Earlier today, Kansas Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland, alongside leaders from across the state, unveiled the <a href="https://lovekansas.com/">"Love, Kansas"</a> talent attraction campaign. The initiative aims to boost Kansas' population by inviting past residents to choose the Sunflower State as their future home.

Wyatt Thompson, voice of the K-State Wildcats, hyped up the crowd of Kansans and served as emcee for the event held on Monday, July 1.&nbsp;

"Today we are launching a new campaign that is going to bring these people home to Kansas by helping them rediscover why this state is the best place to call home," Thompson said.&nbsp;

During the campaign launch at the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan, Lt. Gov. Toland shared his personal journey about coming back to Kansas after he was inspired by a phone call from a family friend.

"I am a 1995 graduate of Iola High School in Allen County. I have two degrees from KU, I married a girl at KU who is from Pittsburg and as soon as we finished graduate school, we moved out of the state," Toland said. "We went to the East Coast and we were there for the better part of a decade."

READ MORE: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/e1179189-0804-48cd-9688-6ee8ab5892c7">Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad participating in Kansas Sunflower Summer program</a>

Toland said after the birth of their daughter Caroline, he and his wife decided to come back home to Kansas.

"Caroline was learning to walk in our 16-foot wide row house, when one night, I got a phone call from somebody back in Iola, a friend who said, 'I'm sure you've never considered this. It's kind of a crazy idea. You'd have to move.' and&nbsp; he said, 'Well, I wonder if you would ever consider coming back to Kansas, and specifically to Iola.'"

Toland, a seventh-generation Kansan, said he felt that Kansas has always been in his heart but wasn't always in his mind as a place that had opportunity.&nbsp;

"It wasn't until that phone call that it clicked and I realized that we should be back home. We should be building our life for our daughter back in Kansas," Toland said. "And that's just what we did. It's been 16 years, and that was the best decision we've ever made."

Click the play button above to learn more about the Love Kansas initiative.

Love Kansas' goal is to highlight Kansas as an exceptional place to live, work, and raise a family, with a special emphasis on "boomerangs" - individuals with previous ties to the state.

Love Kansas focuses on the state's abundant job opportunities, high quality of life, excellent education system and affordable communities. The campaign is locally driven but strategically targets key markets across the U.S., with a strong focus on digital and social media platforms. 

"It's simple: we need more humans in Kansas to keep up with the phenomenal economic growth our state is experiencing," Lt. Gov. Toland said. "The best way to do that is to first approach Kansans who left the state for economic opportunities elsewhere and invite them to build a life in a place they know and have connections to, whether in their hometown or elsewhere in the state. With the Love, Kansas campaign, we aren't just extending an invitation to those who once called Kansas home to come back--we re also inviting families from around the country to build their lives in the Sunflower State."

During the launch event, Toland announced that the first 50 communities to partner with Love Kansas will be eligible for a $5,000 grant to assist in their efforts to attract new residents to their community. Nineteen pilot communities and seven universities already joined the initiative and are planning events that align with the campaign's theme.

LISTEN:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/67ca4f22-e961-4739-a30d-6e6ecf5bbaa2">🎙King in the Community — Kansas Lt. Gov./Secretary of Commerce, David Toland</a>

Salina Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Renee Duxler, Salina Downtown Inc. Executive Director Leslie Bishop, and Salina Community Economic Developement Coorporation Executive Director Mitch Robinson all attended the event. 

Duxler said the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce is working to create a local, grassroots collaborative in Saline County to bring this initiative to fruition.&nbsp;

"We're working on creating a collaborative among all of our community and organizations that includes Salina Downtown, Salina Community Economic Developement Organization, the City of Salina, Saline County," Duxler said. "We're all selling the same asset. We're going to have this collaborative marketing, that we will all be able to utilize."

Duxler said the $5,000 grant awarded to Salina from the Love Kansas program will be used to create marketing and outreach campaigns to target Salina's own boomerangs.

"It's easier, as the lieutenant governor said, than casting this wide net on everybody in the United States," Duxler said. "The people that we know are familiar with us [Kansas] and might want to come back to raise a family or be with their family."

Influencer and journalist engagement and targeted in-person events both within and outside of Kansas play a crucial role in reaching potential boomerangs.

Bishop, who is a boomerang resident herself, said she was encouraged and motivated by the enthusiasm and energy at the kick off event.

"It's incredible. I feel like Kansas is finally getting the recognition it deserves to be a great state to live in, work, play, raise your family," Bishop said. "I'm a boomerang resident, and I left and was never going to come back and here I am today. All of us who live here in Kansas, wherever you are, know how wonderful this state really is. We are not a flyover state anymore."

After graduating from Salina Central High School in 1982, Bishop moved to Park City, Utah, and was in the hotel business there for six years and lived in a ski resort town.

"Then I came back because my mom opened up a local business and my dad, had a local real estate office, "Bishop said. "It was great to be back and we raised our son here. There's a lot to do in Salina. We have a great community, there's work to be done. But together, we can do it."

 A primary goal for the campaign is for communities across the state to do direct outreach to past residents they have a personal connection with, inviting them to return home.

"The collaboration already on display between so many partners underscores the enthusiasm for this campaign," Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe said. "There are so many amazing things happening in Kansas right now; Love, Kansas gives us the chance to let people throughout the country know about them."

In his closing remarks at the announcement, Toland asked all Kansans to call up a friend or family member and make the pitch for them to return to the state they once called home.&nbsp;

"The most important thing for you to say might just be, 'Hey, there's good things happening in town and we miss you,'" Toland said. "We want you to come home. We want you to love Kansas. That's what's most important. Make that call. Send that text. Get out there and together we're gonna change Kansas."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719864760130.jpeg" alt="Volunteers dump balloons and empty letters on attendees of the kickoff event for the Love Kansas campaign that aims to bring Kansans back to the state who have moved away, on Monday, July 1, at the Flint Hills Discover Center in Manhattan, Kan. Following the announcement, event attendees wrote letters to previous residents of Kansas, asking them to move back to the state.&nbsp;Photo by Olivia Bergmeier " />
 <figcaption>Volunteers dump balloons and empty letters on attendees of the kickoff event for the Love Kansas campaign that aims to bring Kansans back to the state who have moved away, on Monday, July 1, at the Flint Hills Discover Center in Manhattan, Kan. Following the announcement, event attendees wrote letters to previous residents of Kansas, asking them to move back to the state.&nbsp;Photo by Olivia Bergmeier </figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTEarlier today, Kansas Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland, alongside leaders from across the state, unveiled the <a href="https://lovekansas.com/">"Love, Kansas"</a> talent attraction campaign. The initiative aims to boost Kansas' population by inviting past residents to choose the Sunflower State as their future home.Wyatt Thompson, voice of the K-State Wildcats, hyped up the crowd of Kansans and served as emcee for the event held on Monday, July 1.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719864954195.jpeg" alt="Wyatt Thompson, K-State Sports Voice of the Wildcats introduces the kick off event for the new Love Kansas campaign on Monday, July 1, at the Flint Hills Discover Center in Manhattan, Kan. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Wyatt Thompson, K-State Sports Voice of the Wildcats introduces the kick off event for the new Love Kansas campaign on Monday, July 1, at the Flint Hills Discover Center in Manhattan, Kan. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>"Today we are launching a new campaign that is going to bring these people home to Kansas by helping them rediscover why this state is the best place to call home," Thompson said.&nbsp;During the campaign launch at the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan, Lt. Gov. Toland shared his personal journey about coming back to Kansas after he was inspired by a phone call from a family friend."I am a 1995 graduate of Iola High School in Allen County. I have two degrees from KU, I married a girl at KU who is from Pittsburg and as soon as we finished graduate school, we moved out of the state," Toland said. "We went to the East Coast and we were there for the better part of a decade."READ MORE: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/e1179189-0804-48cd-9688-6ee8ab5892c7">Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad participating in Kansas Sunflower Summer program</a>Toland said after the birth of their daughter Caroline, he and his wife decided to come back home to Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719864857581.jpeg" alt="Kansas Lieutenant Governor/Secretary of Commerce&nbsp;David Toland addresses the room of attendees to kick off the new Love Kansas campaign on Monday, July 1, at the Flint Hills Discover Center in Manhattan, Kan. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Lieutenant Governor/Secretary of Commerce&nbsp;David Toland addresses the room of attendees to kick off the new Love Kansas campaign on Monday, July 1, at the Flint Hills Discover Center in Manhattan, Kan. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>"Caroline was learning to walk in our 16-foot wide row house, when one night, I got a phone call from somebody back in Iola, a friend who said, 'I'm sure you've never considered this. It's kind of a crazy idea. You'd have to move.' and&nbsp; he said, 'Well, I wonder if you would ever consider coming back to Kansas, and specifically to Iola.'"Toland, a seventh-generation Kansan, said he felt that Kansas has always been in his heart but wasn't always in his mind as a place that had opportunity.&nbsp;"It wasn't until that phone call that it clicked and I realized that we should be back home. We should be building our life for our daughter back in Kansas," Toland said. "And that's just what we did. It's been 16 years, and that was the best decision we've ever made."<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mPPk35Ld8hQ?si=720o5Gjt_8FiChgE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Click the play button above to learn more about the Love Kansas initiative.Love Kansas' goal is to highlight Kansas as an exceptional place to live, work, and raise a family, with a special emphasis on "boomerangs" - individuals with previous ties to the state.Love Kansas focuses on the state's abundant job opportunities, high quality of life, excellent education system and affordable communities. The campaign is locally driven but strategically targets key markets across the U.S., with a strong focus on digital and social media platforms. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719862504244.png" alt="Kansas by the numbers. Image Courtesy Kansas Department of Commerce" />
 <figcaption>Kansas by the numbers. Image Courtesy Kansas Department of Commerce</figcaption>
 </figure>"It's simple: we need more humans in Kansas to keep up with the phenomenal economic growth our state is experiencing," Lt. Gov. Toland said. "The best way to do that is to first approach Kansans who left the state for economic opportunities elsewhere and invite them to build a life in a place they know and have connections to, whether in their hometown or elsewhere in the state. With the Love, Kansas campaign, we aren't just extending an invitation to those who once called Kansas home to come back--we re also inviting families from around the country to build their lives in the Sunflower State."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719865112662.jpeg" alt="Representatives from rural pilot communities for the Love Kansas campaign cheer as Wyatt Thomspon, Voice of the K-State Wildcats, announce the name of their counties during the kickoff event for Love Kansas on Monday, July 1, at the Flint Hills Discover Center in Manhattan, Kan. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Representatives from rural pilot communities for the Love Kansas campaign cheer as Wyatt Thomspon, Voice of the K-State Wildcats, announce the name of their counties during the kickoff event for Love Kansas on Monday, July 1, at the Flint Hills Discover Center in Manhattan, Kan. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719876926456.jpeg" alt="Ellsworth Jr./Sr. High School cheer squad. Front Row from left to right: Felis DeLaCruz, Breckyn Rush, Nell Goss, Brooklyn Legette, Abigail Taylor, Danica Hicks, Stacie Schmidt, Hadleigh Hicks, Leah Howard. Photo Courtesy Brittany Kasper" />
 <figcaption>Ellsworth Jr./Sr. High School cheer squad. Front Row from left to right: Felis DeLaCruz, Breckyn Rush, Nell Goss, Brooklyn Legette, Abigail Taylor, Danica Hicks, Stacie Schmidt, Hadleigh Hicks, Leah Howard. Photo Courtesy Brittany Kasper</figcaption>
 </figure>During the launch event, Toland announced that the first 50 communities to partner with Love Kansas will be eligible for a $5,000 grant to assist in their efforts to attract new residents to their community. Nineteen pilot communities and seven universities already joined the initiative and are planning events that align with the campaign's theme. LISTEN:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/67ca4f22-e961-4739-a30d-6e6ecf5bbaa2">🎙King in the Community — Kansas Lt. Gov./Secretary of Commerce, David Toland</a>Salina Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Renee Duxler, Salina Downtown Inc. Executive Director Leslie Bishop, and Salina Community Economic Developement Coorporation Executive Director Mitch Robinson all attended the event. Duxler said the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce is working to create a local, grassroots collaborative in Saline County to bring this initiative to fruition.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719870018091.jpeg" alt="Salina Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Renee Duxler (left) and Salina Downtown Inc., Executive Director Leslie Bishop (center) chat with Kansas Lt. Gov. David Toland during the kickoff event for the Love Kansas Campaign at the Flint Hills Discover Center on Monday, July 1, in Manhattan, Kan. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Salina Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Renee Duxler (left) and Salina Downtown Inc., Executive Director Leslie Bishop (center) chat with Kansas Lt. Gov. David Toland during the kickoff event for the Love Kansas Campaign at the Flint Hills Discover Center on Monday, July 1, in Manhattan, Kan. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>"We're working on creating a collaborative among all of our community and organizations that includes Salina Downtown, Salina Community Economic Developement Organization, the City of Salina, Saline County," Duxler said. "We're all selling the same asset. We're going to have this collaborative marketing, that we will all be able to utilize."Duxler said the $5,000 grant awarded to Salina from the Love Kansas program will be used to create marketing and outreach campaigns to target Salina's own boomerangs."It's easier, as the lieutenant governor said, than casting this wide net on everybody in the United States," Duxler said. "The people that we know are familiar with us [Kansas] and might want to come back to raise a family or be with their family."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719865031911.jpeg" alt="Mascots from the pilot schools for Love Kansas dance outside the Flint Hills Discover Center with the Topeka High School Drumline on Monday, July 1, at the Flint Hills Discover Center in Manhattan, Kan. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Mascots from the pilot schools for Love Kansas dance outside the Flint Hills Discover Center with the Topeka High School Drumline on Monday, July 1, at the Flint Hills Discover Center in Manhattan, Kan. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Influencer and journalist engagement and targeted in-person events both within and outside of Kansas play a crucial role in reaching potential boomerangs.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_aXdU0YTfDU?si=rZVpvB-X25wmYbWK" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Bishop, who is a boomerang resident herself, said she was encouraged and motivated by the enthusiasm and energy at the kick off event."It's incredible. I feel like Kansas is finally getting the recognition it deserves to be a great state to live in, work, play, raise your family," Bishop said. "I'm a boomerang resident, and I left and was never going to come back and here I am today. All of us who live here in Kansas, wherever you are, know how wonderful this state really is. We are not a flyover state anymore."After graduating from Salina Central High School in 1982, Bishop moved to Park City, Utah, and was in the hotel business there for six years and lived in a ski resort town."Then I came back because my mom opened up a local business and my dad, had a local real estate office, "Bishop said. "It was great to be back and we raised our son here. There's a lot to do in Salina. We have a great community, there's work to be done. But together, we can do it."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719865154626.jpeg" alt="Kansas Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland inserts the first letter to a boomerang resident to kick off the Love Kansas campaign on Monday, July 1, at the Flint Hills Discover Center in Manhattan, Kan. Attendees were invited to send a letter, text or call a family member or friend and ask them to consider moving back to Kansas.&nbsp;Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland inserts the first letter to a boomerang resident to kick off the Love Kansas campaign on Monday, July 1, at the Flint Hills Discover Center in Manhattan, Kan. Attendees were invited to send a letter, text or call a family member or friend and ask them to consider moving back to Kansas.&nbsp;Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure> A primary goal for the campaign is for communities across the state to do direct outreach to past residents they have a personal connection with, inviting them to return home."The collaboration already on display between so many partners underscores the enthusiasm for this campaign," Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe said. "There are so many amazing things happening in Kansas right now; Love, Kansas gives us the chance to let people throughout the country know about them."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719866665325.jpeg" alt="Kansas State University mascot Willie the Wildcat encourages the crowd to yell, "K-S-U!" during the kickoff event for the Love Kansas campaign on Monday, July 1, at the Flint Hills Discover Center in Manhattan, Kan. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State University mascot Willie the Wildcat encourages the crowd to yell, "K-S-U!" during the kickoff event for the Love Kansas campaign on Monday, July 1, at the Flint Hills Discover Center in Manhattan, Kan. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>In his closing remarks at the announcement, Toland asked all Kansans to call up a friend or family member and make the pitch for them to return to the state they once called home.&nbsp;"The most important thing for you to say might just be, 'Hey, there's good things happening in town and we miss you,'" Toland said. "We want you to come home. We want you to love Kansas. That's what's most important. Make that call. Send that text. Get out there and together we're gonna change Kansas."

Love Kansas campaign aims to draw past residents back to the Sunflower State

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Monday extended the delay in the Washington criminal case against Donald Trump on charges he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">plotted to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss</a>, all but ending prospects the former president could be tried before the November election.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-939_e2pg.pdf">Click here to read</a> the ruling

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2023/23-939_l5gm.pdf">Click here to read a</a>&nbsp;transcript of the oral argument in the immunity case

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/23-939">Click here to listen to a replay&nbsp;</a>of the oral argument in the immunity case

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24785411-trump-v-united-states">a historic 6-3 ruling</a>, the justices said for the first time that former presidents have absolute immunity from prosecution for their official acts and no immunity for unofficial acts. But rather than do it themselves, the justices ordered lower courts to figure out precisely how to apply the decision to Trump’s case.

The outcome means additional delay before Trump could face trial in the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith.

The court’s decision in a second major Trump case this term, along with its ruling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-insurrection-election-colorado-51e79c0f03013034c8a042cb278b6446">rejecting efforts to bar him from the ballot</a>&nbsp;because of his actions following the 2020 election, underscores the direct and possibly uncomfortable role the justices are playing in the November election.

“Under our constitutional structure of separated powers, the nature of presidential power entitles a former president to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court. “And he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts. There is no immunity for unofficial acts.”

Roberts was joined by the other five conservative justices. The three liberal justices dissented.

“Today’s decision to grant former presidents criminal immunity reshapes the institution of the presidency. It makes a mockery of the principle, foundational to our Constitution and system of government, that no man is above the law,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a scathing dissent.

Sotomayor, who read a summary of her dissent aloud in the courtroom, said the protection afforded presidents by the court "is just as bad as it sounds, and it is baseless.”

The ruling was the last of the term and it came more than two months after the court heard arguments, far slower than in other epic high court cases involving the presidency, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/john-dean-richard-nixon-government-and-politics-crime-c7a7b99cca7c685cfc239f5e08b53378">the Watergate tapes case</a>.

The Republican former president has denied doing anything wrong and has said this prosecution and three others are politically motivated to try to keep him from returning to the White House.

In May, Trump became the first former president to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0">convicted of a felony</a>, in a New York court. He was found guilty of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment made during the 2016 presidential election to a porn actor who says she had sex with him, which he denies. He still faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-classified-documents-january-6-a0cb26da1959e2be04a4be2080eba0ad">three other indictments</a>.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">Smith</a>&nbsp;is leading the two federal probes of the former president, both of which have led to criminal charges. The Washington case focuses on Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election after he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. The case in Florida revolves around the mishandling of classified documents. The other case, in Georgia, also turns on Trump’s actions after his defeat in 2020.

If Trump’s Washington trial does not take place before the 2024 election and he is not given another four years in the White House, he presumably would stand trial soon thereafter.

But if he wins, he could appoint an attorney general who would seek the dismissal of this case and the other federal prosecution he faces. He could also attempt to pardon himself if he reclaims the White House. He could not pardon himself for the conviction in state court in New York.

The Supreme Court that heard the case included three justices appointed by Trump — Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh — and two justices who opted not to step aside after questions were raised about their impartiality.

Justice Clarence Thomas’ wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-fraud-mark-meadows-c734294e2810f1240ea7ed1cbf675760">Ginni</a>, attended the rally near the White House where Trump spoke on Jan. 6, 2021, though she did not go the Capitol when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">a mob of Trump supporters</a>&nbsp;attacked it soon after. Following the 2020 election, she called it a “heist” and exchanged messages with then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, urging him to stand firm with Trump as he falsely claimed that there was widespread election fraud.

Justice Samuel Alito said there was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alito-flag-supreme-court-roberts-justice-senate-e53c1d1fef7b81f9dc87fa31b1622c4c">no reason for him to step aside</a>&nbsp;from the cases following reports by The New York Times that flags similar to those carried by the Jan. 6 rioters flew above his homes in Virginia and on the New Jersey shore. His wife, Martha-Ann Alito, was responsible for flying both the inverted American flag in January 2021 and the “Appeal to Heaven” banner in the summer of 2023, he said in letters to Democratic lawmakers responding to their recusal demands.

Trump’s trial had been scheduled to begin March 4, but that was before he sought court-sanctioned delays and a full review of the issue by the nation’s highest court.

Before the Supreme Court got involved, a trial judge and a three-judge appellate panel had ruled unanimously that Trump can be prosecuted for actions undertaken while in the White House and in the run-up to Jan. 6.

“For the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant,” the appeals court wrote in February. “But any executive immunity that may have protected him while he served as President no longer protects him against this prosecution.”

U.S. District Judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-judge-tanya-chutkan-capitol-riot-9ba5c18d315697d759521425ea203012">Tanya Chutkan</a>, who would preside over the trial in Washington,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-donald-trump-a98872759762c95fa925ff831df27388">ruled against Trump’s immunity claim</a>&nbsp;in December. In her ruling, Chutkan said the office of the president “does not confer a lifelong ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ pass.”

“Former Presidents enjoy no special conditions on their federal criminal liability,” Chutkan wrote. “Defendant may be subject to federal investigation, indictment, prosecution, conviction, and punishment for any criminal acts undertaken while in office.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717443721620.png" alt="File photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Monday extended the delay in the Washington criminal case against Donald Trump on charges he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">plotted to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss</a>, all but ending prospects the former president could be tried before the November election.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-939_e2pg.pdf">Click here to read</a> the ruling<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2023/23-939_l5gm.pdf">Click here to read a</a>&nbsp;transcript of the oral argument in the immunity case<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/23-939">Click here to listen to a replay&nbsp;</a>of the oral argument in the immunity caseIn&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24785411-trump-v-united-states">a historic 6-3 ruling</a>, the justices said for the first time that former presidents have absolute immunity from prosecution for their official acts and no immunity for unofficial acts. But rather than do it themselves, the justices ordered lower courts to figure out precisely how to apply the decision to Trump’s case.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719844923254.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The outcome means additional delay before Trump could face trial in the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith.The court’s decision in a second major Trump case this term, along with its ruling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-insurrection-election-colorado-51e79c0f03013034c8a042cb278b6446">rejecting efforts to bar him from the ballot</a>&nbsp;because of his actions following the 2020 election, underscores the direct and possibly uncomfortable role the justices are playing in the November election.“Under our constitutional structure of separated powers, the nature of presidential power entitles a former president to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court. “And he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts. There is no immunity for unofficial acts.”Roberts was joined by the other five conservative justices. The three liberal justices dissented.“Today’s decision to grant former presidents criminal immunity reshapes the institution of the presidency. It makes a mockery of the principle, foundational to our Constitution and system of government, that no man is above the law,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a scathing dissent.Sotomayor, who read a summary of her dissent aloud in the courtroom, said the protection afforded presidents by the court "is just as bad as it sounds, and it is baseless.”The ruling was the last of the term and it came more than two months after the court heard arguments, far slower than in other epic high court cases involving the presidency, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/john-dean-richard-nixon-government-and-politics-crime-c7a7b99cca7c685cfc239f5e08b53378">the Watergate tapes case</a>.The Republican former president has denied doing anything wrong and has said this prosecution and three others are politically motivated to try to keep him from returning to the White House.In May, Trump became the first former president to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0">convicted of a felony</a>, in a New York court. He was found guilty of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment made during the 2016 presidential election to a porn actor who says she had sex with him, which he denies. He still faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-classified-documents-january-6-a0cb26da1959e2be04a4be2080eba0ad">three other indictments</a>.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">Smith</a>&nbsp;is leading the two federal probes of the former president, both of which have led to criminal charges. The Washington case focuses on Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election after he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. The case in Florida revolves around the mishandling of classified documents. The other case, in Georgia, also turns on Trump’s actions after his defeat in 2020.If Trump’s Washington trial does not take place before the 2024 election and he is not given another four years in the White House, he presumably would stand trial soon thereafter.But if he wins, he could appoint an attorney general who would seek the dismissal of this case and the other federal prosecution he faces. He could also attempt to pardon himself if he reclaims the White House. He could not pardon himself for the conviction in state court in New York.The Supreme Court that heard the case included three justices appointed by Trump — Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh — and two justices who opted not to step aside after questions were raised about their impartiality.Justice Clarence Thomas’ wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-fraud-mark-meadows-c734294e2810f1240ea7ed1cbf675760">Ginni</a>, attended the rally near the White House where Trump spoke on Jan. 6, 2021, though she did not go the Capitol when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">a mob of Trump supporters</a>&nbsp;attacked it soon after. Following the 2020 election, she called it a “heist” and exchanged messages with then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, urging him to stand firm with Trump as he falsely claimed that there was widespread election fraud.Justice Samuel Alito said there was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alito-flag-supreme-court-roberts-justice-senate-e53c1d1fef7b81f9dc87fa31b1622c4c">no reason for him to step aside</a>&nbsp;from the cases following reports by The New York Times that flags similar to those carried by the Jan. 6 rioters flew above his homes in Virginia and on the New Jersey shore. His wife, Martha-Ann Alito, was responsible for flying both the inverted American flag in January 2021 and the “Appeal to Heaven” banner in the summer of 2023, he said in letters to Democratic lawmakers responding to their recusal demands.Trump’s trial had been scheduled to begin March 4, but that was before he sought court-sanctioned delays and a full review of the issue by the nation’s highest court.Before the Supreme Court got involved, a trial judge and a three-judge appellate panel had ruled unanimously that Trump can be prosecuted for actions undertaken while in the White House and in the run-up to Jan. 6.“For the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant,” the appeals court wrote in February. “But any executive immunity that may have protected him while he served as President no longer protects him against this prosecution.”U.S. District Judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-judge-tanya-chutkan-capitol-riot-9ba5c18d315697d759521425ea203012">Tanya Chutkan</a>, who would preside over the trial in Washington,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-donald-trump-a98872759762c95fa925ff831df27388">ruled against Trump’s immunity claim</a>&nbsp;in December. In her ruling, Chutkan said the office of the president “does not confer a lifelong ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ pass.”“Former Presidents enjoy no special conditions on their federal criminal liability,” Chutkan wrote. “Defendant may be subject to federal investigation, indictment, prosecution, conviction, and punishment for any criminal acts undertaken while in office.”

🎧 Supreme Court: Trump has some immunity from criminal prosecution

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;family used a Sunday gathering at Camp David to urge him to stay in the race and keep fighting despite his dreadful debate performance, and some members criticized how his staff prepared him for the faceoff, according to four people familiar with the discussions.

Biden spent the day sequestered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-first-lady-debate-c8fae7bab90c0f79ab88c9e783ca5ecd">with first lady Jill Biden</a>, his children and grandchildren. It was a previously scheduled trip to the presidential retreat in Maryland for a photo shoot with Annie Leibovitz for the upcoming Democratic National Convention.

But the gathering was also an exercise in trying to figure out how to quell Democratic anxiety that has exploded following Thursday's performance.

While his family was aware of how&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-debate-age-democrats-b93d7ffaad75fd423ea3953fe16287f0">poorly he performed</a>&nbsp;against Donald Trump, they also continue to think he's the best person to beat the Republican presumptive nominee. They also believe he is capable of doing the job of president for another four years, according to the people who were not authorized to speak publicly about internal discussions and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Among the most vocal: Jill Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-trial-federal-charges-delaware-5dd8a9380235c6360a1ddb691ef24a06">and son Hunter</a>, whom the president has long gone to for counsel and advice. Both believe the president shouldn't bow out when he's down, and believe that he can come back from what they see as one subpar performance. The family questioned how he was prepared for the debate by staff and wondered if they could have done something better, the people said.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-debate-age-democrats-b93d7ffaad75fd423ea3953fe16287f0">Biden's campaign has spent the days since the debate</a>&nbsp;— where he appeared raspy, trailed off, and at times gave convoluted answers — working to keep donors and surrogates on board as Democrats increasingly questioned whether he should stay in the race.

At this point in the delegate process, Biden would likely have to decide to drop out for there to be a new nominee. And the people he listens to most in the world — his wife and son — are telling him to stay in.

Even before the debate, the age of the 81-year-old Democratic president had been a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-poll-trump-2024-620e0a5cfa0039a6448f607c17c7f23e">liability with voters</a>, and the prime-time faceoff appeared to reinforce the public’s deep-seated concerns before perhaps the largest audience he will have in the four months until Election Day. CNN said more than 51 million people watched the debate.

While the president was huddled with his family, prominent Democrats rallied to deliver a public show of support for his campaign on Sunday.

“I do not believe that Joe Biden has a problem leading for the next four years,” said one close ally, Democratic Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina. "Joe Biden should continue to run on his record.”

Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Georgia Democrat and Baptist minister, said there had been “more than a few Sundays when I wish I had preached a better sermon,” relating the experience to Biden’s debate performance.

“But after the sermon was over, it was my job to embody the message, to show up for the people that I serve. And that’s what Joe Biden has been doing his entire life,” Warnock said. It was an echo of the message from other supporters that Biden had a bad debate, but a lifetime of good governance.

Warnock, like Clyburn and others, pivoted to Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-misinformation-election-debate-trump-biden-577507522762aa10f6ee5be3a0ced2bb">many falsehoods</a>&nbsp;during the debate — lapses that Biden and the debate moderators often failed to fact check from the stage — including about the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters, immigration and the outcome of the 2020 election.

“Whenever his mouth was moving, he was lying,” Warnock said of Trump.

But concern simmered among some Democrats that Biden’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee were not taking seriously enough the impact of the debate.

Former Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, who served for more than two decades with Biden in the Senate, called the debate “a disaster from which Biden cannot recover.”

Harkin suggested that Democratic senators in pivotal races and “maybe all incumbent Democratic Senators should pen a letter to Biden asking him to release his delegates and step aside so the convention can choose a new candidate,” according to an email to supporters that was obtained by The Associated Press. It was first referenced in Iowa journalist Julie Gammack’s column on Saturday, Iowa Potluck.

“This is a perilous time, and is more important than the ego or desires of Joe Biden to stay as President,” Harkin concluded.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., described “very honest, serious and rigorous conversations taking place at every level of our party ... about what to do.”

But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bidendebatetrumpdnc-aa08cc2b556b315e728d1e9c2bf81be9">DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison and Biden’s campaign manager,</a>&nbsp;Julie Chavez Rodriguez, held a Saturday afternoon call with dozens of committee members across the country — a group of some of the most influential members of the party — where they offered a rosy assessment of the path forward and gave no opportunity for others on the call to respond with questions.

Multiple committee members on the call, most granted anonymity to talk about the private discussion, described feeling like they were being asked to ignore a serious predicament.

“There were a number of things that could have been said in addressing the situation. But we didn’t get that. We were being gaslit,” said Joe Salazar, an elected DNC member from Colorado, who was on the call.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719799862306.png" alt="File&nbsp;President Biden spoke to supporters following the CNN Presidential Debate- image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File&nbsp;President Biden spoke to supporters following the CNN Presidential Debate- image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;family used a Sunday gathering at Camp David to urge him to stay in the race and keep fighting despite his dreadful debate performance, and some members criticized how his staff prepared him for the faceoff, according to four people familiar with the discussions.Biden spent the day sequestered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-first-lady-debate-c8fae7bab90c0f79ab88c9e783ca5ecd">with first lady Jill Biden</a>, his children and grandchildren. It was a previously scheduled trip to the presidential retreat in Maryland for a photo shoot with Annie Leibovitz for the upcoming Democratic National Convention.But the gathering was also an exercise in trying to figure out how to quell Democratic anxiety that has exploded following Thursday's performance.While his family was aware of how&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-debate-age-democrats-b93d7ffaad75fd423ea3953fe16287f0">poorly he performed</a>&nbsp;against Donald Trump, they also continue to think he's the best person to beat the Republican presumptive nominee. They also believe he is capable of doing the job of president for another four years, according to the people who were not authorized to speak publicly about internal discussions and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Folks, I might not walk as easily or talk as smoothly as I used to. I might not debate as well as I used to. But what I do know is how to tell the truth.<a href="https://t.co/ep5D0EhT5P">pic.twitter.com/ep5D0EhT5P</a>&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1806746426904379543?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Among the most vocal: Jill Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-trial-federal-charges-delaware-5dd8a9380235c6360a1ddb691ef24a06">and son Hunter</a>, whom the president has long gone to for counsel and advice. Both believe the president shouldn't bow out when he's down, and believe that he can come back from what they see as one subpar performance. The family questioned how he was prepared for the debate by staff and wondered if they could have done something better, the people said.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-debate-age-democrats-b93d7ffaad75fd423ea3953fe16287f0">Biden's campaign has spent the days since the debate</a>&nbsp;— where he appeared raspy, trailed off, and at times gave convoluted answers — working to keep donors and surrogates on board as Democrats increasingly questioned whether he should stay in the race.At this point in the delegate process, Biden would likely have to decide to drop out for there to be a new nominee. And the people he listens to most in the world — his wife and son — are telling him to stay in.Even before the debate, the age of the 81-year-old Democratic president had been a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-age-poll-trump-2024-620e0a5cfa0039a6448f607c17c7f23e">liability with voters</a>, and the prime-time faceoff appeared to reinforce the public’s deep-seated concerns before perhaps the largest audience he will have in the four months until Election Day. CNN said more than 51 million people watched the debate.While the president was huddled with his family, prominent Democrats rallied to deliver a public show of support for his campaign on Sunday.“I do not believe that Joe Biden has a problem leading for the next four years,” said one close ally, Democratic Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina. "Joe Biden should continue to run on his record.”Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Georgia Democrat and Baptist minister, said there had been “more than a few Sundays when I wish I had preached a better sermon,” relating the experience to Biden’s debate performance.“But after the sermon was over, it was my job to embody the message, to show up for the people that I serve. And that’s what Joe Biden has been doing his entire life,” Warnock said. It was an echo of the message from other supporters that Biden had a bad debate, but a lifetime of good governance.Warnock, like Clyburn and others, pivoted to Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-misinformation-election-debate-trump-biden-577507522762aa10f6ee5be3a0ced2bb">many falsehoods</a>&nbsp;during the debate — lapses that Biden and the debate moderators often failed to fact check from the stage — including about the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters, immigration and the outcome of the 2020 election.“Whenever his mouth was moving, he was lying,” Warnock said of Trump.But concern simmered among some Democrats that Biden’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee were not taking seriously enough the impact of the debate.Former Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, who served for more than two decades with Biden in the Senate, called the debate “a disaster from which Biden cannot recover.”Harkin suggested that Democratic senators in pivotal races and “maybe all incumbent Democratic Senators should pen a letter to Biden asking him to release his delegates and step aside so the convention can choose a new candidate,” according to an email to supporters that was obtained by The Associated Press. It was first referenced in Iowa journalist Julie Gammack’s column on Saturday, Iowa Potluck.“This is a perilous time, and is more important than the ego or desires of Joe Biden to stay as President,” Harkin concluded.Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., described “very honest, serious and rigorous conversations taking place at every level of our party ... about what to do.”But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bidendebatetrumpdnc-aa08cc2b556b315e728d1e9c2bf81be9">DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison and Biden’s campaign manager,</a>&nbsp;Julie Chavez Rodriguez, held a Saturday afternoon call with dozens of committee members across the country — a group of some of the most influential members of the party — where they offered a rosy assessment of the path forward and gave no opportunity for others on the call to respond with questions.Multiple committee members on the call, most granted anonymity to talk about the private discussion, described feeling like they were being asked to ignore a serious predicament.“There were a number of things that could have been said in addressing the situation. But we didn’t get that. We were being gaslit,” said Joe Salazar, an elected DNC member from Colorado, who was on the call.___

President Biden's family tells him to stay in the race

Join 910KINA's Saturday Morning Show hosts Dave Foor and Nate King this Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. on 910AM 107.5 FM.

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="http://910kina.com/">here.</a>&nbsp;

9:05-9:30 a.m. Renee Duxler, president and CEO of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce gives a chamber update.

9:30-10 a.m. Brad Anderson, executive director of Salina Arts and Humanities gives a recap of how the 48th Annual Smoky Hill River Festival went.

10-10:15 a.m. A recording of Nate King's conversation with Jack Maytum, Senior Broadband Analyst with Design Nine. Maytum has worked with dozens of town, county, and city broadband feasibility and planning studies.

10:15-10:30 a.m. Molly Johnson, committee chair for the 'Old Fashioned Fourth of July' taking place in Lindsborg, Kans. on July 4

10:30-11 a.m.&nbsp;Brenda Gutierrez and Lisa Newman share information about the upcoming Saline County Back to School Fair.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591971280271.jpeg" alt="KINA New logo Blue Black" />
 <figcaption>KINA New logo Blue Black</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTJoin 910KINA's Saturday Morning Show hosts Dave Foor and Nate King this Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. on 910AM 107.5 FM.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="http://910kina.com/">here.</a>&nbsp;9:05-9:30 a.m. Renee Duxler, president and CEO of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce gives a chamber update.9:30-10 a.m. Brad Anderson, executive director of Salina Arts and Humanities gives a recap of how the 48th Annual Smoky Hill River Festival went.10-10:15 a.m. A recording of Nate King's conversation with Jack Maytum, Senior Broadband Analyst with Design Nine. Maytum has worked with dozens of town, county, and city broadband feasibility and planning studies.10:15-10:30 a.m. Molly Johnson, committee chair for the 'Old Fashioned Fourth of July' taking place in Lindsborg, Kans. on July 410:30-11 a.m.&nbsp;Brenda Gutierrez and Lisa Newman share information about the upcoming Saline County Back to School Fair.

910 KINA Saturday Morning Show Lineup

“I am delighted to continue to create and share memorable performances and experiences with the Salina Symphony this year,” said Yaniv Segal, music director. “From classics to newer works, Cabaret to Disney, and Tchaikovsky to Mozart, we invite you to explore the amazing colors of music together with us and enter the Kaleidoscope that is a symphony orchestra.”

The Kaleidoscope season opens with “Fantastique” October 6 featuring colorful and imaginative music. Salina percussionist Hannah Applequist will command the spotlight in Paul Dooley’s new percussion concerto, The Soaring Souls, an energetic yet lyrical composition inspired by the tragic love story of Francesca da Rimini. 

The adventure continues with Symphonie Fantastique, a highly evocative and expressive work full of fantastical imagery, written by Berlioz in response to his own experiences of heartbreak and unrequited love. Prepare to be transported to a world of passion, drama and excitement with this unforgettable concert.

The Symphony will kick things off November 10 for “Lights, Camera, Cabaret.” with music from the Tony Award-winning musical Cabaret followed by two new works by Kyle Saulnier, a multi-instrumentalist and composer who fuses American music with industrial rock. 

Singer Janie Brokenicky and dancer Alison Hiatt will tell the story of Kurt Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins, an accessible and satirical tale that uses wit, theatrical flair, dancing, cabaret music and a Greek chorus to explore the complexities of human nature and society.

Celebrate the holiday season with the Salina Symphony and Ballet Salina production of Tchaikovsky’s timeless ballet, The Nutcracker, Dec. 14 &amp; 15. This beloved story of a young girl’s Christmas Eve dream never fails to touch the heart and create a lasting memory for the whole family.

Uplifting tunes and exuberant rhythms abound “Rocking Tchaikovsky” January 12. Following a lively opener by Maestro Segal, the incredible principal cellist of The Cleveland Orchestra, Mark Kosower, will perform Friedrich Gulda’s Cello Concerto, a wild and catchy work described by the composer as “jazz, a minuet, rock, a smidgen of polka and a march.” 

On the second half, Tchaikovsky’s monumental and heroic Fifth Symphony paints the ultimate picture of victory over strife. From the lush orchestration to the soaring melodies, you won’t want this concert to end.

Bring the entire family to the Symphony March 1 for Disney in Concert: Once Upon a Time, a magical journey of storytelling that only the timeless tales of Disney can evoke. 

Brought to life by the talents of four Broadway caliber singers and featuring clips from the original films, Disney in Concert features beloved music from Encanto, Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Tangled, The Lion King and more.

The mainstage season ends May 4 with Mozart’s majestic final work, the Requiem, a masterpiece of both solace and intensity reflective of the timeless themes of life, death and redemption. On the first half, the program opens with a spiritual work by Florence Price featuring principal clarinetist Chris Johnson. Young virtuoso Lun Li will then bring Joseph Bologne’s remarkable and “Mozartean” Ninth Violin Concerto to life.

Encore performances begin September 28 with Chamber Music in the Courtyard, featuring two of Mozart’s most beloved chamber works. The woodwind quintet will present The Melting Pot by Alyssa Morris, K-State associate professor of oboe, with movements titled “Bubbly,” “Sweet” and “Crunchy.” Following the concert, enjoy dinner in Downtown Salina to top off this delightful autumn evening.

Following rave reviews from last year’s event, Andrew Lipke will return to the Stiefel Theatre on January 18 to continue the conversation about how music transcends boundaries. Performing alongside the Salina Symphony String Quartet (featuring Maestro Segal), Andrew will unveil the deep-rooted connection between the history of the string quartet in both classical and contemporary music through an evening of storytelling and performances of rock works, including original music by Andrew himself. Don't miss this exciting 2nd annual collaboration with the Stiefel Theatre.

Out of the Box returns April 26 at Theatre Salina’s Black Box with wide-ranging and exhilarating music championed by Alarm Will Sound, an innovative chamber ensemble described by the New York Times as “one of the most vital and original ensembles on the American music scene” and “as close to being a rock band as a chamber orchestra can be.” 

From dance beats to Ten Thousand Birds, a work about the birds of the Great Plains by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Luther Adams, get ready to hear new music that is as fun and exciting to listen to as it is to play.

The annual Symphony at Sunset D-Day Commemoration Concert will be held June 7 on the grounds of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene. The outdoor event will feature patriotic and popular music from the Salina Symphony and the Fort Riley 1st Infantry Division Band.

Season Tickets on Sale Now BOGO for New Subscribers

Season tickets are available for $265 and $215. The Symphony is offering buy-one, get-one free season tickets for first-time subscribers. Tickets may be ordered by phone at 785-823-8309 or in person at the Symphony Office, located on the second floor of the Stiefel Theatre. Single tickets will go on sale September 3.

The Salina Symphony is dedicated to enriching lives through artistic music performance and education. For more information, contact the Symphony Office at (785) 823-8309 or visit <a target="_blank" href="http://salinasymphony.org">salinasymphony.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719607254825.jpeg" alt="Salina Symphony Season.jpg" />
 <figcaption>Salina Symphony Season.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>Salina Symphony“I am delighted to continue to create and share memorable performances and experiences with the Salina Symphony this year,” said Yaniv Segal, music director. “From classics to newer works, Cabaret to Disney, and Tchaikovsky to Mozart, we invite you to explore the amazing colors of music together with us and enter the Kaleidoscope that is a symphony orchestra.”The Kaleidoscope season opens with “Fantastique” October 6 featuring colorful and imaginative music. Salina percussionist Hannah Applequist will command the spotlight in Paul Dooley’s new percussion concerto, The Soaring Souls, an energetic yet lyrical composition inspired by the tragic love story of Francesca da Rimini. The adventure continues with Symphonie Fantastique, a highly evocative and expressive work full of fantastical imagery, written by Berlioz in response to his own experiences of heartbreak and unrequited love. Prepare to be transported to a world of passion, drama and excitement with this unforgettable concert.The Symphony will kick things off November 10 for “Lights, Camera, Cabaret.” with music from the Tony Award-winning musical Cabaret followed by two new works by Kyle Saulnier, a multi-instrumentalist and composer who fuses American music with industrial rock. Singer Janie Brokenicky and dancer Alison Hiatt will tell the story of Kurt Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins, an accessible and satirical tale that uses wit, theatrical flair, dancing, cabaret music and a Greek chorus to explore the complexities of human nature and society.Celebrate the holiday season with the Salina Symphony and Ballet Salina production of Tchaikovsky’s timeless ballet, The Nutcracker, Dec. 14 &amp; 15. This beloved story of a young girl’s Christmas Eve dream never fails to touch the heart and create a lasting memory for the whole family.Uplifting tunes and exuberant rhythms abound “Rocking Tchaikovsky” January 12. Following a lively opener by Maestro Segal, the incredible principal cellist of The Cleveland Orchestra, Mark Kosower, will perform Friedrich Gulda’s Cello Concerto, a wild and catchy work described by the composer as “jazz, a minuet, rock, a smidgen of polka and a march.” On the second half, Tchaikovsky’s monumental and heroic Fifth Symphony paints the ultimate picture of victory over strife. From the lush orchestration to the soaring melodies, you won’t want this concert to end.Bring the entire family to the Symphony March 1 for Disney in Concert: Once Upon a Time, a magical journey of storytelling that only the timeless tales of Disney can evoke. Brought to life by the talents of four Broadway caliber singers and featuring clips from the original films, Disney in Concert features beloved music from Encanto, Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Tangled, The Lion King and more.The mainstage season ends May 4 with Mozart’s majestic final work, the Requiem, a masterpiece of both solace and intensity reflective of the timeless themes of life, death and redemption. On the first half, the program opens with a spiritual work by Florence Price featuring principal clarinetist Chris Johnson. Young virtuoso Lun Li will then bring Joseph Bologne’s remarkable and “Mozartean” Ninth Violin Concerto to life.Encore performances begin September 28 with Chamber Music in the Courtyard, featuring two of Mozart’s most beloved chamber works. The woodwind quintet will present The Melting Pot by Alyssa Morris, K-State associate professor of oboe, with movements titled “Bubbly,” “Sweet” and “Crunchy.” Following the concert, enjoy dinner in Downtown Salina to top off this delightful autumn evening.Following rave reviews from last year’s event, Andrew Lipke will return to the Stiefel Theatre on January 18 to continue the conversation about how music transcends boundaries. Performing alongside the Salina Symphony String Quartet (featuring Maestro Segal), Andrew will unveil the deep-rooted connection between the history of the string quartet in both classical and contemporary music through an evening of storytelling and performances of rock works, including original music by Andrew himself. Don't miss this exciting 2nd annual collaboration with the Stiefel Theatre.Out of the Box returns April 26 at Theatre Salina’s Black Box with wide-ranging and exhilarating music championed by Alarm Will Sound, an innovative chamber ensemble described by the New York Times as “one of the most vital and original ensembles on the American music scene” and “as close to being a rock band as a chamber orchestra can be.” From dance beats to Ten Thousand Birds, a work about the birds of the Great Plains by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Luther Adams, get ready to hear new music that is as fun and exciting to listen to as it is to play.The annual Symphony at Sunset D-Day Commemoration Concert will be held June 7 on the grounds of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene. The outdoor event will feature patriotic and popular music from the Salina Symphony and the Fort Riley 1st Infantry Division Band.Season Tickets on Sale Now BOGO for New SubscribersSeason tickets are available for $265 and $215. The Symphony is offering buy-one, get-one free season tickets for first-time subscribers. Tickets may be ordered by phone at 785-823-8309 or in person at the Symphony Office, located on the second floor of the Stiefel Theatre. Single tickets will go on sale September 3.The Salina Symphony is dedicated to enriching lives through artistic music performance and education. For more information, contact the Symphony Office at (785) 823-8309 or visit <a target="_blank" href="http://salinasymphony.org">salinasymphony.org</a>.

The Salina Symphony announces its 'Kaleidoscope' 2024-2025 season

<a href="mailto:rwilson@ksu.edu" target="_blank">By RON WILSON </a>Director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University

What do you take with you when you travel? A suitcase? Extra clothes? A book to read?

Today we’ll learn about a group of people who traveled halfway around the globe to Kansas 150 years ago. They brought with them something that would change the history of Kansas and the nation. I’m referring to the Mennonite families who brought with them Turkey Red wheat.

Fern Bartel is director of the Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum in Goessel, Kansas. Bartel grew up at Goessel, attended Emporia State and met and married her husband. She enjoys art and volunteered on the board of the Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum for 15 years before becoming director in 2017.

LISTEN:&nbsp;🎙<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/f22652ff-ed46-4cd6-95d7-5e22969eeba3">King in the Community — Nikki Goding, Salina City Clerk</a>

2024 is a special year in Goessel. It was 150 years ago that Mennonite families on the plains of Ukraine emigrated to the plains of Kansas. Fifty years ago, on the centennial of that migration, Goessel dedicated a new museum to share that story. The museum has now grown into eight buildings in a village-like setting.

In 1874, Mennonite farmers and their families in southern Russia chose to migrate because their religious freedoms were being curtailed by the government. The Santa Fe Railroad recruited them to come to the central plains of the United States, and built barracks-like structures called Immigrant Houses as temporary housing for the arriving families.

Many Mennonites made the journey and settled in southcentral Kansas. They brought with them seeds of Turkey Red winter wheat in large jars and sacks.

This variety of wheat would prove well-suited to the Kansas climate. According to the Kansas Wheat Commission, its introduction “revolutionized the wheat industry in Kansas, and Turkey Red wheat is now the ancestor to all hard red winter wheat varieties grown across the plains today.”

Alexanderwohl was the name of one of the southern Russian villages from which some of the Mennonites came. When immigrant houses were built here, a church that carried the village name was built nearby. The Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church is still active in Goessel today.

The city was named after Captain&nbsp;<a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_von_Goessel">Kurt von Goessel</a>&nbsp;who went down with his ship after it was rammed in the&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Channel">English Channel</a>.

Almost all of the original population of Goessel was Mennonite. After the Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum was established, it came to include many display cases that traced the lineage and descendants of the first settlers.

The first building to be included in the museum complex was the Goessel Preparatory School, which was constructed in 1906. In later years, it served as the high school’s industrial arts classroom until the 1970s. The proposed demise of this building sparked the idea of a museum and led to the building being moved to its current site. A replica of a railroad Immigrant House also was constructed.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/31f6d68a-8395-4efd-8526-48808a883b85">Wheat Scoop: Gone with the Wind</a>

A new building constructed in 1974 was called the Turkey Red Wheat Palace. That includes a large variety of antique farm equipment plus the Wheat Straw Liberty Bell. This is a giant replica of the Liberty Bell, constructed of wheat and straw over wire and tubing. It was commissioned by the Smithsonian Institute and built by the Mennonites at Goessel to commemorate the nation’s bicentennial.

The bell is eight and a half feet tall and accurate in every detail. The body is straw and the crack is marked by wheat berries outlined by black thread.

Other buildings added to the complex and their years of construction include the 1902 Schroeder Barn, the 1911 Friesen House, the 1910 Goessel State Bank, the 1875 South Bloomfield School, and the 1875 Krause House. The museum has drawn visitors from across the nation and beyond.

It’s a remarkable resource to be found in a rural community such as Goessel, population 556 people. Now, that’s rural.

For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.goesselmuseum.com/">www.goesselmuseum.com</a>.

What do you take with you when you travel? We’re so thankful that these Mennonite families brought Turkey Red Wheat with them, and we’re grateful that Fern Bartel and others are making a difference by preserving and sharing this heritage. For modern-day visitors, it is worth the travel.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719509143759.jpeg" alt="Fern Bartel is director of the Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum in Goessel, Kansas. Bartel grew up at Goessel, attended Emporia State and met and married her husband. She enjoys art and volunteered on the board of the Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum for 15 years before becoming director in 2017. Image Courtesy Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development" />
 <figcaption>Fern Bartel is director of the Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum in Goessel, Kansas. Bartel grew up at Goessel, attended Emporia State and met and married her husband. She enjoys art and volunteered on the board of the Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum for 15 years before becoming director in 2017. Image Courtesy Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="mailto:rwilson@ksu.edu" target="_blank">By RON WILSON </a>Director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State UniversityWhat do you take with you when you travel? A suitcase? Extra clothes? A book to read?Today we’ll learn about a group of people who traveled halfway around the globe to Kansas 150 years ago. They brought with them something that would change the history of Kansas and the nation. I’m referring to the Mennonite families who brought with them Turkey Red wheat.Fern Bartel is director of the Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum in Goessel, Kansas. Bartel grew up at Goessel, attended Emporia State and met and married her husband. She enjoys art and volunteered on the board of the Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum for 15 years before becoming director in 2017. LISTEN:&nbsp;🎙<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/f22652ff-ed46-4cd6-95d7-5e22969eeba3">King in the Community — Nikki Goding, Salina City Clerk</a>2024 is a special year in Goessel. It was 150 years ago that Mennonite families on the plains of Ukraine emigrated to the plains of Kansas. Fifty years ago, on the centennial of that migration, Goessel dedicated a new museum to share that story. The museum has now grown into eight buildings in a village-like setting.In 1874, Mennonite farmers and their families in southern Russia chose to migrate because their religious freedoms were being curtailed by the government. The Santa Fe Railroad recruited them to come to the central plains of the United States, and built barracks-like structures called Immigrant Houses as temporary housing for the arriving families.Many Mennonites made the journey and settled in southcentral Kansas. They brought with them seeds of Turkey Red winter wheat in large jars and sacks.This variety of wheat would prove well-suited to the Kansas climate. According to the Kansas Wheat Commission, its introduction “revolutionized the wheat industry in Kansas, and Turkey Red wheat is now the ancestor to all hard red winter wheat varieties grown across the plains today.”Alexanderwohl was the name of one of the southern Russian villages from which some of the Mennonites came. When immigrant houses were built here, a church that carried the village name was built nearby. The Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church is still active in Goessel today.The city was named after Captain&nbsp;<a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_von_Goessel">Kurt von Goessel</a>&nbsp;who went down with his ship after it was rammed in the&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Channel">English Channel</a>.Almost all of the original population of Goessel was Mennonite. After the Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum was established, it came to include many display cases that traced the lineage and descendants of the first settlers.The first building to be included in the museum complex was the Goessel Preparatory School, which was constructed in 1906. In later years, it served as the high school’s industrial arts classroom until the 1970s. The proposed demise of this building sparked the idea of a museum and led to the building being moved to its current site. A replica of a railroad Immigrant House also was constructed.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/31f6d68a-8395-4efd-8526-48808a883b85">Wheat Scoop: Gone with the Wind</a>A new building constructed in 1974 was called the Turkey Red Wheat Palace. That includes a large variety of antique farm equipment plus the Wheat Straw Liberty Bell. This is a giant replica of the Liberty Bell, constructed of wheat and straw over wire and tubing. It was commissioned by the Smithsonian Institute and built by the Mennonites at Goessel to commemorate the nation’s bicentennial.The bell is eight and a half feet tall and accurate in every detail. The body is straw and the crack is marked by wheat berries outlined by black thread.Other buildings added to the complex and their years of construction include the 1902 Schroeder Barn, the 1911 Friesen House, the 1910 Goessel State Bank, the 1875 South Bloomfield School, and the 1875 Krause House. The museum has drawn visitors from across the nation and beyond.It’s a remarkable resource to be found in a rural community such as Goessel, population 556 people. Now, that’s rural.For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.goesselmuseum.com/">www.goesselmuseum.com</a>.What do you take with you when you travel? We’re so thankful that these Mennonite families brought Turkey Red Wheat with them, and we’re grateful that Fern Bartel and others are making a difference by preserving and sharing this heritage. For modern-day visitors, it is worth the travel.

KSRE — Now That’s Rural: Fern Bartel, Mennonite Museum

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Lead Reporter - Salina Post

The Saline County Commission met on Tuesday, June 25, where all five commissioners discussed a Pride Month proclamation, Right of Way Acquisition with Saline County Road and Bridge and its last action item — procuring insurance through a pool.

District One — Monte Shadwick District Two — Robert Vidricksen District Three — Rodger Sparks District Four — James Weese District Five — Chairman Joe Hay Jr.

Raiden Gonzales, the Smoky Hills Equality Coalition secretary, presented the 2024 Pride Month Proclamation to commissioners and provided some details on the last few Pride events.

Once Gonzales finished his presentation, Chairman Hay excitedly stood up to hand him the proclamation, but Shadwick pushed the motion, which Weese seconded. The motion passed 5-0, and Saline County proclaimed June as Pride Month.

Justin Mader, the Saline County Engineer, then proposed a new Road and Bridge project that needed commissioner approval to claim the right of way to improve Simpson and Schippel roads.

The project totaled $12,000, and commissioners approved it unanimously.

As property, casualty, liability and cyber security insurance premiums continue to climb across the country, Saline County Commissioners searched for an alternative option since its regular Travelers Insurance jumped by almost $150,000.

During last week's commission meeting, Saline County Administrator Phil Smith-Hanes told commissioners that with the increasing premiums, he planned to bring possible insurance options to commissioners this week.

"They've gone up so significantly that I felt it would not be responsible not to look at other options," Smith-Hanes said during last week's meeting.

This week, Smith-Hanes presented that option to all five commissioners — the Kansas County Association Multiline Pool or KCAMP.

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/3ce3a991-b8dc-4cf1-9cc3-cf4fc0050885">Saline County to host broadband community forums this week</a>

KCAMP, established in 1991, now works with 79 Kansas counties, with Butler County accounting for the largest population in its membership.

Smith-Hanes described KCAMP as a "risk-management pool," which is how the county obtains workers' compensation insurance. Pool insurance is also popular among public entities, with 80% of school districts, counties and municipalities using this type of insurance for coverage.

"This is another one of those circumstances where Saline County is in a weird size position," Smith-Hanes said. "If we were three times smaller than we are, we would have done this 25 years ago. If we were three times larger than we are, then we would self-insure."

Saline County's limited size has allowed commissioners to continue procuring insurance through the commercial market, where most commercial insurance groups turn away from larger populations.

The new Travelers Insurance premium totaled $633,519, but switching to KCAMP would cost $597,715 for 2025, saving the county more than $40,000. Although it would save the county $40,000 next year, it is still more than $100,000 more than last year's insurance cost, which totaled $485,837.

"We depend on the staff, or at least I depend on the staff to bring us the best options that we can get," Hay said.

Smith-Hanes responded with, "And none of these options are good."

Once commissioners aired their concerns with the switch, Smith-Hanes requested that KCAMP Administrator and CEO David Luke present further information on the pool insurance model.

Vidricksen asked about the reliability of pool insurance and how Saline County's size would impact future membership prices.

Luke shared some advantages of switching to pool insurance membership, including increased rate stability and transparency, alongside an attractive $100,000 deductible per damaging event. 

With traditional insurance, that deductible would be $250,000 per damaged structure with this year's rate increases.

"That's a hefty self-insurance program that you probably haven't intended yourself to get into," Luke said. "That's a significant change that's being thrust on you without being able to deliberate and decide if that's what you want to do."

Another aspect Luke touched on was that members of the insurance pool can deliberate and weigh in on rate and service changes regularly months before the renewal cycle. Luke said that when the organization had its largest rate increase, it had notified its members six months in advance.

Vidricksen shared additional concerns, prompting Smith-Hanes to ask Mark Skidmore, president of Iron Insurance Partners, to share his thoughts.

LISTEN:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/eae10ec3-c65e-4809-9b6a-33c0ab90fe57">🎙King in the Community — Dr. Matt Thompson, KWU President/CEO</a>

"I think given everything we've seen here today, we should lean in," Skidmore said. "As a taxpayer, I really think you guys should go into KCAMP."

"We can stay with Travelers, but we don't know what that'll look like in a year."

Once Skidmore finished his thoughts and answered a few questions, Vidricksen said he changed his mind about the pool insurance idea.

"You're saying things that have calmed me somewhat," Vidricksen said. "Switched my mind 180 degrees all of a sudden — the fact that you're telling me what I need to hear and not what I want to hear."

Shadwick then moved for the commission to vote on the matter, which Weese seconded. Commissioners unanimously approved the new insurance model.

Commissioners also held two executive sessions where they took no action.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697467290838.jpeg" alt="The Saline County and Salina City building at 300 West Ash Street in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>The Saline County and Salina City building at 300 West Ash Street in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Lead Reporter - Salina PostThe Saline County Commission met on Tuesday, June 25, where all five commissioners discussed a Pride Month proclamation, Right of Way Acquisition with Saline County Road and Bridge and its last action item — procuring insurance through a pool.Board of County Commissioners:District One — Monte Shadwick District Two — Robert Vidricksen District Three — Rodger Sparks District Four — James Weese District Five — Chairman Joe Hay Jr.Raiden Gonzales, the Smoky Hills Equality Coalition secretary, presented the 2024 Pride Month Proclamation to commissioners and provided some details on the last few Pride events.Once Gonzales finished his presentation, Chairman Hay excitedly stood up to hand him the proclamation, but Shadwick pushed the motion, which Weese seconded. The motion passed 5-0, and Saline County proclaimed June as Pride Month.Justin Mader, the Saline County Engineer, then proposed a new Road and Bridge project that needed commissioner approval to claim the right of way to improve Simpson and Schippel roads.The project totaled $12,000, and commissioners approved it unanimously.<h2>A new way for Saline County insurance</h2>As property, casualty, liability and cyber security insurance premiums continue to climb across the country, Saline County Commissioners searched for an alternative option since its regular Travelers Insurance jumped by almost $150,000.During last week's commission meeting, Saline County Administrator Phil Smith-Hanes told commissioners that with the increasing premiums, he planned to bring possible insurance options to commissioners this week."They've gone up so significantly that I felt it would not be responsible not to look at other options," Smith-Hanes said during last week's meeting.This week, Smith-Hanes presented that option to all five commissioners — the Kansas County Association Multiline Pool or KCAMP.READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/3ce3a991-b8dc-4cf1-9cc3-cf4fc0050885">Saline County to host broadband community forums this week</a>KCAMP, established in 1991, now works with 79 Kansas counties, with Butler County accounting for the largest population in its membership.Smith-Hanes described KCAMP as a "risk-management pool," which is how the county obtains workers' compensation insurance. Pool insurance is also popular among public entities, with 80% of school districts, counties and municipalities using this type of insurance for coverage."This is another one of those circumstances where Saline County is in a weird size position," Smith-Hanes said. "If we were three times smaller than we are, we would have done this 25 years ago. If we were three times larger than we are, then we would self-insure."Saline County's limited size has allowed commissioners to continue procuring insurance through the commercial market, where most commercial insurance groups turn away from larger populations.The new Travelers Insurance premium totaled $633,519, but switching to KCAMP would cost $597,715 for 2025, saving the county more than $40,000. Although it would save the county $40,000 next year, it is still more than $100,000 more than last year's insurance cost, which totaled $485,837."We depend on the staff, or at least I depend on the staff to bring us the best options that we can get," Hay said.Smith-Hanes responded with, "And none of these options are good."Once commissioners aired their concerns with the switch, Smith-Hanes requested that KCAMP Administrator and CEO David Luke present further information on the pool insurance model.Vidricksen asked about the reliability of pool insurance and how Saline County's size would impact future membership prices.Luke shared some advantages of switching to pool insurance membership, including increased rate stability and transparency, alongside an attractive $100,000 deductible per damaging event. With traditional insurance, that deductible would be $250,000 per damaged structure with this year's rate increases."That's a hefty self-insurance program that you probably haven't intended yourself to get into," Luke said. "That's a significant change that's being thrust on you without being able to deliberate and decide if that's what you want to do."Another aspect Luke touched on was that members of the insurance pool can deliberate and weigh in on rate and service changes regularly months before the renewal cycle. Luke said that when the organization had its largest rate increase, it had notified its members six months in advance.Vidricksen shared additional concerns, prompting Smith-Hanes to ask Mark Skidmore, president of Iron Insurance Partners, to share his thoughts.LISTEN:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/eae10ec3-c65e-4809-9b6a-33c0ab90fe57">🎙King in the Community — Dr. Matt Thompson, KWU President/CEO</a>"I think given everything we've seen here today, we should lean in," Skidmore said. "As a taxpayer, I really think you guys should go into KCAMP.""We can stay with Travelers, but we don't know what that'll look like in a year."Once Skidmore finished his thoughts and answered a few questions, Vidricksen said he changed his mind about the pool insurance idea."You're saying things that have calmed me somewhat," Vidricksen said. "Switched my mind 180 degrees all of a sudden — the fact that you're telling me what I need to hear and not what I want to hear."Shadwick then moved for the commission to vote on the matter, which Weese seconded. Commissioners unanimously approved the new insurance model.<h2>Informational Items</h2><ol>
 <li>Recommended Budget for 2025</li><li>County Administrator Update </li>
 </ol>Commissioners also held two executive sessions where they took no action.<h2>Tuesday, July 2 Agenda Items</h2><ol>
 <li>Road and Bridge Update</li><li>Emergency Management Update </li><li>ARPA - Ambulance RFA </li>
 </ol>

Saline County Commission switches to cost-saving insurance model, approves Pride Month proclamation

The lives of one Kansas farm family were forever changed after a large and violent long-track tornado tore across north central Kansas on May 25, 2015. Ranking as one of the most violent tornadoes of the season with an EF4 rating and estimated winds of 180 miles per hour, the funnel was on the ground for more than a staggering 90 minutes, bending railroad tracks and snapping trees three or four feet wide in half.&nbsp;

The worst damage was to a single farmstead one mile southwest of Chapman, where the home and all the outbuildings were completely blown away as the operation’s matriarch hid in the basement underneath pillows. But what could be only a story of devastation is also one of hope, community and resilience for Ken and Deb Wood, who shared their story with Aaron Harries, Kansas Wheat vice president of research and operations and host of the Wheat’s on Your Mind podcast.

Today, Ken is a retired wheat farmer, who has served on the boards of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and the National Association of Wheat Growers. He still serves as a board member for the National Wheat Foundation. Deb works as a family resource management agent for K-State Research and Extension in Salina.

The day the tornado struck wasn’t expected to be a very severe weather day. Ken was away in Hays for KAWG meetings and Deb went to and came home from work like normal. Their farmstead was picturesque, located in a river bottom with a traditional farmhouse, nine outbuildings and all the machinery you would expect on a working farm – minus the combines that were stored at a different location. Ken had all his corn and about half of his soybeans planted and he recalled he was three weeks to a month out from wheat harvest.

Deb came home like any other day, got a bite to eat and had the news on. There was a storm building east of Bennington, but it was Kansas and May, so thunderstorms and tornadoes are just part of the normal weather broadcast.

“There’s tornadoes around Kansas all the time, so I didn’t think too awful much of it until things started getting closer,” Deb said. “Looking back, if I knew then what I know now, I would have put as much stuff into my vehicle as I possibly could have and gotten the heck out of Dodge.”

Ken stayed in Hays for supper. He got an alert on his phone that there was some severe weather developing, but he just watched as it developed like a normal storm. He got on the road and headed for home, but the longer he drove, the more he realized the storm was developing into something dangerous.

In Kansas, tornadoes typically move from the southwest to the northeast or due north. This night’s tornado moved west to east, took a right turn, went south across I-70 and hit the Wood’s farmstead out of the northwest as a monster.

“When you live in Kansas, you spend a lot of time in the basement when there’s a warning,” Deb said. “Most of the time, I go downstairs and I just kind of sit there, listen to the radio and wait for it to be over with. I had done that and then I had gone back up as I was getting texts from people. And that’s when I started worrying.”

Deb quickly gathered what she could – some medicine, work clothes and, importantly, Ken’s work boots. Then she ducked under a desk in the basement, taking pillows off the bed in the room and stuffing them around her. Still, it didn’t occur to her that the storm would take everything else.

Then the storm hit. The glass broke. The subfloor was totally blown away. And the entire house was gone.

“There was nothing left at the farm and I mean nothing left,” Deb said. “There was just nothing. It just chewed everything up into little pieces.”

The glass all broke, it ripped off the subfloor totally.&nbsp;The house’s center beam broke into two and a wall landed on Deb. Then it started raining and then it started hailing. Still, Deb kept her cool.

“I called Ken to let him know we’d taken a direct hit, but I was fine, but I couldn’t get out,” Deb remembered.

A local fireman who had lost part of his own farming operation in a 2008 tornado that hit nearby Chapman was first on the scene. Deb could hear him calling for her, so she started hitting on top of the wall. He removed what he could but had to wait for help to get her out entirely.

Ken got the call when he was in nearby Abilene. He raced down the road but was stopped on his normal route on Old 40 Highway because there were poles across the road. When a deputy came flying around the corner and heading north towards I-70, Ken got behind him and followed him all the way – not stopping at a single stop sign, only slowing when they hit a heavy hailstorm.

By the time Ken got home, it was still light enough to see the damage. Deb had very deep bruises on her back, but no broken bones. Although they had no house, no clothes, no food, the community immediately rallied together. Ken and Deb stayed that night at Ken’s brother’s house, but neither slept a wink.

The next morning brought help that did not stop – from family, friends, neighbors, the community, former co-workers, the KARL program, the wheat family. Anyone and everyone who could offer help did. Two former teachers of Ken offered to rent them a two-story farmhouse west of Junction City that was fully furnished. The couple moved in with half a trash bag full of clothes and a pan of lasagna from a neighbor and lived there for 10 months. Although, the fridge was already so full of offerings that the lasagna barely fit.

In addition to the farmhouse and yard, the couple lost irrigation pivots, bins, other buildings and a couple of pieces of equipment.&nbsp;But one of the hardest chores was cleaning up all the acres where debris was scattered like crumbs.

“It literally just chewed stuff up and so there was a lot of stuff that was spread out over the fields,” Ken said. “Little pieces. You’d find a handle off a truck, and there was a lot of things that you couldn’t tell what they were.”

In addition to picking up individual pieces of debris, Ken and his helpers burned wheat stubble and then had to mine the debris hidden under the stubble. It couldn’t be done all at once, so it was done one smoky, dusty terrace at a time.

Within just a few weeks, it was time for wheat harvest. Luckily, Ken was no stranger to borrowing trucks or tractors from his brother or neighbors. And wheat harvest felt like a return to something normal.

“That was the first thing that felt like I was doing something that’s not picking stuff up and not tornado-related,” Ken said. “Although harvest was a real trip, cutting around stuff out in the wheat fields, that was what got me back into the right frame of mind to at least start a plan.”

The couple navigated insurance and deciding where and how to rebuild their farmstead. The home builders broke ground at the end of September and they moved into their brand-new home the first weekend of the next April.

Their story does not end there. When health issues popped up, Ken made the difficult decision to retire. One of the neighbors who stepped up after the tornado and brought out a loader to help out had a son coming home and wanted to expand his operation. So Ken and Deb made the calls – first to their landlords and then to others – it was time to turn over the operation to a new generation.

“One weekend, that’s about all I did was call people and let them know,” Ken said. “As it turned out, I’ve been way healthier than I was expecting to be from this whole deal, so I could have kept going. But once you make the decision, I’ve been at peace with it pretty much.”

While COVID-19 disrupted retirement travel plans, the Woods have found themselves as busy as ever. Deb now helps share her story about taking an inventory of both everything in the machine shed and in the house, but also putting together a grab-and-go box with all the policy and phone numbers needed if the worst happens. And Ken found he missed serving on wheat industry boards, so he quickly applied when a spot opened up for the board for the National Wheat Foundation.

“Now I’m probably busier than I want to be, but it’s self-inflicted,” Ken said. “So I’m good with that.”

Through it all – farming, tornadoes, rebuilding a home, retiring – Ken and Deb know one truth above all else – it’s the people around you that matter most.

“I feel like we’ve come out on the other side stronger and more resilient,” Deb said. “All of the people that helped us get through the recovery; we couldn’t have done it without them. Building those relationships and keeping in touch with people and having that community – it really helps you get through things like this.”

Listen to Ken and Deb’s full story on the podcast or find other episodes of “Wheat’s On Your Mind” at&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001RmWZ_PX4vSzc-5iqlzbNHOLHxJSkNwPEmmTeP0wbLGU7Wa3YmrBYy2ueagzcICGKgyrH-D0X-ekqbAMEAn55kDw9CdegRL7BFcnVEr0Uv4s17Bv5ySNUYmJZ-4UMDoEKqXeOr5XUH6IaUlrNgdZASsDwXrXneqmL&amp;c=s9TZlWvQvJVkm0uHr-SJ8_G99JTAxPjmx4qltvsrMhENW9HQPZQUCQ==&amp;ch=S_m_534jOf3J3zYLZ0klmXQXLWpQsKIWJ0xFaMYP37xPAJ1IRmS6Ag==">wheatsonyourmind.com</a>.&nbsp;

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 </figure>JULIA DEBES Kansas WheatThe lives of one Kansas farm family were forever changed after a large and violent long-track tornado tore across north central Kansas on May 25, 2015. Ranking as one of the most violent tornadoes of the season with an EF4 rating and estimated winds of 180 miles per hour, the funnel was on the ground for more than a staggering 90 minutes, bending railroad tracks and snapping trees three or four feet wide in half.&nbsp;The worst damage was to a single farmstead one mile southwest of Chapman, where the home and all the outbuildings were completely blown away as the operation’s matriarch hid in the basement underneath pillows. But what could be only a story of devastation is also one of hope, community and resilience for Ken and Deb Wood, who shared their story with Aaron Harries, Kansas Wheat vice president of research and operations and host of the Wheat’s on Your Mind podcast.Today, Ken is a retired wheat farmer, who has served on the boards of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and the National Association of Wheat Growers. He still serves as a board member for the National Wheat Foundation. Deb works as a family resource management agent for K-State Research and Extension in Salina.The day the tornado struck wasn’t expected to be a very severe weather day. Ken was away in Hays for KAWG meetings and Deb went to and came home from work like normal. Their farmstead was picturesque, located in a river bottom with a traditional farmhouse, nine outbuildings and all the machinery you would expect on a working farm – minus the combines that were stored at a different location. Ken had all his corn and about half of his soybeans planted and he recalled he was three weeks to a month out from wheat harvest.Deb came home like any other day, got a bite to eat and had the news on. There was a storm building east of Bennington, but it was Kansas and May, so thunderstorms and tornadoes are just part of the normal weather broadcast.“There’s tornadoes around Kansas all the time, so I didn’t think too awful much of it until things started getting closer,” Deb said. “Looking back, if I knew then what I know now, I would have put as much stuff into my vehicle as I possibly could have and gotten the heck out of Dodge.”Ken stayed in Hays for supper. He got an alert on his phone that there was some severe weather developing, but he just watched as it developed like a normal storm. He got on the road and headed for home, but the longer he drove, the more he realized the storm was developing into something dangerous.In Kansas, tornadoes typically move from the southwest to the northeast or due north. This night’s tornado moved west to east, took a right turn, went south across I-70 and hit the Wood’s farmstead out of the northwest as a monster.“When you live in Kansas, you spend a lot of time in the basement when there’s a warning,” Deb said. “Most of the time, I go downstairs and I just kind of sit there, listen to the radio and wait for it to be over with. I had done that and then I had gone back up as I was getting texts from people. And that’s when I started worrying.”Deb quickly gathered what she could – some medicine, work clothes and, importantly, Ken’s work boots. Then she ducked under a desk in the basement, taking pillows off the bed in the room and stuffing them around her. Still, it didn’t occur to her that the storm would take everything else.Then the storm hit. The glass broke. The subfloor was totally blown away. And the entire house was gone.“There was nothing left at the farm and I mean nothing left,” Deb said. “There was just nothing. It just chewed everything up into little pieces.”The glass all broke, it ripped off the subfloor totally.&nbsp;The house’s center beam broke into two and a wall landed on Deb. Then it started raining and then it started hailing. Still, Deb kept her cool.“I called Ken to let him know we’d taken a direct hit, but I was fine, but I couldn’t get out,” Deb remembered.A local fireman who had lost part of his own farming operation in a 2008 tornado that hit nearby Chapman was first on the scene. Deb could hear him calling for her, so she started hitting on top of the wall. He removed what he could but had to wait for help to get her out entirely.Ken got the call when he was in nearby Abilene. He raced down the road but was stopped on his normal route on Old 40 Highway because there were poles across the road. When a deputy came flying around the corner and heading north towards I-70, Ken got behind him and followed him all the way – not stopping at a single stop sign, only slowing when they hit a heavy hailstorm.By the time Ken got home, it was still light enough to see the damage. Deb had very deep bruises on her back, but no broken bones. Although they had no house, no clothes, no food, the community immediately rallied together. Ken and Deb stayed that night at Ken’s brother’s house, but neither slept a wink.The next morning brought help that did not stop – from family, friends, neighbors, the community, former co-workers, the KARL program, the wheat family. Anyone and everyone who could offer help did. Two former teachers of Ken offered to rent them a two-story farmhouse west of Junction City that was fully furnished. The couple moved in with half a trash bag full of clothes and a pan of lasagna from a neighbor and lived there for 10 months. Although, the fridge was already so full of offerings that the lasagna barely fit.In addition to the farmhouse and yard, the couple lost irrigation pivots, bins, other buildings and a couple of pieces of equipment.&nbsp;But one of the hardest chores was cleaning up all the acres where debris was scattered like crumbs.“It literally just chewed stuff up and so there was a lot of stuff that was spread out over the fields,” Ken said. “Little pieces. You’d find a handle off a truck, and there was a lot of things that you couldn’t tell what they were.”In addition to picking up individual pieces of debris, Ken and his helpers burned wheat stubble and then had to mine the debris hidden under the stubble. It couldn’t be done all at once, so it was done one smoky, dusty terrace at a time.Within just a few weeks, it was time for wheat harvest. Luckily, Ken was no stranger to borrowing trucks or tractors from his brother or neighbors. And wheat harvest felt like a return to something normal.“That was the first thing that felt like I was doing something that’s not picking stuff up and not tornado-related,” Ken said. “Although harvest was a real trip, cutting around stuff out in the wheat fields, that was what got me back into the right frame of mind to at least start a plan.”The couple navigated insurance and deciding where and how to rebuild their farmstead. The home builders broke ground at the end of September and they moved into their brand-new home the first weekend of the next April.Their story does not end there. When health issues popped up, Ken made the difficult decision to retire. One of the neighbors who stepped up after the tornado and brought out a loader to help out had a son coming home and wanted to expand his operation. So Ken and Deb made the calls – first to their landlords and then to others – it was time to turn over the operation to a new generation.“One weekend, that’s about all I did was call people and let them know,” Ken said. “As it turned out, I’ve been way healthier than I was expecting to be from this whole deal, so I could have kept going. But once you make the decision, I’ve been at peace with it pretty much.”While COVID-19 disrupted retirement travel plans, the Woods have found themselves as busy as ever. Deb now helps share her story about taking an inventory of both everything in the machine shed and in the house, but also putting together a grab-and-go box with all the policy and phone numbers needed if the worst happens. And Ken found he missed serving on wheat industry boards, so he quickly applied when a spot opened up for the board for the National Wheat Foundation.“Now I’m probably busier than I want to be, but it’s self-inflicted,” Ken said. “So I’m good with that.”Through it all – farming, tornadoes, rebuilding a home, retiring – Ken and Deb know one truth above all else – it’s the people around you that matter most.“I feel like we’ve come out on the other side stronger and more resilient,” Deb said. “All of the people that helped us get through the recovery; we couldn’t have done it without them. Building those relationships and keeping in touch with people and having that community – it really helps you get through things like this.”Listen to Ken and Deb’s full story on the podcast or find other episodes of “Wheat’s On Your Mind” at&nbsp;<a href="https://sfdzp7cab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001RmWZ_PX4vSzc-5iqlzbNHOLHxJSkNwPEmmTeP0wbLGU7Wa3YmrBYy2ueagzcICGKgyrH-D0X-ekqbAMEAn55kDw9CdegRL7BFcnVEr0Uv4s17Bv5ySNUYmJZ-4UMDoEKqXeOr5XUH6IaUlrNgdZASsDwXrXneqmL&amp;c=s9TZlWvQvJVkm0uHr-SJ8_G99JTAxPjmx4qltvsrMhENW9HQPZQUCQ==&amp;ch=S_m_534jOf3J3zYLZ0klmXQXLWpQsKIWJ0xFaMYP37xPAJ1IRmS6Ag==">wheatsonyourmind.com</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp; &nbsp;