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-immigration-election-2182fec11fa008ec96c4202e5656d19e">an expulsion authority</a>&nbsp;would automatically kick in so that migrants who cross illegally are expelled without an opportunity to make an asylum claim. If the number reaches 4,000, presidential administrations would have the option of using the new authority. Under the proposal, migrants could still apply at ports of entry.Biden, referencing the authority, has said he would use it to “shut down the border” as soon as the bill is signed into law.The bill would allot $20 billion to immigration enforcement, including the hiring of thousands of new officers to evaluate asylum claims and hundreds of Border Patrol agents, as well as funding local governments that have seen influxes of migrants.Among Democrats, the tougher asylum standards have raised concern, especially from progressive and Hispanic lawmakers. Sen. Alex Padilla, a Democrat of California, said in a statement that the proposal would cause “more chaos at the border, not less.”Immigration advocates were highly critical of new limits on asylum, with some urging that the bill be rejected in its current form.The $14 billion in the package intended for military support for Israel could also splinter Democratic votes. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent of Vermont, is pushing to strip $10 billion for offensive weaponry for Israel from the package while maintaining money for defensive systems.Schumer said he would schedule a key test vote on the legislation Wednesday.

2 Kan. lawmakers share opinions on new $118 billion border bill

Spectrum Metalcraft,&nbsp;a subsidiary of the Salina Vortex Corporation,&nbsp;is&nbsp;pleased&nbsp;to announce the upcoming renovations to their&nbsp;custom metal fabrication facilities&nbsp;to&nbsp;better serve their clients,&nbsp;team members&nbsp;and business growth.

&nbsp;The renovations will include a new multifunction meeting area, streamlining of manufacturing processes, and a complete overhaul of their offices.

The new meeting area, named the "Peterson Family Conference Center" in honor of the company's founders,&nbsp;will&nbsp;provide a versatile spot for meetings,&nbsp;training, and events.

 "We are thrilled to have a dedicated space for our team and clients to come together and collaborate. The Peterson Family Conference Center will enhance our ability to provide exceptional&nbsp;results&nbsp;to our&nbsp;customers," said Vortex CEO Travis Young.

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

In addition to the new meeting area, Spectrum Metalcraft will also be&nbsp;expanding&nbsp;offices to&nbsp;the Northwest of the current facility. The new office area will feature&nbsp;a collaborative 7500 square feet of workspace.

&nbsp;In addition,&nbsp;new restroom facilities will also be added that will double as a severe weather shelter.&nbsp;

The renovations will also bring about an extensive streamlining of the manufacturing process at Spectrum Metalcraft. This will ensure a smoother flow of materials, from raw inputs to finished products. According to a Vortex release, the renovations aim to eliminate any bottlenecks in the production process, reduce waste and inefficiencies, and increase the rate at which finished goods are produced. By incorporating cutting-edge technology and leveraging data analytics, the company plans to optimize the use of resources, reduce lead times, and improve inventory management.&nbsp;

"Our goal is to create a state-of-the-art facility for our&nbsp;team members&nbsp;to foster efficiency,&nbsp;productivity, and innovation. This renovation will not only benefit our team but also our clients as we continue to provide high-quality products and services,” Young said.

Renovations are currently underway and are expected to take approximately 8-9 months, with an anticipated completion date in the third or fourth quarter of 2024.&nbsp;Spectrum Metalcraft is committed to minimizing any disruptions to their operations during this time and ensuring a smooth transition for their&nbsp;team members&nbsp;and clients.

With&nbsp;this expansion, Spectrum Metalcraft is positioned to sustain their growth and success in the metal fabrication industry&nbsp;while adding new career opportunities in the Salina community.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707145475662.jpeg" alt="Left to Right: Thomas Cook, Production Manager; Stan Duell, Production Manager; Derek Cooper, Facilities Maintenance Manager; Jeremy Pierce, Director of Business Development Image Courtesy of Vortex" />
 <figcaption>Left to Right: Thomas Cook, Production Manager; Stan Duell, Production Manager; Derek Cooper, Facilities Maintenance Manager; Jeremy Pierce, Director of Business Development Image Courtesy of Vortex</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;SubmittedSpectrum Metalcraft,&nbsp;a subsidiary of the Salina Vortex Corporation,&nbsp;is&nbsp;pleased&nbsp;to announce the upcoming renovations to their&nbsp;custom metal fabrication facilities&nbsp;to&nbsp;better serve their clients,&nbsp;team members&nbsp;and business growth.&nbsp;The renovations will include a new multifunction meeting area, streamlining of manufacturing processes, and a complete overhaul of their offices.The new meeting area, named the "Peterson Family Conference Center" in honor of the company's founders,&nbsp;will&nbsp;provide a versatile spot for meetings,&nbsp;training, and events. "We are thrilled to have a dedicated space for our team and clients to come together and collaborate. The Peterson Family Conference Center will enhance our ability to provide exceptional&nbsp;results&nbsp;to our&nbsp;customers," said Vortex CEO Travis Young.LISTEN: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/28ee9989-31bb-4fbd-9f38-bac12ff3fb6b">King in the Community Podcast: Mitch Robinson, Salina Economic Development&nbsp;</a>In addition to the new meeting area, Spectrum Metalcraft will also be&nbsp;expanding&nbsp;offices to&nbsp;the Northwest of the current facility. The new office area will feature&nbsp;a collaborative 7500 square feet of workspace.&nbsp;In addition,&nbsp;new restroom facilities will also be added that will double as a severe weather shelter.&nbsp;The renovations will also bring about an extensive streamlining of the manufacturing process at Spectrum Metalcraft. This will ensure a smoother flow of materials, from raw inputs to finished products. According to a Vortex release, the renovations aim to eliminate any bottlenecks in the production process, reduce waste and inefficiencies, and increase the rate at which finished goods are produced. By incorporating cutting-edge technology and leveraging data analytics, the company plans to optimize the use of resources, reduce lead times, and improve inventory management.&nbsp;"Our goal is to create a state-of-the-art facility for our&nbsp;team members&nbsp;to foster efficiency,&nbsp;productivity, and innovation. This renovation will not only benefit our team but also our clients as we continue to provide high-quality products and services,” Young said.Renovations are currently underway and are expected to take approximately 8-9 months, with an anticipated completion date in the third or fourth quarter of 2024.&nbsp;Spectrum Metalcraft is committed to minimizing any disruptions to their operations during this time and ensuring a smooth transition for their&nbsp;team members&nbsp;and clients.With&nbsp;this expansion, Spectrum Metalcraft is positioned to sustain their growth and success in the metal fabrication industry&nbsp;while adding new career opportunities in the Salina community.

Spectrum Metalcraft announces renovations to bolster manufacturing and collaboration

Join 910KINA's Saturday Morning Show hosts Dave and Sam this Saturday from 9-11 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>

9:05 a.m. Mother Shay, Christ Cathedral to talk about the "Way of the Cross" art exhibit and upcoming concert

9:30 a.m.&nbsp; Katie Zey, Salina Public Library on Salina Reads program.

10:05 a.m. Alex Hayden, Booth Announcer for Motor Racing Network on Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum and 2024 NASCAR Season.

10:30 a.m. Dan Israel, Executive Producer Chiefs Radio Network on Chiefs Season, San Francisco 49ers and Superbowl 58.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691172591916.png" alt="Dave and Sam" />
 <figcaption>Dave and Sam</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTJoin 910KINA's Saturday Morning Show hosts Dave and Sam this Saturday from 9-11 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><h2>This Week's Saturday Morning Show Lineup</h2>9:05 a.m. Mother Shay, Christ Cathedral to talk about the "Way of the Cross" art exhibit and upcoming concert9:30 a.m.&nbsp; Katie Zey, Salina Public Library on Salina Reads program.10:05 a.m. Alex Hayden, Booth Announcer for Motor Racing Network on Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum and 2024 NASCAR Season.10:30 a.m. Dan Israel, Executive Producer Chiefs Radio Network on Chiefs Season, San Francisco 49ers and Superbowl 58.

910KINA Saturday Morning Show Lineup

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina Post

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Salina Public Library brings community together with literature

By NATE KING Salina Post

North Ottawa County Schools is set to have a new superintendent for the 2024-2025 school year. USD 305 Secondary Education Director Curtis Stevens will become superintendent effective July 1.

With nearly a decade of experience working in USD 305 schools, Stevens said working in a district close to his soon to be former employer will have its benefits.

"Minneapolis is a unique community and they have their own identity," Stevens said. "I would never say that Salina has the same identity as Minneapolis or vice versa, but I think that having the opportunity to work with familiar faces and benefit from programming and staff development and mentoring from both school districts, is just going to be really rewarding."

A graduate of Fort Hays State University, Stevens received his seventh-12th grade teaching certificate in 2002.&nbsp;He received his endorsement for English as a second language from Kansas State University in 2005, before attending Emporia State University to receive a master's degree in education administration and leadership. He also has a doctoral degree in educational leadership and administration from Kansas State University.

Approximately 640 students attend North Ottawa County Public Schools, a stark comparison to Salina Public Schools which is the twelfth largest district in Kansas and has an enrollment of&nbsp;approximately 6,953&nbsp;students in its kindergarten through grade 12 program, according to the school's websites.&nbsp;

A Kansas native, Stevens grew up in Scott City and attended Scott City High School. His wife is from Spearville, Kansas. He said his experience both attending and working in rural school districts has prepared him for this leadership position.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"My wife and I have both grew up in western Kansas communities that are rural districts," Stevens said. "Our kids have been in Salina Public Schools since they were in kindergarten. There'll be some changes for them, but I think that every district, whether it's large or whether it's a little bit smaller, they all have their&nbsp; advantages and North Ottawa County Public Schools certainly has that as well."

Curtis said during his time working at Salina Public Schools he participated in the Kansas Association of School Board's BOLD program.

"I've traveled to Burlington, which they have the nuclear power plant so their tax base looks a lot different out there than it does here. We went out to Goodland, Kansas, and so this program, when it's all done, We will visit about seven different school districts of all sizes," Stevens said. "It really opened my mind... by getting the chance to work in various districts, I think it makes a leader, much more knowledgeable and allows you to grow professionally to navigate and become more resilient in handling such challenges."

Stevens said in the last ten years North Ottawa County Schools have been progressive and proactive in providing new opportunities for students to learn both in and outside the traditional classroom setting.&nbsp;

"They [North Ottawa County Schools] passed a bond issue and they've got some great programs, like their 'Acorns to Oaks' program where some of the senior citizens of the community come in and read to the kids the kids read to them," Stevens said.&nbsp;

One unique oportunity at North Ottawa County Schools is helping maintain the chicken house that produces more than 5,000 eggs annually.&nbsp;

"They don't sell those eggs, they are donated to the Kansas Food Bank," Stevens said. "Their FFA program, is a flagship program for the state and I'm excited to see how how they've been able to grow that."

Stevens said his professional relationships with other local superintendents will help him in this new role.&nbsp;

"We've been fortunate because there's superintendents that have ties to Salina. Deena Hilbig  out in Ellsworth or Pam Irwin with Twin Valley, just to name a few, They've all been in different types of districts and it's just a wonderful group of professionals to collaborate and network with."&nbsp;

During his interview, Stevens said he made it clear he intends to do a lot of listening.&nbsp;

"I intend to do a lot of listening in the community, during the interview, I had an opportunity to interact with staff, students, and community members and it's just a great community," Stevens said.&nbsp;

Outgoing North Ottawa Schools Superintendent, Chris Vignery, said the decision to move from Minneapolis was made to be closer to family.&nbsp;

"The purpose for us leaving is because we have four kids and two of them are married and we have six grandkids in the Olathe area," Vignery said. "We're empty nesters. So our goal is to get out there near our grandkids."

Vignery, who served as USD 239 superintendent for ten years, told Salina Post he intends to secure a superintendent job near the Olathe Area.&nbsp;

"I resigned without having a job and the reason I did that is because I was hoping to resign early enough that our board could find a great applicant and I believe they have found that in Dr. Stevens," Vignery said.&nbsp;

When asked what advice or words of wisdom he could share with Stevens, Vignery said listening is key.&nbsp;

"That first year is a learning year. You want to make a difference as well, but really get to know the people that you're working with and learn about the system that's already in place first and then decide what needs to be tweaked," Vignery said. "Just gather information and listen. I'm sure he'll stay busy enough."

Stevens will start at North Ottawa Schools in July 2024.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705454016718.png" alt="Curtis Stevens" />
 <figcaption>Curtis Stevens</figcaption>
 </figure>By NATE KING Salina PostNorth Ottawa County Schools is set to have a new superintendent for the 2024-2025 school year. USD 305 Secondary Education Director Curtis Stevens will become superintendent effective July 1.With nearly a decade of experience working in USD 305 schools, Stevens said working in a district close to his soon to be former employer will have its benefits."Minneapolis is a unique community and they have their own identity," Stevens said. "I would never say that Salina has the same identity as Minneapolis or vice versa, but I think that having the opportunity to work with familiar faces and benefit from programming and staff development and mentoring from both school districts, is just going to be really rewarding."A graduate of Fort Hays State University, Stevens received his seventh-12th grade teaching certificate in 2002.&nbsp;He received his endorsement for English as a second language from Kansas State University in 2005, before attending Emporia State University to receive a master's degree in education administration and leadership. He also has a doctoral degree in educational leadership and administration from Kansas State University.Approximately 640 students attend North Ottawa County Public Schools, a stark comparison to Salina Public Schools which is the twelfth largest district in Kansas and has an enrollment of&nbsp;approximately 6,953&nbsp;students in its kindergarten through grade 12 program, according to the school's websites.&nbsp;A Kansas native, Stevens grew up in Scott City and attended Scott City High School. His wife is from Spearville, Kansas. He said his experience both attending and working in rural school districts has prepared him for this leadership position.&nbsp;&nbsp;"My wife and I have both grew up in western Kansas communities that are rural districts," Stevens said. "Our kids have been in Salina Public Schools since they were in kindergarten. There'll be some changes for them, but I think that every district, whether it's large or whether it's a little bit smaller, they all have their&nbsp; advantages and North Ottawa County Public Schools certainly has that as well."Curtis said during his time working at Salina Public Schools he participated in the Kansas Association of School Board's BOLD program."I've traveled to Burlington, which they have the nuclear power plant so their tax base looks a lot different out there than it does here. We went out to Goodland, Kansas, and so this program, when it's all done, We will visit about seven different school districts of all sizes," Stevens said. "It really opened my mind... by getting the chance to work in various districts, I think it makes a leader, much more knowledgeable and allows you to grow professionally to navigate and become more resilient in handling such challenges."Stevens said in the last ten years North Ottawa County Schools have been progressive and proactive in providing new opportunities for students to learn both in and outside the traditional classroom setting.&nbsp;"They [North Ottawa County Schools] passed a bond issue and they've got some great programs, like their 'Acorns to Oaks' program where some of the senior citizens of the community come in and read to the kids the kids read to them," Stevens said.&nbsp;One unique oportunity at North Ottawa County Schools is helping maintain the chicken house that produces more than 5,000 eggs annually.&nbsp;"They don't sell those eggs, they are donated to the Kansas Food Bank," Stevens said. "Their FFA program, is a flagship program for the state and I'm excited to see how how they've been able to grow that."Stevens said his professional relationships with other local superintendents will help him in this new role.&nbsp;"We've been fortunate because there's superintendents that have ties to Salina. Deena Hilbig out in Ellsworth or Pam Irwin with Twin Valley, just to name a few, They've all been in different types of districts and it's just a wonderful group of professionals to collaborate and network with."&nbsp;During his interview, Stevens said he made it clear he intends to do a lot of listening.&nbsp;"I intend to do a lot of listening in the community, during the interview, I had an opportunity to interact with staff, students, and community members and it's just a great community," Stevens said.&nbsp;Outgoing North Ottawa Schools Superintendent, Chris Vignery, said the decision to move from Minneapolis was made to be closer to family.&nbsp;"The purpose for us leaving is because we have four kids and two of them are married and we have six grandkids in the Olathe area," Vignery said. "We're empty nesters. So our goal is to get out there near our grandkids."Vignery, who served as USD 239 superintendent for ten years, told Salina Post he intends to secure a superintendent job near the Olathe Area.&nbsp;"I resigned without having a job and the reason I did that is because I was hoping to resign early enough that our board could find a great applicant and I believe they have found that in Dr. Stevens," Vignery said.&nbsp;When asked what advice or words of wisdom he could share with Stevens, Vignery said listening is key.&nbsp;"That first year is a learning year. You want to make a difference as well, but really get to know the people that you're working with and learn about the system that's already in place first and then decide what needs to be tweaked," Vignery said. "Just gather information and listen. I'm sure he'll stay busy enough."Stevens will start at North Ottawa Schools in July 2024.&nbsp;

North Ottawa County Schools hires USD 305 director of secondary education

Kenneth Oliver Holderread was born on a dairy farm in Cushing, Oklahoma, to Leslie and Minnie (Kinzie) Holderread on March 27, 1938. He was the third of four children. For his first five years of schooling, Ken attended Cottonwood Elementary, a one-room schoolhouse. He then attended Hillside Country School through 8th grade when the schools consolidated, before graduating from Cushing High School. While in high school, he was an active FFA member, exhibiting dairy cattle at local, state, and regional fairs. He had a knack for working with animals and could convince an untrained heifer to lead with a halter.

While attending McPherson College, Ken met and fell in love with Elsie Lucore. Six weeks later, they were engaged. They married on August 10, 1958, in Arriba, Colorado, and spent over 65 adventurous years together traveling the world and following God’s call, including&nbsp;traveling to all 50 states and many countries around the world.

During college, Ken took some time off to serve as youth director for the Western Region of the Church of the Brethren.&nbsp; Ken earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial arts with a minor in math from McPherson College, a master of divinity and doctorate of ministry degrees from Bethany Theological Seminary, and certification in Clinical Pastoral Education. He also received Spiritual Direction training from the Shalem Institute.

After college, he taught public school in Newton, Kansas from 1961-62 before he and Elsie were called to their first international placement, a teaching post in Ghana, West Africa from 1962-64. Their son, Barry, was only 9 months old, and they arrived without the trunk containing his diapers. Ken volunteered his undershirts to fill the gap until they arrived. Ghana is where Ken felt the call to ministry, and he enrolled at Bethany Seminary upon their return. During their time in Oak Brook, IL, daughters Deb and Cathy were born. Ken supported his family while in seminary by substitute teaching, selling hearing aids, driving limousines, and being a youth pastor at a Presbyterian Church.

From 1968-79, Ken pastored the Empire Church of the Brethren in CA. During this time, he directed a Clinical Pastoral Education unit in the parish setting and held various ecumenical positions in the Modesto Council of Churches and its relief ministries. He also served as a “seagoing cowboy” for Heifer Project (International) and accompanied a group of cattle from the port in San Francisco to Busan, South Korea, to care for them on their journey. In 1979, Ken and Elsie moved their family to Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, to pastor the Memorial Church of the Brethren.

In 1984, Ken and Elsie were called by the former Church of the Brethren General Board to go as mission workers to Sudan (leaving four days after Cathy graduated from high school). Their significant work in Sudan took place during a time when warfare was occurring in the Darfur region and included training pastors, evangelists, and church leaders. The couple also developed a Theological Education by Extension (TEE) program in English, Arabic, and Nuer, working out of the capital city of Khartoum. When they returned to the US, Ken worked from the General Offices in Elgin, IL. During this time, the program was expanded to include a ministry seminar to help pastors deal with war and famine. As Africa and Middle East representative for the Church of the Brethren, Ken continued his work related to African concerns as well as collaborative relationships with ecumenical and humanitarian organizations, particularly in Sudan and the area that is now South Sudan. He also made several working visits to South Africa, and had the opportunity to worship with Nelson Mandela at a meeting of US church leaders, when Mandela was here to address Congress and touring US cities to rally support in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.

Ken later served as District Executive for the Illinois and Wisconsin District of the Church of the Brethren. After retiring for the first time in 2001, the couple were Co-Executives for the Western Plains District for another seven years where they developed leadership for a church renewal program. He remained a Spiritual Director for many years and had a passion for being present with others on their spiritual journey. He supervised 20 student pastor interns during his ministry and participated in local, regional, and national peace demonstrations and other activities.

Ken enjoyed singing in college and throughout his life in various groups and choirs, as well as many solos and duets with Elsie. A favorite for him was singing with his family, especially for grace before meals. He loved spending time with family and attending his grandchildren’s activities. In addition to having a playful sense of humor, he was also very intentional about validating and supporting the life decisions made by his children and grandchildren.

Ken envisioned possibilities yet to come and was perfectly matched with Elsie who worked quietly behind the scenes with all the details. He had a heart for listening and meeting people wherever they were, and for journeying together with them. He lived a life of ministry, being open to God’s call and calling forth the gifts in others. In a quote from an interview in the Messenger magazine about his focus for mission, Ken said, “We are called to a new understanding and a new faith, a new way of approaching faith even for our own lives if we are sensitive to the whole world.”

Ken passed away peacefully surrounded by family on November 28, 2023, at The Cedars in McPherson, at age 85. Ken is survived by his wife, Elsie; three children: Barry (Rebecca) Holderread, Deb (Allan) van Asselt, Cathy (Mike) Patrick; nine grandchildren: Emma and Helen Holderread; Kerrick (Anna), Kaitlyn, and, Grace van Asselt; Ben (fiancee, Rebecca), Andy, Chris, and Alyssa (fiance, Jacob) Patrick; brother, Glen (Joan) Holderread; brother-in-law, Don (Nancy) Lucore; sisters-in-law, Charlene Holderread, Susan Blackford, Dorothy Kipp, and Darlene Lucore; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Leslie and Minnie Holderread; sister, Betty Holderread; brother, Don Holderread; brothers-in-law, Keith Kipp, Sylvus Flora, and Dale Lucore; sister-in-law, Martha Flora, niece, Linda Flora, and nephew, Doug Holderread.

Graveside service will be held February 2, 2024, at 1:00 pm at the Big Creek Church of the Brethren cemetery (101 N Brethren Rd) in Cushing, OK. A service of remembrance will be held on February 3, at 10:30 am at the McPherson Church of the Brethren (200 N Carrie) in McPherson, KS.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Memorial donations may be made to the McPherson Church of the Brethren or StepMC (Steps to End Poverty of McPherson County) in care of Stockham Family Funeral Home, 205 N Chestnut, McPherson, KS 67460.

Personal condolences may be sent to the family at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stockhamfamily.com/" target="_blank">www.stockhamfamily.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706720907744.jpeg" alt="Holderread, Kenneth" />
 <figcaption>Holderread, Kenneth</figcaption>
 </figure>Kenneth Oliver Holderread was born on a dairy farm in Cushing, Oklahoma, to Leslie and Minnie (Kinzie) Holderread on March 27, 1938. He was the third of four children. For his first five years of schooling, Ken attended Cottonwood Elementary, a one-room schoolhouse. He then attended Hillside Country School through 8th grade when the schools consolidated, before graduating from Cushing High School. While in high school, he was an active FFA member, exhibiting dairy cattle at local, state, and regional fairs. He had a knack for working with animals and could convince an untrained heifer to lead with a halter.While attending McPherson College, Ken met and fell in love with Elsie Lucore. Six weeks later, they were engaged. They married on August 10, 1958, in Arriba, Colorado, and spent over 65 adventurous years together traveling the world and following God’s call, including&nbsp;traveling to all 50 states and many countries around the world.During college, Ken took some time off to serve as youth director for the Western Region of the Church of the Brethren.&nbsp; Ken earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial arts with a minor in math from McPherson College, a master of divinity and doctorate of ministry degrees from Bethany Theological Seminary, and certification in Clinical Pastoral Education. He also received Spiritual Direction training from the Shalem Institute.After college, he taught public school in Newton, Kansas from 1961-62 before he and Elsie were called to their first international placement, a teaching post in Ghana, West Africa from 1962-64. Their son, Barry, was only 9 months old, and they arrived without the trunk containing his diapers. Ken volunteered his undershirts to fill the gap until they arrived. Ghana is where Ken felt the call to ministry, and he enrolled at Bethany Seminary upon their return. During their time in Oak Brook, IL, daughters Deb and Cathy were born. Ken supported his family while in seminary by substitute teaching, selling hearing aids, driving limousines, and being a youth pastor at a Presbyterian Church.From 1968-79, Ken pastored the Empire Church of the Brethren in CA. During this time, he directed a Clinical Pastoral Education unit in the parish setting and held various ecumenical positions in the Modesto Council of Churches and its relief ministries. He also served as a “seagoing cowboy” for Heifer Project (International) and accompanied a group of cattle from the port in San Francisco to Busan, South Korea, to care for them on their journey. In 1979, Ken and Elsie moved their family to Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, to pastor the Memorial Church of the Brethren.In 1984, Ken and Elsie were called by the former Church of the Brethren General Board to go as mission workers to Sudan (leaving four days after Cathy graduated from high school). Their significant work in Sudan took place during a time when warfare was occurring in the Darfur region and included training pastors, evangelists, and church leaders. The couple also developed a Theological Education by Extension (TEE) program in English, Arabic, and Nuer, working out of the capital city of Khartoum. When they returned to the US, Ken worked from the General Offices in Elgin, IL. During this time, the program was expanded to include a ministry seminar to help pastors deal with war and famine. As Africa and Middle East representative for the Church of the Brethren, Ken continued his work related to African concerns as well as collaborative relationships with ecumenical and humanitarian organizations, particularly in Sudan and the area that is now South Sudan. He also made several working visits to South Africa, and had the opportunity to worship with Nelson Mandela at a meeting of US church leaders, when Mandela was here to address Congress and touring US cities to rally support in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.Ken later served as District Executive for the Illinois and Wisconsin District of the Church of the Brethren. After retiring for the first time in 2001, the couple were Co-Executives for the Western Plains District for another seven years where they developed leadership for a church renewal program. He remained a Spiritual Director for many years and had a passion for being present with others on their spiritual journey. He supervised 20 student pastor interns during his ministry and participated in local, regional, and national peace demonstrations and other activities.Ken enjoyed singing in college and throughout his life in various groups and choirs, as well as many solos and duets with Elsie. A favorite for him was singing with his family, especially for grace before meals. He loved spending time with family and attending his grandchildren’s activities. In addition to having a playful sense of humor, he was also very intentional about validating and supporting the life decisions made by his children and grandchildren.Ken envisioned possibilities yet to come and was perfectly matched with Elsie who worked quietly behind the scenes with all the details. He had a heart for listening and meeting people wherever they were, and for journeying together with them. He lived a life of ministry, being open to God’s call and calling forth the gifts in others. In a quote from an interview in the Messenger magazine about his focus for mission, Ken said, “We are called to a new understanding and a new faith, a new way of approaching faith even for our own lives if we are sensitive to the whole world.”Ken passed away peacefully surrounded by family on November 28, 2023, at The Cedars in McPherson, at age 85. Ken is survived by his wife, Elsie; three children: Barry (Rebecca) Holderread, Deb (Allan) van Asselt, Cathy (Mike) Patrick; nine grandchildren: Emma and Helen Holderread; Kerrick (Anna), Kaitlyn, and, Grace van Asselt; Ben (fiancee, Rebecca), Andy, Chris, and Alyssa (fiance, Jacob) Patrick; brother, Glen (Joan) Holderread; brother-in-law, Don (Nancy) Lucore; sisters-in-law, Charlene Holderread, Susan Blackford, Dorothy Kipp, and Darlene Lucore; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents, Leslie and Minnie Holderread; sister, Betty Holderread; brother, Don Holderread; brothers-in-law, Keith Kipp, Sylvus Flora, and Dale Lucore; sister-in-law, Martha Flora, niece, Linda Flora, and nephew, Doug Holderread.Graveside service will be held February 2, 2024, at 1:00 pm at the Big Creek Church of the Brethren cemetery (101 N Brethren Rd) in Cushing, OK. A service of remembrance will be held on February 3, at 10:30 am at the McPherson Church of the Brethren (200 N Carrie) in McPherson, KS.&nbsp;&nbsp;Memorial donations may be made to the McPherson Church of the Brethren or StepMC (Steps to End Poverty of McPherson County) in care of Stockham Family Funeral Home, 205 N Chestnut, McPherson, KS 67460.Personal condolences may be sent to the family at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.stockhamfamily.com/" target="_blank">www.stockhamfamily.com</a>.

Ken Holderread

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson and K.J. Adams Jr. each scored 16 points to lead a balanced scoring attack and No. 8 Kansas defeated Oklahoma State 83-54 on Tuesday night.

All five Kansas starters scored in double figures.

“It was good not to have to stress as much,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “We played well. Offensively, we were able to move the ball. We got the shots we wanted and we shared it. Our shot distribution was good. Marko (Elmarko Jackson) saw a couple go down, so there were a lot of good things offensively.”

The Jayhawks, who played without all-America candidate Kevin McCullar Jr., cruised throughout the second half. Their lead never dipped below the halftime margin of 18 points.

“Obviously it was a tough night for us, but Kansas had a lot to do with it,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton said. “We obviously didn’t play well enough to give ourselves much of a chance.

"They can hurt you a lot of ways. Today, we tried to make them beat us from 3-point range, but they showed us they were capable of beating us from 3 early. That makes it harder to put more attention on Hunter.”

Kansas (17-4, 5-3 Big 12) got 12 points from Dajuan Harris Jr., 11 from Johnny Furphy and 10 from Jackson. Dickinson had a double-double with 11 rebounds, and Harris had seven assists. Dickinson went over 2,000 points in his career, counting his first three years at Michigan.

Self was pleased with the aggressiveness of Harris, who had his second-most points of the season.

“We wanted Juan to shoot the ball,” he said. “I think he was more aggressive. I told Juan he needs to quit listening to me and he needs to quit listening to everybody else what they think he should be doing to play well. It’s ridiculous, including me.

"All he’s done is won a state high school championship, won a national championship. He wins every pickup game. I tell him, ‘Just play and trust your instincts. Quit trying to do what other people say you need to do.’ He needs to make sure his team wins. And that’s what he does.”

Oklahoma State (9-12, 1-7) was led by John-Michael Wright with 16 points. Brandon Garrison added 11 points after scoring the first seven points of the game for the Cowboys.

Kansas gradually pulled away in the first half, grabbing its first double-digit lead with 11:12 left in the first half on a jumper by Jackson. When Dickinson hit a foul-line jumper to cap a 12-0 run, the Jayhawks led 33-15. They led by as many as 21 points in the first half before taking a 44-26 lead into the locker room.

“I looked at it as an opportunity,” Jackson said of playing without McCullar. “We've got a motto here of ‘Next man up.’ You just have to be ready for your opportunity.”

Oklahoma State: The Cowboys, the youngest team in the Big 12 Conference, don't have the depth to compete in the upper tier of the conference at this point.

Kansas: The Jayhawks didn't miss leading scorer McCullar, who was out with an undisclosed injury.

Oklahoma State: Hosts Kansas State on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706700825546.png" alt="Photo Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson and K.J. Adams Jr. each scored 16 points to lead a balanced scoring attack and No. 8 Kansas defeated Oklahoma State 83-54 on Tuesday night.All five Kansas starters scored in double figures.“It was good not to have to stress as much,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “We played well. Offensively, we were able to move the ball. We got the shots we wanted and we shared it. Our shot distribution was good. Marko (Elmarko Jackson) saw a couple go down, so there were a lot of good things offensively.”The Jayhawks, who played without all-America candidate Kevin McCullar Jr., cruised throughout the second half. Their lead never dipped below the halftime margin of 18 points.“Obviously it was a tough night for us, but Kansas had a lot to do with it,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Boynton said. “We obviously didn’t play well enough to give ourselves much of a chance."They can hurt you a lot of ways. Today, we tried to make them beat us from 3-point range, but they showed us they were capable of beating us from 3 early. That makes it harder to put more attention on Hunter.”Kansas (17-4, 5-3 Big 12) got 12 points from Dajuan Harris Jr., 11 from Johnny Furphy and 10 from Jackson. Dickinson had a double-double with 11 rebounds, and Harris had seven assists. Dickinson went over 2,000 points in his career, counting his first three years at Michigan.Self was pleased with the aggressiveness of Harris, who had his second-most points of the season.“We wanted Juan to shoot the ball,” he said. “I think he was more aggressive. I told Juan he needs to quit listening to me and he needs to quit listening to everybody else what they think he should be doing to play well. It’s ridiculous, including me."All he’s done is won a state high school championship, won a national championship. He wins every pickup game. I tell him, ‘Just play and trust your instincts. Quit trying to do what other people say you need to do.’ He needs to make sure his team wins. And that’s what he does.”Oklahoma State (9-12, 1-7) was led by John-Michael Wright with 16 points. Brandon Garrison added 11 points after scoring the first seven points of the game for the Cowboys.Kansas gradually pulled away in the first half, grabbing its first double-digit lead with 11:12 left in the first half on a jumper by Jackson. When Dickinson hit a foul-line jumper to cap a 12-0 run, the Jayhawks led 33-15. They led by as many as 21 points in the first half before taking a 44-26 lead into the locker room.“I looked at it as an opportunity,” Jackson said of playing without McCullar. “We've got a motto here of ‘Next man up.’ You just have to be ready for your opportunity.”THE TAKEAWAYOklahoma State: The Cowboys, the youngest team in the Big 12 Conference, don't have the depth to compete in the upper tier of the conference at this point.Kansas: The Jayhawks didn't miss leading scorer McCullar, who was out with an undisclosed injury.UP NEXTOklahoma State: Hosts Kansas State on Saturday.Kansas: Hosts No. 4 Houston on Saturday.

No. 8 Kansas easily defeats Oklahoma State 

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;As construction continues on the transformational Gateway District and a reimagined David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, the Kansas Jayhawks have determined the locations of their home games for the 2024 season.

Kansas Football will play all six of its home games in 2024 in the Kansas City metropolitan area, including its first two home games against Lindenwood and UNLV at Children’s Mercy Park – the home to Sporting Kansas City. The Jayhawks will play their four Big 12 Conference home games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium against TCU (Sept. 28), Houston (Oct. 19), Iowa State (Nov. 9) and Colorado (Nov. 23). A full breakdown of the 2024 Kansas Football schedule can be viewed&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/kansas-football-unveils-complete-2024-schedule" target="_blank">here</a>.

The alternate venues enable Kansas Athletics to provide increased fan amenities and a full event experience that would not be possible in a reduced capacity Memorial Stadium. Most importantly, playing the six games outside Lawrence is necessary to keep the Gateway District construction on schedule and ensure that KU can host its 2025 home games in Lawrence.

University of Kansas commencement ceremonies for 2024 and 2025 will still be held in Lawrence at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

“This plan for the 2024 season has an incredible number of benefits for our student-athletes, our fans and supporters, our campus partners and the Kansas Football program,” said Kansas Director of Athletics Travis Goff. “While we are disappointed we can’t play in Lawrence, ultimately, we want to create the best possible experience for all involved, and playing two games at Children’s Mercy Park and four games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium allows us to do that. It has been a thrill to see construction begin in earnest in Lawrence on the Gateway District and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, and this decision allows that construction to continue on a necessary timeline while also benefiting the overall budget of the project and the 2024 fan experience.”

Fans looking to support the Jayhawks throughout the 2024 season can purchase a full six-game season ticket package beginning at $275. There will also be a family zone opportunity for $200 per ticket. Renewals for 2023 season ticket holders will go on sale Feb. 6. Full season ticket holders for the 2024 season will have priority for the 2025 season – the first inside the transformed David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

Fans will also have the opportunity to purchase a four-game package for the games solely at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, with that package slated to go on sale June 3. Single-game tickets will go on sale at a later date. Those who are not 2023 season ticket holders, but are interested in 2024 ticket opportunities,&nbsp;<a href="https://forms.fanthreesixty.com/2024_ticket_interest_form_waitlist?mnemonic=ku" target="_blank">click here</a>&nbsp;to fill out a ticket interest form.

Kansas Athletics is also working with campus partners to ensure student transportation and accommodations for all six home games on the schedule. Student attendance and participation during the 2024 season is of utmost importance. The student ticket allotment at Children’s Mercy Park will be approximately 3,500, right on par with the student capacity ratio at a full David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. At GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, student numbers will match or exceed the total number available at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Information on fan parking, suites and other premium opportunities at both venues in 2024 will be released in the coming weeks.

Due to season ticket holder demand, single-game tickets are not expected to be on sale for the two games at Children’s Mercy Park in 2024.

“We are excited for the unique opportunity to play our home games in the Kansas City metropolitan area in 2024,” said Chancellor Douglas A. Girod. “While we had hoped to play these games in Lawrence, the move to alternate venues is needed to ensure that our fans, student-athletes and all constituents have the best possible gameday experience and that we stay on schedule to complete construction for the 2025 season. We recognize this move is not ideal for some members of the Lawrence community, and we hope they will understand this is a necessary one-year move to ensure the Gateway District can begin benefitting Lawrence as soon as possible in 2025.”

Kansas Football is coming off a 9-4 season in 2023, winning the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against UNLV for the program’s first bowl victory since 2008. The Jayhawks won nine games in a season for just the seventh time in program history. Head Coach Lance Leipold will welcome back several key members of the 2023 team, including running back Devin Neal, receivers Lawrence Arnold, Luke Grimm and Quentin Skinner and quarterback Jalon Daniels on offense.

Defensively, Kansas will welcome back two-time first-team All-Big 12 cornerback Cobee Bryant, along with the team’s other starting cornerback, Mello Dotson. The team will also return defensive standouts Jereme Robinson, Marvin Grant Jr., JB Brown, Taiwan Berryhill and others.

Kansas Head Football Coach Lance Leipold:&nbsp;“This is an exciting move for our team as these are two well respected and exciting venues to watch a sporting event. I’m confident our fans will be able to create a ‘home field’ that our players will be energized to play in. Our administration has done an excellent job of partnering with both organizations and venues during our construction phase. This will allow the project to continue its path to completion in a timely manner and provide the best competitive advantage for our team during the transition.”

Kansas City Chiefs President Mark Donovan: “We are excited to host Jayhawks football games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium while David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium is undergoing renovations. In addition to another huge summer of concerts and the FIFA 2026 World Cup, the stadium continues to serve as a community asset for the region. Our Arrowhead Events team has been working closely with the University of Kansas Athletic Department to ensure that players, coaches, staff and fans feel at-home. We look forward to seeing college football return to the home of the Chiefs this fall.”

Sporting KC President and CEO Jake Reid:&nbsp;“Sporting Kansas City and the University of Kansas are longtime supporters of one another. We’ve worked closely on numerous initiatives in recent years including preparations for FIFA World Cup 2026, playing Sporting KC II matches at Rock Chalk Park and also launching our Sporting U and Sporting U NIL platforms. We look forward to hosting Coach Leipold and the nationally-ranked Kansas Football&nbsp;program at Children’s Mercy Park and welcoming KU&nbsp;students and fans to cheer on the Jayhawks.”

Kansas Running Back Devin Neal:&nbsp;“I know the whole team is excited about having the opportunity to play in Kansas City this season. Obviously, we all love playing in Lawrence at The Booth, but this will be a great experience for our team and it’s what’s best for the future of the program and stadium. I know our fans will show up in a big way at Children’s Mercy Park and Arrowhead Stadium to provide a homefield advantage, the same way they have in Lawrence the past couple of seasons.”

Lawrence Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bonnie Lowe: “We have listened and heard the concerns from our business community, and while we all would rather be cheering on the Jayhawks at Memorial Stadium, we understand that growth of this magnitude comes with challenges.&nbsp;We have an opportunity for our businesses to showcase what they’re known for - their innovation and creativity - in finding fun, new ways to watch and celebrate KU Football.&nbsp;When we think about the new stadium, the Gateway District, and the conference center on the horizon for Lawrence, we will be well posed for future success.”

Turner Construction Operations Manager Joshua Jones: “Our collective Gateway District project team has been diligent in exploring all options for delivering a world class facility for the University of Kansas and KU Athletics. This process is inclusive of strategic reviews of project schedules, early procurement processes, reviews of alternative sequencing of workflow, key decision dates, material production timeframes and overall project budget to meet a final completion of August 1, 2025. Through this team partnership and continued coordination, the project team has recognized that hosting all home KU Football Games in 2024 at alternate locations creates a safer and more efficient environment to complete this project.

The Turner team is appreciative of the efforts that KU and the design team have made to support the safety of the community and our workforce by recognizing the incredible challenges that hosting games in 2024 at David Booth Memorial Stadium would have created. This decision creates the best path forward for our project team to successfully complete the new construction and renovations for the launch of the 2025 football season.”

Kansas Student Body President Turner Seals:&nbsp;“Although we’d obviously prefer to host our home games in Lawrence, we appreciate Athletics working to provide a great alternative venue for our team and school for the upcoming season with games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium and Children’s Mercy Park. Student Senate will continue working with our partners at Athletics to ensure accessible bussing and other efforts to make it a great game day experience for our students and fans as a whole.”

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;As construction continues on the transformational Gateway District and a reimagined David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, the Kansas Jayhawks have determined the locations of their home games for the 2024 season.Kansas Football will play all six of its home games in 2024 in the Kansas City metropolitan area, including its first two home games against Lindenwood and UNLV at Children’s Mercy Park – the home to Sporting Kansas City. The Jayhawks will play their four Big 12 Conference home games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium against TCU (Sept. 28), Houston (Oct. 19), Iowa State (Nov. 9) and Colorado (Nov. 23). A full breakdown of the 2024 Kansas Football schedule can be viewed&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/kansas-football-unveils-complete-2024-schedule" target="_blank">here</a>.The alternate venues enable Kansas Athletics to provide increased fan amenities and a full event experience that would not be possible in a reduced capacity Memorial Stadium. Most importantly, playing the six games outside Lawrence is necessary to keep the Gateway District construction on schedule and ensure that KU can host its 2025 home games in Lawrence.University of Kansas commencement ceremonies for 2024 and 2025 will still be held in Lawrence at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.“This plan for the 2024 season has an incredible number of benefits for our student-athletes, our fans and supporters, our campus partners and the Kansas Football program,” said Kansas Director of Athletics Travis Goff. “While we are disappointed we can’t play in Lawrence, ultimately, we want to create the best possible experience for all involved, and playing two games at Children’s Mercy Park and four games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium allows us to do that. It has been a thrill to see construction begin in earnest in Lawrence on the Gateway District and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, and this decision allows that construction to continue on a necessary timeline while also benefiting the overall budget of the project and the 2024 fan experience.”Fans looking to support the Jayhawks throughout the 2024 season can purchase a full six-game season ticket package beginning at $275. There will also be a family zone opportunity for $200 per ticket. Renewals for 2023 season ticket holders will go on sale Feb. 6. Full season ticket holders for the 2024 season will have priority for the 2025 season – the first inside the transformed David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.Fans will also have the opportunity to purchase a four-game package for the games solely at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, with that package slated to go on sale June 3. Single-game tickets will go on sale at a later date. Those who are not 2023 season ticket holders, but are interested in 2024 ticket opportunities,&nbsp;<a href="https://forms.fanthreesixty.com/2024_ticket_interest_form_waitlist?mnemonic=ku" target="_blank">click here</a>&nbsp;to fill out a ticket interest form.Kansas Athletics is also working with campus partners to ensure student transportation and accommodations for all six home games on the schedule. Student attendance and participation during the 2024 season is of utmost importance. The student ticket allotment at Children’s Mercy Park will be approximately 3,500, right on par with the student capacity ratio at a full David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. At GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, student numbers will match or exceed the total number available at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Information on fan parking, suites and other premium opportunities at both venues in 2024 will be released in the coming weeks.Due to season ticket holder demand, single-game tickets are not expected to be on sale for the two games at Children’s Mercy Park in 2024.“We are excited for the unique opportunity to play our home games in the Kansas City metropolitan area in 2024,” said Chancellor Douglas A. Girod. “While we had hoped to play these games in Lawrence, the move to alternate venues is needed to ensure that our fans, student-athletes and all constituents have the best possible gameday experience and that we stay on schedule to complete construction for the 2025 season. We recognize this move is not ideal for some members of the Lawrence community, and we hope they will understand this is a necessary one-year move to ensure the Gateway District can begin benefitting Lawrence as soon as possible in 2025.”Kansas Football is coming off a 9-4 season in 2023, winning the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against UNLV for the program’s first bowl victory since 2008. The Jayhawks won nine games in a season for just the seventh time in program history. Head Coach Lance Leipold will welcome back several key members of the 2023 team, including running back Devin Neal, receivers Lawrence Arnold, Luke Grimm and Quentin Skinner and quarterback Jalon Daniels on offense.Defensively, Kansas will welcome back two-time first-team All-Big 12 cornerback Cobee Bryant, along with the team’s other starting cornerback, Mello Dotson. The team will also return defensive standouts Jereme Robinson, Marvin Grant Jr., JB Brown, Taiwan Berryhill and others.WHAT THEY’RE SAYINGKansas Head Football Coach Lance Leipold:&nbsp;“This is an exciting move for our team as these are two well respected and exciting venues to watch a sporting event. I’m confident our fans will be able to create a ‘home field’ that our players will be energized to play in. Our administration has done an excellent job of partnering with both organizations and venues during our construction phase. This will allow the project to continue its path to completion in a timely manner and provide the best competitive advantage for our team during the transition.”Kansas City Chiefs President Mark Donovan: “We are excited to host Jayhawks football games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium while David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium is undergoing renovations. In addition to another huge summer of concerts and the FIFA 2026 World Cup, the stadium continues to serve as a community asset for the region. Our Arrowhead Events team has been working closely with the University of Kansas Athletic Department to ensure that players, coaches, staff and fans feel at-home. We look forward to seeing college football return to the home of the Chiefs this fall.”Sporting KC President and CEO Jake Reid:&nbsp;“Sporting Kansas City and the University of Kansas are longtime supporters of one another. We’ve worked closely on numerous initiatives in recent years including preparations for FIFA World Cup 2026, playing Sporting KC II matches at Rock Chalk Park and also launching our Sporting U and Sporting U NIL platforms. We look forward to hosting Coach Leipold and the nationally-ranked Kansas Football&nbsp;program at Children’s Mercy Park and welcoming KU&nbsp;students and fans to cheer on the Jayhawks.”Kansas Running Back Devin Neal:&nbsp;“I know the whole team is excited about having the opportunity to play in Kansas City this season. Obviously, we all love playing in Lawrence at The Booth, but this will be a great experience for our team and it’s what’s best for the future of the program and stadium. I know our fans will show up in a big way at Children’s Mercy Park and Arrowhead Stadium to provide a homefield advantage, the same way they have in Lawrence the past couple of seasons.”Lawrence Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bonnie Lowe: “We have listened and heard the concerns from our business community, and while we all would rather be cheering on the Jayhawks at Memorial Stadium, we understand that growth of this magnitude comes with challenges.&nbsp;We have an opportunity for our businesses to showcase what they’re known for - their innovation and creativity - in finding fun, new ways to watch and celebrate KU Football.&nbsp;When we think about the new stadium, the Gateway District, and the conference center on the horizon for Lawrence, we will be well posed for future success.”Turner Construction Operations Manager Joshua Jones: “Our collective Gateway District project team has been diligent in exploring all options for delivering a world class facility for the University of Kansas and KU Athletics. This process is inclusive of strategic reviews of project schedules, early procurement processes, reviews of alternative sequencing of workflow, key decision dates, material production timeframes and overall project budget to meet a final completion of August 1, 2025. Through this team partnership and continued coordination, the project team has recognized that hosting all home KU Football Games in 2024 at alternate locations creates a safer and more efficient environment to complete this project.The Turner team is appreciative of the efforts that KU and the design team have made to support the safety of the community and our workforce by recognizing the incredible challenges that hosting games in 2024 at David Booth Memorial Stadium would have created. This decision creates the best path forward for our project team to successfully complete the new construction and renovations for the launch of the 2025 football season.”Kansas Student Body President Turner Seals:&nbsp;“Although we’d obviously prefer to host our home games in Lawrence, we appreciate Athletics working to provide a great alternative venue for our team and school for the upcoming season with games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium and Children’s Mercy Park. Student Senate will continue working with our partners at Athletics to ensure accessible bussing and other efforts to make it a great game day experience for our students and fans as a whole.”

Kansas Football to Play 2 Games at Children’s Mercy Park; 4 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in 2024

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Republican leaders of the Kansas Legislature said a two-thirds majority of House members were committed to overriding Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a tax reduction bill but a supermajority hadn’t crystalized in the Senate to complete the maneuver.

House Speaker Dan Hawkins of Wichita and Senate President Ty Masterson of Andover participated in a telephone town hall Monday hosted by the state director of Americans for Prosperity. The format was designed to promote advantages of tax legislation vetoed Friday by Kelly. The host repeatedly urged listeners to hit “1” on their telephone if they wanted to send a message the governor’s veto should be overridden.

“We knew the governor was probably going to veto it,” Hawkins told participants. “You need to contact your representative. Same thing on the Senate side. Let them know how important this override is.”

Masterson and Hawkins answered a handful of questions from callers, including futile inquiries about how the Legislature might lower local property taxes that were beyond reach of the Legislature. There were a cluster of calls from people convinced the state’s budget was bloated.

Kelly said the centerpiece of the GOP tax legislation, replacement of a three-tier state income tax structure with a single-rate state income tax of 5.25%, should be viewed as reckless and irresponsible. It would weaken the state’s financial future and “do nothing for the middle class,” the governor said.

“I am dead set on making sure working Kansans get a tax cut this year,” Kelly said. “That’s why I’ve brought together Republican, Democratic and independent legislators to champion a $1 billion tax cut over three years, all while maintaining our state’s strong fiscal foundation.”

On Jan. 18, the Senate approved House Bill 2284 on a vote of 25-11, which was two votes shy of the supermajority. The House adopted the bill 81-37, a margin three short of the override benchmark. Hawkins and Masterson said behind-the-scenes wrangling over the weekend narrowed their deficit.

“We are literally one vote short of a supermajority,” said Masterson, who indicated Hawkins was in possession of a supermajority with one vote to spare.

Hawkins predicted the House would override Kelly, most likely next week, before passing the bill over to the Senate.

“A little more problematic in the Senate,” the House speaker said. “We’re going to work very, very hard.”

During the 2023 legislative session, Kelly veto a 5.15% flat income tax bill. The GOP’s override bid on that veto stalled in the Senate. In anticipation the House and Senate would return to the flat tax during the 2024 legislative session, Kelly conducted a preemptive news conference to tout her own tax proposal.

Her $1.1 billion tax reduction plan, which hasn’t been voted on by the Legislature, was endorsed by two Senate Republicans and one independent conservative in the Senate. Assuming 11 Senate Democrats align with the governor, Masterson wouldn’t find the 27th vote necessary to complete an override of Kelly.

The House and Senate legislation would reduce state revenue by $1.58 billion over three years, Masterson said. Aside from the approach to state income taxation, he said, the strategies offered by Kelly and GOP leadership had common elements.

Both included accelerating phaseout of the state sales tax on groceries to April 1. The reform blueprints would exempt Social Security benefits from state income tax retroactive to start of 2024. Both packages would increase to $100,000 the amount of residential property’s appraised value exempt from the state’s property tax levy for schools and state building maintenance.

Masterson said the GOP’s plan should be viewed as a compromise with the governor’s perspective on tax policy. He said Kelly was wrong to frame the Republican outline as financially unsustainable.

“It’s nothing short of a misinformation campaign going around about this bill,” Masterson said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706640223012.png" alt=" House Speaker Dan Hawkins, seen during an April 6, 2023, session of the House, joined with Senate President Ty Masterson to urger listeners on a telephone town hall to rally around a tax reform bill lauded by GOP lawmakers but vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> House Speaker Dan Hawkins, seen during an April 6, 2023, session of the House, joined with Senate President Ty Masterson to urger listeners on a telephone town hall to rally around a tax reform bill lauded by GOP lawmakers but vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Republican leaders of the Kansas Legislature said a two-thirds majority of House members were committed to overriding Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a tax reduction bill but a supermajority hadn’t crystalized in the Senate to complete the maneuver.House Speaker Dan Hawkins of Wichita and Senate President Ty Masterson of Andover participated in a telephone town hall Monday hosted by the state director of Americans for Prosperity. The format was designed to promote advantages of tax legislation vetoed Friday by Kelly. The host repeatedly urged listeners to hit “1” on their telephone if they wanted to send a message the governor’s veto should be overridden.“We knew the governor was probably going to veto it,” Hawkins told participants. “You need to contact your representative. Same thing on the Senate side. Let them know how important this override is.”Masterson and Hawkins answered a handful of questions from callers, including futile inquiries about how the Legislature might lower local property taxes that were beyond reach of the Legislature. There were a cluster of calls from people convinced the state’s budget was bloated.Kelly said the centerpiece of the GOP tax legislation, replacement of a three-tier state income tax structure with a single-rate state income tax of 5.25%, should be viewed as reckless and irresponsible. It would weaken the state’s financial future and “do nothing for the middle class,” the governor said.“I am dead set on making sure working Kansans get a tax cut this year,” Kelly said. “That’s why I’ve brought together Republican, Democratic and independent legislators to champion a $1 billion tax cut over three years, all while maintaining our state’s strong fiscal foundation.”On Jan. 18, the Senate approved House Bill 2284 on a vote of 25-11, which was two votes shy of the supermajority. The House adopted the bill 81-37, a margin three short of the override benchmark. Hawkins and Masterson said behind-the-scenes wrangling over the weekend narrowed their deficit.“We are literally one vote short of a supermajority,” said Masterson, who indicated Hawkins was in possession of a supermajority with one vote to spare.Hawkins predicted the House would override Kelly, most likely next week, before passing the bill over to the Senate.“A little more problematic in the Senate,” the House speaker said. “We’re going to work very, very hard.”During the 2023 legislative session, Kelly veto a 5.15% flat income tax bill. The GOP’s override bid on that veto stalled in the Senate. In anticipation the House and Senate would return to the flat tax during the 2024 legislative session, Kelly conducted a preemptive news conference to tout her own tax proposal.Her $1.1 billion tax reduction plan, which hasn’t been voted on by the Legislature, was endorsed by two Senate Republicans and one independent conservative in the Senate. Assuming 11 Senate Democrats align with the governor, Masterson wouldn’t find the 27th vote necessary to complete an override of Kelly.The House and Senate legislation would reduce state revenue by $1.58 billion over three years, Masterson said. Aside from the approach to state income taxation, he said, the strategies offered by Kelly and GOP leadership had common elements.Both included accelerating phaseout of the state sales tax on groceries to April 1. The reform blueprints would exempt Social Security benefits from state income tax retroactive to start of 2024. Both packages would increase to $100,000 the amount of residential property’s appraised value exempt from the state’s property tax levy for schools and state building maintenance.Masterson said the GOP’s plan should be viewed as a compromise with the governor’s perspective on tax policy. He said Kelly was wrong to frame the Republican outline as financially unsustainable.“It’s nothing short of a misinformation campaign going around about this bill,” Masterson said.

Kan. GOP leaders: House — not Senate — possesses votes to override Kelly’s tax veto

NEW YORK (AP) — Chita Rivera, the dynamic dancer, singer and actress who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists and shrugged off a near-fatal car accident, died Tuesday. She was 91.

Rivera's death was announced by her daughter, Lisa Mordente, who said she died in New York after a brief illness.

Rivera first gained wide notice in 1957 as Anita in the original production of "West Side Story" and was still dancing on Broadway with her trademark energy a half-century later in 2015’s “The Visit.”

"I wouldn't know what to do if I wasn't moving or telling a story to you or singing a song," she told The Associated Press then. "That's the spirit of my life, and I'm really so lucky to be able to do what I love, even at this time in my life."

In August 2009, Rivera was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor the U.S. can give a civilian. Rivera put her hand over her heart and shook her head in wonderment as President Barack Obama presented the medal. In 2013, she was the marshal at the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City.

“She was a true Broadway legend,” playwright Paul Rudnick said on X, formerly Twitter. “She always delivered and audiences adored her. The moment she stepped onstage, the world became more exciting and glorious.”

Rivera rose from chorus girl to star, collaborating along the way with many of Broadway’s greatest talents, including Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Bob Fosse, Gower Champion, Michael Kidd, Harold Prince, Jack Cole, Peter Gennaro and John Kander and Fred Ebb.

She rebounded from a car accident in 1988 that crushed her right leg and became an indefatigable star on the road. She was on Broadway in a raucous production of “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” in 2012 and the chilly “The Visit” in 2014, earning another best actress Tony nomination.

“She can’t rehearse except for full-out,” said playwright Terrence McNally in 2005. “She can’t perform except for full-out, no matter what the size of the house. She’s going to be there 101% for that audience.”

She won Tonys for “The Rink” in 1984 and “Kiss of the Spider Woman” in 1993. When accepting a Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2018, she said “I wouldn’t trade my life in the theater for anything, because theater is life.”

She was nominated for the award seven other times, for “Bye Bye Birdie,” which opened in 1960; “Chicago,” 1975; "Bring Back Birdie,” 1981; “Merlin,” 1983; “Jerry’s Girls,” 1985; “Nine,” 2003; and “Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life,” 2005.

“I don’t think we have enough original musicals,” she told The Associated Press in 2012. “I know I’m being old fashioned, but the theater is the place where music, lyrics, words, scenery and stories come together. And I’ve been blessed enough to have done several shows when they really did. They take you places and they’re daring. That’s what we need.”

Her albums include 16 tracks pulled from her original cast recordings and put out as part of Sony’s Legends of Broadway series and two solo CDs — “And Now I Sing” for a tiny record label in the 1960s and “And Now I Swing” in 2009 for Yellow Sound Label.

In the 1993 musical “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” Rivera played the title role, a glamorous movie star at the center of the fantasy life of an inmate in a South American prison. The story, from a novel by Manuel Puig, had already been made into an Oscar-winning 1985 movie.

In his review, then-Associated Press drama critic Michael Kuchwara wrote that Rivera “is more than a musical theater star. She’s a force of nature — which is exactly what is needed for the role of the Spider Woman. With her Louise Brooks haircut, brassy voice and lithe dancer’s body, Rivera dominates the stage whenever she appears.”

In 1975, she originated the role of Velma Kelly (to Gwen Verdon’s Roxie Hart) in the original Broadway production of “Chicago.” Rivera had a small role in the 2002 film version, while Catherine Zeta-Jones won the best supporting actress Oscar as Velma — just as Rita Moreno had picked up an Oscar for her portrayal of Anita in “West Side Story.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706643832440.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Chita Rivera, the dynamic dancer, singer and actress who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists and shrugged off a near-fatal car accident, died Tuesday. She was 91.Rivera's death was announced by her daughter, Lisa Mordente, who said she died in New York after a brief illness.Rivera first gained wide notice in 1957 as Anita in the original production of "West Side Story" and was still dancing on Broadway with her trademark energy a half-century later in 2015’s “The Visit.”"I wouldn't know what to do if I wasn't moving or telling a story to you or singing a song," she told The Associated Press then. "That's the spirit of my life, and I'm really so lucky to be able to do what I love, even at this time in my life."In August 2009, Rivera was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor the U.S. can give a civilian. Rivera put her hand over her heart and shook her head in wonderment as President Barack Obama presented the medal. In 2013, she was the marshal at the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City.“She was a true Broadway legend,” playwright Paul Rudnick said on X, formerly Twitter. “She always delivered and audiences adored her. The moment she stepped onstage, the world became more exciting and glorious.”Rivera rose from chorus girl to star, collaborating along the way with many of Broadway’s greatest talents, including Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Bob Fosse, Gower Champion, Michael Kidd, Harold Prince, Jack Cole, Peter Gennaro and John Kander and Fred Ebb.She rebounded from a car accident in 1988 that crushed her right leg and became an indefatigable star on the road. She was on Broadway in a raucous production of “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” in 2012 and the chilly “The Visit” in 2014, earning another best actress Tony nomination.“She can’t rehearse except for full-out,” said playwright Terrence McNally in 2005. “She can’t perform except for full-out, no matter what the size of the house. She’s going to be there 101% for that audience.”She won Tonys for “The Rink” in 1984 and “Kiss of the Spider Woman” in 1993. When accepting a Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2018, she said “I wouldn’t trade my life in the theater for anything, because theater is life.”She was nominated for the award seven other times, for “Bye Bye Birdie,” which opened in 1960; “Chicago,” 1975; "Bring Back Birdie,” 1981; “Merlin,” 1983; “Jerry’s Girls,” 1985; “Nine,” 2003; and “Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life,” 2005.“I don’t think we have enough original musicals,” she told The Associated Press in 2012. “I know I’m being old fashioned, but the theater is the place where music, lyrics, words, scenery and stories come together. And I’ve been blessed enough to have done several shows when they really did. They take you places and they’re daring. That’s what we need.”Her albums include 16 tracks pulled from her original cast recordings and put out as part of Sony’s Legends of Broadway series and two solo CDs — “And Now I Sing” for a tiny record label in the 1960s and “And Now I Swing” in 2009 for Yellow Sound Label.In the 1993 musical “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” Rivera played the title role, a glamorous movie star at the center of the fantasy life of an inmate in a South American prison. The story, from a novel by Manuel Puig, had already been made into an Oscar-winning 1985 movie.In his review, then-Associated Press drama critic Michael Kuchwara wrote that Rivera “is more than a musical theater star. She’s a force of nature — which is exactly what is needed for the role of the Spider Woman. With her Louise Brooks haircut, brassy voice and lithe dancer’s body, Rivera dominates the stage whenever she appears.”In 1975, she originated the role of Velma Kelly (to Gwen Verdon’s Roxie Hart) in the original Broadway production of “Chicago.” Rivera had a small role in the 2002 film version, while Catherine Zeta-Jones won the best supporting actress Oscar as Velma — just as Rita Moreno had picked up an Oscar for her portrayal of Anita in “West Side Story.”The songwriters for “Chicago,” Kander and Ebb, also wrote Rivera’s first Tony-winning performance, for “The Rink.” In winning the Tony for best actress in a musical, Rivera topped the show’s top star, Liza Minnelli, who also had been nominated. The two played a mother and daughter who struggle to rebuild their relationship after a long estrangement; the setting is an old-fashioned roller rink that has seen better days.“Spider Woman” had been her first Broadway show since 1986, when she suffered a broken leg in the traffic accident while she was appearing in “Jerry’s Girls,” a Broadway tribute to the songs of Jerry Herman.At the Tony awards a few weeks later, she flashed her cast and belted out “Put on a Happy Face” from the musical “Bye, Bye, Birdie.”It took months of physical therapy to bring back her dancing skills. She told The Associated Press: “It never entered my mind that I wouldn’t dance again. Never. I can’t explain to you why. It’s hard work getting back but that’s what I’m doing.”“My spirit is still there.”Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero was born Jan. 23, 1933, in Washington, D.C. Her Puerto Rican father, Pedro del Rivero, was a musician who played in the United States Navy Band, who died when she was 7. Her mother was Scottish and Italian descent.She took dance classes and then entered the prestigious School of American Ballet in New York. Her first theater gig, at age 17, was in the touring company of “Call Me Madam.” That led to chorus stints in such shows as “Guys and Dolls” and “Can-Can.”In her 2023 memoir, “Chita: A Memoir,” another woman steals scene after scene: her self-proclaimed alter ego, Dolores. Unapologetic and fiery, Dolores was the unfiltered version of Chita and served as motivation in times of self-doubt. In one chapter, Rivera writes that she doesn’t read reviews “or Dolores just might invest in a dozen voodoo dolls.”“I consist of — and I think we all do — I consist of two people: Dolores and Conchita,” Rivera sain in an interview with the AP that year. “Conchita, she’s the one that has been taking all the glory, you know. She’s been doing all the shows, but Dolores is the one that’s pushed her into it. And she’s been keeping me on track, so I listen to Dolores. I listen to her. She’s growing in my head now as we speak.”Among other early appearances on the New York stage were roles in “The Shoestring Revue,” 1955; a 1955 musical version of “Seventh Heaven” starring Ricardo Montalban; and “Mr. Wonderful,” a 1956 show starring Sammy Davis Jr.“I can’t believe that I’ve been given the gift to look back and relive my life,” she told The Associated Press shortly before “The Dancer’s Life” opened on Broadway in late 2005. “It’s about how anybody can do it — if you really believe it, you have the good fortune, you do all the right things and you really work hard.”Rivera, who had a relationship with the now-deceased Davis, married fellow “West Side Story” performer Tony Mordente in 1957. The marriage ended in divorce. Their daughter, Lisa Mordente, also became a performer who occasionally appeared on Broadway, garnering a Tony nomination in 1982 for “Marlowe.”“Our hearts go out to everyone who loved her,” GLAAD said in a statement. “Rivera spent much of her long career advocating for LGBTQ people and people living with HIV and AIDS.”