DENVER (AP) — A student shot and wounded two administrators at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teen-gun-violence-denver-march-20b6acfd88edbc6e5c949a08aba45941">Denver high school</a>&nbsp;Wednesday morning, after a handgun was found during a daily search of the boy that was being conducted because of behavioral issues, authorities said.

The 17-year-old suspect remained at large. Denver school officials, facing criticism over lax security, said they would put armed officers into the city's public high schools.

The shooting occurred at a school shaken by frequent lockdowns and violence, including the killing of a classmate that prompted East High School students to march on the Colorado Capitol earlier this month. Parents who converged on the 2,500-student campus on Wednesday faulted officials for not doing enough to protect their children.

“I am sick of it,” said Jesse Haase, who planned to talk with her daughter about taking her out of classes for the rest of the school year.

Police were searching for Austin Lyle for attempted homicide. The gun used in the shooting was not immediately recovered, Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said.

Police issued an alert linking Lyle to a red 2005 Volvo X90 with Colorado plates and offered a reward up to $2,000 for information on the case.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings">shooting</a>&nbsp;happened just before 10 a.m. in an office area as the student was undergoing a search as part of a “safety plan" that required him to be patted down daily, officials said.

One of the wounded administrators was released from the hospital Wednesday afternoon and the second remained in serious condition, said Heather Burke, a spokesperson for Denver Health hospital. Both victims are male.

Thomas said police know where Lyle lives and believed they would apprehend him.

"He obviously is armed and dangerous and willing to use the weapon, as we’ve learned this morning,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock warned as law enforcement searched.

Hundreds of students on March 3 skipped class and marched in support of stricter gun laws following the death of Luis Garcia, 16, who was shot while sitting in a car near the school.

There were no school resource officers on campus at the time of Wednesday's shooting, Thomas said.

In June 2020, amid a summer of protests over racial injustice following the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-us-news-ap-top-news-hip-hop-and-rap-houston-a55d2662f200ead0da4fed9e923b60a7">murder of George Floyd</a>, Denver Public Schools became one of the districts around the US that decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-wisconsin-az-state-wire-racial-injustice-bc5b750085a89e03e132d7d3dda09a99">phase out its use of police officers in school buildings</a>. That push was fueled by criticism that school resource officers disproportionately arrested Black students, sweeping them into the criminal justice system.

After Wednesday's shooting, two armed officers will be posted at East High School and other city high schools also will each get an officer, said Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero.

In a Wednesday letter to the city's Board of Education, Marrero said his decision would violate the district's policies. But Marrero added he “can no longer stand on the sidelines.”

“I am willing to accept the consequences of my actions,” he wrote. “I am the leader of this district who is charged with keeping our scholars and staff safe every day.”

Gun violence at schools has become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-health-texas-violence-928c177ee8e09b59507c88d9c5b6ce51">increasingly common</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. with more than 1,300 shootings recorded between 2000 and June 2022, according to researchers from the Naval Postgraduate School and Center for Homeland Defense and Security. Those shootings killed 377 people and wounded 1,025, according to a database maintained by the researchers.

Students from East High School had been scheduled to testify Wednesday afternoon before the Colorado Legislature on gun safety bills.

“This is the reality of being young in America: sitting through a shooting and waiting for information just hours before you’re scheduled to testify in support of gun safety bills,” said Gracie Taub, a 16-year-old East High School sophomore and volunteer with Students Demand Action in Colorado.

“Our school experience should not be completely shaped by gun violence,” she added.

Lyle had transferred to East High School after being disciplined and removed from a high school in nearby Aurora during last school year because of violations of school policies, Cherry Creek School District spokesperson Lauren Snell. She declined to specify the violations, citing student privacy.

Officials did not reveal why he was being searched daily.

Marrero said safety plans for students are enacted in response to “past educational and also behavioral experiences,” adding that it’s a common practice throughout Colorado’s public schools.

But daily pat downs are rare, said Matthew McClain with the Colorado School Counselor Association, and Franci Crepeau-Hobson, a University of Colorado Denver professor specializing in school violence prevention.

“Clearly they were concerned,” said Crepeau-Hobson. “I can’t imagine they’d do that if there wasn’t a history of the kid carrying a weapon for whatever reason.”

School safety plans are often imposed after students exhibit threatening or suicidal behavior, said Christine Harms, director of the Colorado School Safety Resource Center. A team that can include counselors, administrators and police officers assesses the possible threat and develops a safety plan, which can include mental health support, more supervision and searches, she said.

East High School, not far from downtown near a busy street that cuts through the city, was placed on lockdown as police investigated the shooting.

Hundreds of parents lined up along a road near the school, with the scene sealed off by police.

Some parents and students vented frustration over violence at the school as they surrounded the police chief. Others argued about the causes of the violence.

Thomas listened quietly, nodding and promising to engage with the school board.

At the edge of the crowd, a man said the city's school board members should be recalled for getting rid of police in school, telling a police officer nearby “I just want you to be able to do your job.”

Another man shouted that it was a problem of “evil in the world” while a girl responded that the violence wouldn’t happen if guns weren’t so easily available.

Parent Haase said her daughter, a senior, texted while hiding in a classroom with the lights off during the lockdown. Haase said lockdowns have happened too frequently at the school this year and she was frustrated.

Denver Public School confirmed the victims were administrators.

Wednesday was also the second anniversary of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/boulder-supermarket-shooting">10 people being shot and killed</a>&nbsp;at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she wasn’t sure whether President Joe Biden had been briefed on the school shooting, but said, “Our hearts go out to the families of the two school administrators in Denver today, and to the entire school community.”

She repeated Biden’s called for stricter gun laws, including bans on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, and for Congress to “do something” on gun control.

DENVER (AP) — Two school administrators were shot Wednesday morning at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teen-gun-violence-denver-march-20b6acfd88edbc6e5c949a08aba45941">Denver high school</a>&nbsp;during a confrontation that occurred after a handgun was found on a student subjected to daily searches, authorities said.

The male, juvenile suspect remained at large and the gun was not immediately recovered following the shooting at East High School, Police Chief Ron Thomas said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings">shooting</a>&nbsp;happened just before 10 a.m. in an area away from classrooms as the student was undergoing a search as part of a “safety plan" that required him to be patted down daily, officials said.

One of the administrators was critically injured and was undergoing surgery at an area hospital. The second victim was in stable condition, Thomas said. Both victims are male.

Thomas said police know the identity of the suspect and were confident they would apprehend him.

"He obviously is armed and dangerous and willing to use the weapon, as we’ve learned this morning,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock warned as law enforcement searched for the suspect.

Earlier this month students from the school skipped class and marched to Colorado’s state Capitol to demand stricter gun laws, following the death of a fellow student who was shot while sitting in a car near the school, which has about 2,500 students.

There were no school resource officers on campus at the time of Wednesday's shooting, Thomas said. But following the shooting, Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero said two armed officers will be posted at East High School through the end of the school year.

The suspect in Wednesday’s shooting had transferred to East High School from another district, Marrero said. Officials did not reveal why the student was being searched daily.

Parent Jess Haase said her daughter, a senior, texted while hiding in a classroom with the lights off during the lockdown. Haase said lockdowns have happened too frequently at the school this year and she was frustrated. She planned to talk to her daughter about taking her out of school for the rest of the school year.

DENVER (AP) — Two school administrators were shot on Wednesday morning at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teen-gun-violence-denver-march-20b6acfd88edbc6e5c949a08aba45941">Denver high school</a>&nbsp;after a handgun was found on a student subjected to daily searches, authorities said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings">shooting</a>&nbsp;happened just before 10 a.m. in an area away from classrooms as the student was undergoing a daily search as part of a “safety plan,” officials said. One of the administrators was critically injured and was undergoing surgery at an area hospital. The second victim was in stable condition, Thomas said. Both victims are male.

"He obviously is armed and dangerous and willing to use the weapon, as we’ve learned this morning,” said Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, warning the community as they search for the suspect.

Earlier this month students from the school skipped class and marched to Colorado’s state Capitol to demand stricter gun laws, following the death of a fellow student who was shot while sitting in a car near the school.

School shootings have become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-health-texas-violence-928c177ee8e09b59507c88d9c5b6ce51">increasingly common</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. with 1,045 shootings recorded between 2000 and 2021, according to research from the Naval Postgraduate School and Center for Homeland Defense and Security. More than 300 people were killed and 450 injured in the shootings during that time.

The school, not far from downtown near a busy street that cuts through the city, was placed on lockdown as police investigated the shooting.

Some parents and students who gathered outside the school vented their frustration over violence at the school as they surrounded Thomas, the police chief.

Thomas listened quietly, nodding and promising to engage with the school board. One man shouted that it was a problem of “evil in the world” while a girl said the violence wouldn’t happen if guns weren’t so easily available. Another man lamented that the school should have a school resource officer.

Parent Jess Haase said her daughter, a senior, texted while hiding in her classroom with the lights off during the lockdown that followed the shooting.

Haase said the lockdowns have happened too frequently at the school this year and she was frustrated. She planned to talk to her daughter about taking her out of school for the coming weeks.

DENVER (AP) — Two school administrators were shot at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teen-gun-violence-denver-march-20b6acfd88edbc6e5c949a08aba45941">Denver high school</a>&nbsp;Wednesday morning after a handgun was found during a search of a student, authorities said.

The juvenile suspect remained at large and the gun was not immediately recovered following the shooting at East High School, Police Chief Ron Thomas said.

The shooting happened at around 10 a.m. in an area away from classrooms as the student was undergoing a daily search as part of a “safety plan,” officials said. One of the administrators was critically injured and is undergoing surgery. The second victim was in stable condition, Thomas said.

Police know the identity of the suspect and were confident they would apprehend him, he said.

Earlier this month students from the school skipped class and and marched to Colorado’s state Capitol to demand stricter gun laws, following the death of a fellow student who was shot while sitting in a car near the school.

The suspect in Wednesday's shooting had transferred to East High School from another district, Denver Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero said. Officials did not reveal why the student was subject to daily searches.

Police: Boy shoots 2 administrators at Denver high school

By NATE KING Salina Post

Salina Mayor Mike Hoppock is no stranger to the title of mayor- but titles aren't why he continues to serve as commissioner and now mayor for the second time. For him, it is a matter of community service. 

Salina Post sat down for an interview with Hoppock to discuss community concerns, his goals for the term and where he sees the city in 10 years.

Listen:&nbsp;<a href="https://910kina.com/community-profile/">KINA community profile interview with Mayor Mike Hoppock</a>

In January of 2020, The World Health Organization announced a mysterious coronavirus disease was spreading in China. By November of that same year, Kansas was seeing a surge in cases and more people dying of COVID-19. Hoppock said his first term as mayor was full of tough decisions and a constantly changing information regarding the pandemic.&nbsp; Yet despite a year of businesses being closed and students moving to&nbsp; remote learning, the City of Salina emerged on stronger financial footing than before the pandemic.

"One of the things as a city we weren't sure of is how strong our sales tax would be," Hoppock said. "Because the unemployment insurance relief the government came out with, we were able to furlough and job share some employees and keep them- that was important to us."&nbsp;

Hoppock said by maintaining a strong sales tax and "weathering the storm" the city was able to increase the general reserve fund considerably.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Our sales tax numbers were actually stronger in 2020, then it was in 2019," Hoppock said. "We just got numbers from the finance department, and the numbers are up in 2022, over 2021. We are just excited about the direction the community is headed."&nbsp;&nbsp;

In 2017 the City of Salina began a downtown revitalization project aimed at adding entertainment venues, retail, dining locations, residential spaces and hotels to give downtown Salina a new look. Mayor Hoppock said the improvements helped reenergize&nbsp;Salina's sense of identity and town pride.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Downtown is everybody's neighborhood," Hoppock said. "When I look back at some of the older pictures, downtown was looking tired."&nbsp;

One example was The Phoenix Motel, a dilapidated building located at N. Fifth Street and E. Iron Avenue. Hoppock said through private and public partnership part of the property became the home of the Salina Fieldhouse.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"I know people now moving back to Salina that have been gone for a while and they are just amazed with our downtown and amenities," Hoppock said.&nbsp;

Although some people opposed the overhead, lighted structures on Santa Fe Avenue, Hoppock said they were well worth the money.&nbsp;

"The overhead structures at night when they are lit up says, 'This is Salina, Kansas.' I think it’s a big plus to downtown," Hoppock said.&nbsp;

Located at&nbsp;&nbsp;139 N. Penn Avenue is a blighted building with an ever-changing owner: the former St.&nbsp;John's&nbsp;Hospital. 

Built in 1913, St. John's Hospital was pitched by Rev. Father Maher of the Sisters of St. Joseph who then brought the idea to non-Catholic citizens of Salina who agreed there was a need.&nbsp;

Decades of births, surgeries, and life-changing events took place within St. John's Hospital and eventually the name evolved into St. John's Regional Health Center. Leading up to the completion of Salina Regional Health Center on S. Santa Fe Avenue, St. John's became more and more obsolete.&nbsp;By 2010, the campus was entirely empty. From 2002 until 2015, Salina Regional had made several failed attempts to find a potential developer for the property.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In 2015 the City of Salina denied a request by Salina Regional to demolish the St. John's facility. During a city commission meeting, Jim&nbsp;Ravenkamp protested the demolition idea. He and others in the community believed there was some way the historic facility could be used. Subsequently, the city called off the demolition.&nbsp;

In 2023, the building still sits abandoned with no plans announced on redevelopment.

"It is a blighted property, and we are not sure what we're gonna do and it has recently changed hands again," Hoppock said. " I've been through it and there's not a room that hasn't been vandalized and it has mold in it.&nbsp; Some individuals have looked at trying to redevelop that. But it's really, really expensive. It's small rooms, thick, thick, concrete walls, and I'm sure it has asbestos in it. Asbestos removal is very, very expensive."

Hoppock said he was not sure how the city would address the blighted property, but he did say the city will do everything it can to help a developer make something of the property. Hoppock also said so far the city hasn't had anybody come to them with any good ideas for the property.&nbsp;

The Salina Airport Authority,&nbsp; Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have conducted numerous environmental investigations and some limited remedial actions at the former Schilling Airforce Base since the mid-1990s.

In April of 2021, the Salina City Commission approved the consulting and engineering contract with Dragun Corp., which has drafted plans to clean up pollution at the former base.&nbsp; 

Initial cleanup funding for the project came after a lawsuit was filed against the federal government by&nbsp;the Kansas Board of Regents, USD 305, the Salina Airport Authority, and the city of Salina. The lawsuit resulted in a settlement of $65.9 million.&nbsp;

With the settlement fund now on deposit, the Salina public entities can complete the clean up at little to no cost to existing and future airport and Airport Industrial Center businesses.

According to a release from Salina Airport Authority, the years of military use left behind several different forms of pollution, primarily from the solvent trichloroethylene, or TCE, in the soil and groundwater.

&nbsp;TCE, a carcinogen, was used as a degreaser to wash aircraft and weapons at the base. Officials also determined the contamination was creeping, ever so slowly, to the northeast toward city water wells.

Martha Tasker, Salina director of utilities, is co-managing the project with Matt Schroeder senior environmental engineer at Dragun Corp.

"In the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s, when the Schilling Air Force Base was here they weren't as cautious about contaminants as we are today," Tasker said. "Now we have the ability to test for PFAS [per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances] out at the airbase,  and we actually test down to 70 parts per trillion."

Tasker said there are a total of seven groundwater plumes that stretch diagonally southwest to northeast across the Salina Airport Authority property. She also mentioned that the closest municipal water well to any of the plumes, is 1.5 miles away from the nearest plume.

“This area didn’t get contaminated overnight, and it’s not gonna get cleaned up overnight,” Tasker said. “We look for some of that testing to carry on through 2050. We want to make sure that area is safe. It’s not just protecting the groundwater, it’s also protecting the air.”

Tasker outlined four different remedial ground water techniques the city plans to use.&nbsp;

● Excavation and off-site disposal Physically removing contaminated soil and taking it to another location outside the county. Soil that is identified at non-hazardous would be sent to the local landfill and any soil deemed hazardous would be sent to a special facility.

● Thermal treatment The process of heating about 6,000 square feet of contaminated soil using heaters placed in underground steel pipes. Once the soil is heated, the contaminants will evaporate into gasses. The gasses are then collected, treated, and discharged. The thermal treatment plan would be completed in 160 days, and would cost $8.7 million.

● Permeable reactive barriers Walls of reactive materials installed underground that would react with contaminants in groundwater to form less toxic or harmless chemicals. These barriers would cost $14.6 million.

● Directed groundwater recirculation Wells built to extract and treat groundwater and reinject it back into the aquifer. This process is the most expensive part of the proposed remediation, at a cost of $54.5 million.

"We are studying and we're very close to start doing some excavation work at Plume B, which is located behind Salina Area Technical College and near building 614 at the airport," Tasker said.&nbsp;

Tasker said excavation and off site disposal would be used for very small areas that have an identified source point, because it is not logical or feasible to dig up all of K State's campus.&nbsp;

"Depending on what it is, you're going to travel some distance and they [waste disposal sites] come with a very expensive price tag," Tasker said.

While most of the cleanup will be accomplished in the first five years, Tasker said decades of monitoring and spot treatment may be ahead before the project is deemed complete.

"They are there deciding how they're going to go about cleanup," Hoppock said. "There are several different chemicals that take different types of treatment. They have been monitoring to make sure it does not contaminate any residential areas. At this time, there's no residential or business areas that I'm aware of that are in any kind of danger."

"I really think we have a lot of momentum right now. And I continue to see us grow," Hoppock said. "If you look at Schwans and Kubota, they both still have expansions in their future. 1 Vision [Aviation] has grown, we have other locally owned companies like Vortex showing continued&nbsp; growth, I can go through the list that have all been very successful, and very quietly continue to add to and grow their businesses."

Hoppock said the City of Salina has positioned itself well and has continued to foster its community relationships to improve the overall quality of life.

&nbsp;"We're right on the edge of western Kansas, and, and if you go west of us, most of the counties are shrinking, and I think Salina has positioned ourselves with the right investments to continue to to improve ourselves. Having Kansas Wesleyan and K-State Salina here also helps."

As the population grows and more businesses expand, Hoppock said he expects more businesses to follow suit.&nbsp;

"I think we'll continue to see&nbsp; businesses come in. We're hoping to get that direct flight to Houston," Hoppock said. "We currently have a flight to Chicago and to Denver. If you're looking to bring businesses in, it is important that people can get in here without having to fly into Wichita, Kansas City and drive. So we're hoping that comes about soon."

<div><iframe title="Mike Hoppock, Mayor of Salina" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=rwzdb-13e2128-pb&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=1b1b1b&size=150"></iframe></div>By NATE KING Salina PostSalina Mayor Mike Hoppock is no stranger to the title of mayor- but titles aren't why he continues to serve as commissioner and now mayor for the second time. For him, it is a matter of community service. Salina Post sat down for an interview with Hoppock to discuss community concerns, his goals for the term and where he sees the city in 10 years.Listen:&nbsp;<a href="https://910kina.com/community-profile/">KINA community profile interview with Mayor Mike Hoppock</a><h2>First term as mayor</h2>In January of 2020, The World Health Organization announced a mysterious coronavirus disease was spreading in China. By November of that same year, Kansas was seeing a surge in cases and more people dying of COVID-19. Hoppock said his first term as mayor was full of tough decisions and a constantly changing information regarding the pandemic.&nbsp; Yet despite a year of businesses being closed and students moving to&nbsp; remote learning, the City of Salina emerged on stronger financial footing than before the pandemic."One of the things as a city we weren't sure of is how strong our sales tax would be," Hoppock said. "Because the unemployment insurance relief the government came out with, we were able to furlough and job share some employees and keep them- that was important to us."&nbsp;Hoppock said by maintaining a strong sales tax and "weathering the storm" the city was able to increase the general reserve fund considerably.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Our sales tax numbers were actually stronger in 2020, then it was in 2019," Hoppock said. "We just got numbers from the finance department, and the numbers are up in 2022, over 2021. We are just excited about the direction the community is headed."&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>City of lights, a brightened downtown</h2>In 2017 the City of Salina began a downtown revitalization project aimed at adding entertainment venues, retail, dining locations, residential spaces and hotels to give downtown Salina a new look. Mayor Hoppock said the improvements helped reenergize&nbsp;Salina's sense of identity and town pride.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668899605683.jpeg" alt="Vegan Shark performs on the City Lights Stage during the Holiday Festival&nbsp;Nov. 19. Salina Post file photo/LeslieEikleberry" />
 <figcaption>Vegan Shark performs on the City Lights Stage during the Holiday Festival&nbsp;Nov. 19. Salina Post file photo/LeslieEikleberry</figcaption>
 </figure>"Downtown is everybody's neighborhood," Hoppock said. "When I look back at some of the older pictures, downtown was looking tired."&nbsp;One example was The Phoenix Motel, a dilapidated building located at N. Fifth Street and E. Iron Avenue. Hoppock said through private and public partnership part of the property became the home of the Salina Fieldhouse.&nbsp;&nbsp;"I know people now moving back to Salina that have been gone for a while and they are just amazed with our downtown and amenities," Hoppock said.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656615687445.jpeg" alt="Salina downtown looking south on Santa Fe Avenue.&nbsp;Salina Post file photo/Leslie Eikleberry" />
 <figcaption>Salina downtown looking south on Santa Fe Avenue.&nbsp;Salina Post file photo/Leslie Eikleberry</figcaption>
 </figure>Although some people opposed the overhead, lighted structures on Santa Fe Avenue, Hoppock said they were well worth the money.&nbsp;"The overhead structures at night when they are lit up says, 'This is Salina, Kansas.' I think it’s a big plus to downtown," Hoppock said.&nbsp;<h2>Blighted buildings</h2>Located at&nbsp;&nbsp;139 N. Penn Avenue is a blighted building with an ever-changing owner: the former St.&nbsp;John's&nbsp;Hospital. Built in 1913, St. John's Hospital was pitched by Rev. Father Maher of the Sisters of St. Joseph who then brought the idea to non-Catholic citizens of Salina who agreed there was a need.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679417620061.jpeg" alt="St. John's Hospital.&nbsp;Image&nbsp;courtesy Kansas Historical Society&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>St. John's Hospital.&nbsp;Image&nbsp;courtesy Kansas Historical Society&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Decades of births, surgeries, and life-changing events took place within St. John's Hospital and eventually the name evolved into St. John's Regional Health Center. Leading up to the completion of Salina Regional Health Center on S. Santa Fe Avenue, St. John's became more and more obsolete.&nbsp;By 2010, the campus was entirely empty. From 2002 until 2015, Salina Regional had made several failed attempts to find a potential developer for the property.&nbsp;&nbsp;In 2015 the City of Salina denied a request by Salina Regional to demolish the St. John's facility. During a city commission meeting, Jim&nbsp;Ravenkamp protested the demolition idea. He and others in the community believed there was some way the historic facility could be used. Subsequently, the city called off the demolition.&nbsp;In 2023, the building still sits abandoned with no plans announced on redevelopment.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679418968288.jpeg" alt="Current state of former St. John's Hospital.&nbsp;Photo by Nate King/Salina Post" />
 <figcaption>Current state of former St. John's Hospital.&nbsp;Photo by Nate King/Salina Post</figcaption>
 </figure>"It is a blighted property, and we are not sure what we're gonna do and it has recently changed hands again," Hoppock said. " I've been through it and there's not a room that hasn't been vandalized and it has mold in it.&nbsp; Some individuals have looked at trying to redevelop that. But it's really, really expensive. It's small rooms, thick, thick, concrete walls, and I'm sure it has asbestos in it. Asbestos removal is very, very expensive."Hoppock said he was not sure how the city would address the blighted property, but he did say the city will do everything it can to help a developer make something of the property. Hoppock also said so far the city hasn't had anybody come to them with any good ideas for the property.&nbsp;<h2>Schilling chemical cleanup site update</h2>The Salina Airport Authority,&nbsp; Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have conducted numerous environmental investigations and some limited remedial actions at the former Schilling Airforce Base since the mid-1990s.In April of 2021, the Salina City Commission approved the consulting and engineering contract with Dragun Corp., which has drafted plans to clean up pollution at the former base.&nbsp; Initial cleanup funding for the project came after a lawsuit was filed against the federal government by&nbsp;the Kansas Board of Regents, USD 305, the Salina Airport Authority, and the city of Salina. The lawsuit resulted in a settlement of $65.9 million.&nbsp;With the settlement fund now on deposit, the Salina public entities can complete the clean up at little to no cost to existing and future airport and Airport Industrial Center businesses.According to a release from Salina Airport Authority, the years of military use left behind several different forms of pollution, primarily from the solvent trichloroethylene, or TCE, in the soil and groundwater.&nbsp;TCE, a carcinogen, was used as a degreaser to wash aircraft and weapons at the base. Officials also determined the contamination was creeping, ever so slowly, to the northeast toward city water wells.Martha Tasker, Salina director of utilities, is co-managing the project with Matt Schroeder senior environmental engineer at Dragun Corp."In the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s, when the Schilling Air Force Base was here they weren't as cautious about contaminants as we are today," Tasker said. "Now we have the ability to test for PFAS [per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances] out at the airbase, and we actually test down to 70 parts per trillion."Tasker said there are a total of seven groundwater plumes that stretch diagonally southwest to northeast across the Salina Airport Authority property. She also mentioned that the closest municipal water well to any of the plumes, is 1.5 miles away from the nearest plume.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679431555790.jpeg" alt="A map of the different plumes located at the former Schilling Air Force Base. Images courtesy City of Salina Utilities" />
 <figcaption>A map of the different plumes located at the former Schilling Air Force Base. Images courtesy City of Salina Utilities</figcaption>
 </figure>“This area didn’t get contaminated overnight, and it’s not gonna get cleaned up overnight,” Tasker said. “We look for some of that testing to carry on through 2050. We want to make sure that area is safe. It’s not just protecting the groundwater, it’s also protecting the air.”Tasker outlined four different remedial ground water techniques the city plans to use.&nbsp;● Excavation and off-site disposal Physically removing contaminated soil and taking it to another location outside the county. Soil that is identified at non-hazardous would be sent to the local landfill and any soil deemed hazardous would be sent to a special facility.● Thermal treatment The process of heating about 6,000 square feet of contaminated soil using heaters placed in underground steel pipes. Once the soil is heated, the contaminants will evaporate into gasses. The gasses are then collected, treated, and discharged. The thermal treatment plan would be completed in 160 days, and would cost $8.7 million.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679427527419.jpeg" alt="Thermal treatment plan&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Thermal treatment plan&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure> ● Permeable reactive barriers Walls of reactive materials installed underground that would react with contaminants in groundwater to form less toxic or harmless chemicals. These barriers would cost $14.6 million.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679427636456.jpeg" alt="Permeable reactive barrier treatment&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Permeable reactive barrier treatment&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure> ● Directed groundwater recirculation Wells built to extract and treat groundwater and reinject it back into the aquifer. This process is the most expensive part of the proposed remediation, at a cost of $54.5 million. "We are studying and we're very close to start doing some excavation work at Plume B, which is located behind Salina Area Technical College and near building 614 at the airport," Tasker said.&nbsp;Tasker said excavation and off site disposal would be used for very small areas that have an identified source point, because it is not logical or feasible to dig up all of K State's campus.&nbsp;"Depending on what it is, you're going to travel some distance and they [waste disposal sites] come with a very expensive price tag," Tasker said.While most of the cleanup will be accomplished in the first five years, Tasker said decades of monitoring and spot treatment may be ahead before the project is deemed complete."They are there deciding how they're going to go about cleanup," Hoppock said. "There are several different chemicals that take different types of treatment. They have been monitoring to make sure it does not contaminate any residential areas. At this time, there's no residential or business areas that I'm aware of that are in any kind of danger."<h2>Where does he see the city in 10 years?</h2>"I really think we have a lot of momentum right now. And I continue to see us grow," Hoppock said. "If you look at Schwans and Kubota, they both still have expansions in their future. 1 Vision [Aviation] has grown, we have other locally owned companies like Vortex showing continued&nbsp; growth, I can go through the list that have all been very successful, and very quietly continue to add to and grow their businesses."Hoppock said the City of Salina has positioned itself well and has continued to foster its community relationships to improve the overall quality of life.&nbsp;"We're right on the edge of western Kansas, and, and if you go west of us, most of the counties are shrinking, and I think Salina has positioned ourselves with the right investments to continue to to improve ourselves. Having Kansas Wesleyan and K-State Salina here also helps."As the population grows and more businesses expand, Hoppock said he expects more businesses to follow suit.&nbsp;"I think we'll continue to see&nbsp; businesses come in. We're hoping to get that direct flight to Houston," Hoppock said. "We currently have a flight to Chicago and to Denver. If you're looking to bring businesses in, it is important that people can get in here without having to fly into Wichita, Kansas City and drive. So we're hoping that comes about soon."

🎙King in the Community: Salina mayor stops by for city update

By TISA MASON FHSU President

I think my favorite two words are “engaged students.” One of the highlights for me this year was the enthusiasm of our students when they returned to campus this past fall. Enthused and engaged students are the lifeblood of a college campus. I have loved watching as our freshmen Student Government Association senators, Grace McCord and Madison Albers, meticulously researched, wrote a case for support, and then worked through several approval processes to gain support for moving a polling place on campus.

Recently, I was delighted to learn that 80 percent &nbsp;(29 out of 36) of our residential life community assistants (CAs) applied to return to serve on the 2023-2024 staff. That is a remarkable return rate. Forty-five additional students applied for those coveted leadership roles. Our 2023-24 resident hall contracts are up – a lot. I have to believe there is a direct correlation between the experience our staff is creating and the surge of interest in the position as well as living on campus.

Community Assistants play a key role on the residential life leadership team. They are responsible for a floor or wing of students in the residence halls, tasked with developing a positive and inclusive community within their hall, event planning, administrative activities at the front desk, serving as a campus resource and reference, participating in on-campus activities, serving as first responders to crisis and emergency situations, ensuring safety and security of the residents, and assisting residents as they find their place at FHSU.

According to residence life director R.J. Schnack,&nbsp;the CA’s are the “face” of the resident life staff. He attributes the high interest in the position to an ethic of care – a key characteristic of the environment we seek to develop daily throughout our university.

While the CAs focus on residents, R.J. and the professional residence life staff intentionally support and care for our CAs. “We are there to listen to our CAs and to help them grow into the profession they want to obtain when they graduate,” R.J. said.

Saige Heizer agrees. &nbsp;She reapplied because she&nbsp; likes the culture she found in Residential Life. “My supervisors have always been very helpful and welcoming, and I really love the camaraderie of the CA staff.”

The CA role exemplifies how we drive our mission to create engaged citizen leaders. Students often reflect on the critical skills they learn through these positions. For example, Saige shared serving as a CA has taught her how to take ownership of her mistakes and shortcomings while working to improve in those areas. Additionally, it has taught her &nbsp;how to address awkward situations without letting them become personal.

The CAs are, by design, involved in other aspects of campus life.&nbsp;Tearney McGivney, a sophomore from Abilene, is a member of the Tiger Media Network, where she films games and takes photos at events. In her free time, she enjoys being &nbsp;with her friends or volunteering around the community. “I love painting and crafting and making new things,” she said. &nbsp;Tearney is definitely modeling the way of an engaged citizen, finding joy in being a part of many communities and making a difference in the lives of others. In fact, she shared, “I would say my greatest accomplishment as a CA is building a community and friendships among my residents.”

Tearney also easily identifies critical skills developed on the job that will facilitate post-college success.

“I have learned many life lessons, including time management, how to say no when I cannot commit to an event/activity, and how to handle stressful situations,” she said.. “I have also learned how to go out of my comfort zone and talk to people I do not know. My biggest fear about college was not being able to make friends because I was scared to talk to people I did not know. Serving as a CA has helped me overcome that fear. Now I go up to people who might be struggling as I did and start a conversation with them.”

Our programming is extensive. As Javyn Contreras, a CA, and member of our high-performing cross country and track team, shares, “when I became a CA, I did not realize how many opportunities there are for students to get involved. As a “regular student” I heard about a few events here and there. I recommend students get involved as much as possible because there are&nbsp; events/clubs for anyone here at FHSU.”

Programming for the CAs can be instructional, such as making stress balls before finals, to healing and somewhat light-hearted, such as attending a fish funeral. “As odd as this sounds, our fish funeral was a memorable moment with my residents that I will cherish,” shared CA Lauren Huynh.

I find our students to be so interesting. Lauren, for example, a graphic design major&nbsp;from Wichita, started working as a freelance photographer six years ago. She loves to skateboard, rock climb, and cheer for FHSU. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Lauren worked with Netflix to film a documentary about her life – incredible!

I also love when students articulate the experience we work so intentionally to create: “FHSU was the best choice for me,” Tearney said. .” The small class sizes allow for personal connections with my professors. I am getting a great education.”

“I am not just a number at FHSU.&nbsp;My professors care about me as a person and work with me if I have any questions.&nbsp;I love my college experience and am so glad I chose FHSU.”

These stories of student engagement, leadership lessons, and our mission in action fuel my energy throughout the year. This is why I am so lucky to serve as president of FHSU.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="FHSU President Tisa Mason" />
 <figcaption>FHSU President Tisa Mason</figcaption>
 </figure>By TISA MASON FHSU PresidentI think my favorite two words are “engaged students.” One of the highlights for me this year was the enthusiasm of our students when they returned to campus this past fall. Enthused and engaged students are the lifeblood of a college campus. I have loved watching as our freshmen Student Government Association senators, Grace McCord and Madison Albers, meticulously researched, wrote a case for support, and then worked through several approval processes to gain support for moving a polling place on campus.Recently, I was delighted to learn that 80 percent &nbsp;(29 out of 36) of our residential life community assistants (CAs) applied to return to serve on the 2023-2024 staff. That is a remarkable return rate. Forty-five additional students applied for those coveted leadership roles. Our 2023-24 resident hall contracts are up – a lot. I have to believe there is a direct correlation between the experience our staff is creating and the surge of interest in the position as well as living on campus.Community Assistants play a key role on the residential life leadership team. They are responsible for a floor or wing of students in the residence halls, tasked with developing a positive and inclusive community within their hall, event planning, administrative activities at the front desk, serving as a campus resource and reference, participating in on-campus activities, serving as first responders to crisis and emergency situations, ensuring safety and security of the residents, and assisting residents as they find their place at FHSU.According to residence life director R.J. Schnack,&nbsp;the CA’s are the “face” of the resident life staff. He attributes the high interest in the position to an ethic of care – a key characteristic of the environment we seek to develop daily throughout our university.While the CAs focus on residents, R.J. and the professional residence life staff intentionally support and care for our CAs. “We are there to listen to our CAs and to help them grow into the profession they want to obtain when they graduate,” R.J. said.Saige Heizer agrees. &nbsp;She reapplied because she&nbsp; likes the culture she found in Residential Life. “My supervisors have always been very helpful and welcoming, and I really love the camaraderie of the CA staff.”The CA role exemplifies how we drive our mission to create engaged citizen leaders. Students often reflect on the critical skills they learn through these positions. For example, Saige shared serving as a CA has taught her how to take ownership of her mistakes and shortcomings while working to improve in those areas. Additionally, it has taught her &nbsp;how to address awkward situations without letting them become personal.The CAs are, by design, involved in other aspects of campus life.&nbsp;Tearney McGivney, a sophomore from Abilene, is a member of the Tiger Media Network, where she films games and takes photos at events. In her free time, she enjoys being &nbsp;with her friends or volunteering around the community. “I love painting and crafting and making new things,” she said. &nbsp;Tearney is definitely modeling the way of an engaged citizen, finding joy in being a part of many communities and making a difference in the lives of others. In fact, she shared, “I would say my greatest accomplishment as a CA is building a community and friendships among my residents.”Tearney also easily identifies critical skills developed on the job that will facilitate post-college success.“I have learned many life lessons, including time management, how to say no when I cannot commit to an event/activity, and how to handle stressful situations,” she said.. “I have also learned how to go out of my comfort zone and talk to people I do not know. My biggest fear about college was not being able to make friends because I was scared to talk to people I did not know. Serving as a CA has helped me overcome that fear. Now I go up to people who might be struggling as I did and start a conversation with them.”Our programming is extensive. As Javyn Contreras, a CA, and member of our high-performing cross country and track team, shares, “when I became a CA, I did not realize how many opportunities there are for students to get involved. As a “regular student” I heard about a few events here and there. I recommend students get involved as much as possible because there are&nbsp; events/clubs for anyone here at FHSU.”Programming for the CAs can be instructional, such as making stress balls before finals, to healing and somewhat light-hearted, such as attending a fish funeral. “As odd as this sounds, our fish funeral was a memorable moment with my residents that I will cherish,” shared CA Lauren Huynh.I find our students to be so interesting. Lauren, for example, a graphic design major&nbsp;from Wichita, started working as a freelance photographer six years ago. She loves to skateboard, rock climb, and cheer for FHSU. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Lauren worked with Netflix to film a documentary about her life – incredible!I also love when students articulate the experience we work so intentionally to create: “FHSU was the best choice for me,” Tearney said. .” The small class sizes allow for personal connections with my professors. I am getting a great education.”“I am not just a number at FHSU.&nbsp;My professors care about me as a person and work with me if I have any questions.&nbsp;I love my college experience and am so glad I chose FHSU.”These stories of student engagement, leadership lessons, and our mission in action fuel my energy throughout the year. This is why I am so lucky to serve as president of FHSU.

HEART OF A TIGER: Inspiring work of engaged student leaders

By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — There's a moment in the new PBS documentary about <a href="https://apnews.com/article/anthony-fauci-announces-retirement-7efdacac6a9ff7aa6e2f870b551fe508">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a> when a protester holds up a handmade sign reading, “Dr. Fauci, You Are Killing Us."

It
 says something about Fauci that it's not initially clear when that sign
 was waved in anger — in the 1980s as AIDS made its deadly rise or in 
the 2020s with COVID-19 vaccine opponents.

<a href="https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/anthony-fauci-documentary/23072/">“American Masters: Dr. Tony Fauci,”</a>
 offers a portrait of an unlikely lightning rod: A government infectious
 disease scientist who advised seven presidents. Fauci hopes it can 
inspire more public servants like him.

“I just felt that there 
needed to be a story of people understanding what public health 
officials go through, but also I hope as a source of inspiration for 
young people who are either in science or interested in going into 
science,” he told The Associated Press. The documentary airs Tuesday and
 later streams.

Fauci allowed a film crew to follow him for 23 
months starting in January 2021. The documentary covers his career and 
its crises, especially the way COVID-19 was handled by the Trump 
administration.

“When you talk about all of the different things 
coming together for a disaster, that’s what happened: A divided country,
 a president who amplified the division and then a public health crisis —
 you couldn’t ask for a worse combination of things,” he said.

<a href="http://room608.com/portrait-photos">Director Mark Mannucci</a>
 offers an intimate look at his subject, with images of Fauci running 
from meeting to meeting and wolfing down Wheat Thins between Zooms. His 
wife attests to the stress by pointing out their security detail due to 
threats.

“The story illuminates — and he’d be the first to say it —
 some very dark stuff about this country and how a person who has 
devoted his life to helping individuals got so twisted in this current 
climate,” said Mannucci.

Michael Kantor, executive producer for the <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/">American Masters series</a>,
 says Fauci is a figure who has been central to American life for 
decades and deserves an examination, even if some virulently oppose him.

“Dr.
 Fauci is a very controversial figure, and there are going to be people 
who are going to voice — just as in the film — great displeasure about 
what he’s done and about his approach to things. But isn’t that the 
whole point of public media? It is intended to make that conversation 
happen in the best possible way.”

COVID-19 may have introduced 
Fauci to millions of Americans, but his long career at the National 
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases was marked by numerous 
previous health scares, among them HIV, SARS, MERS, Ebola and even the 
nation’s 2001 anthrax attacks.

The film shows that Fauci learned a
 lesson in humility with AIDS, as the disease stubbornly persisted and 
activists argued not enough was being done from the government. “I went 
from a world of success and gratification to a world of frustration and 
failure,” he says in the film.

Mannucci's camera flashes-forward 
to today, with Fauci cordially meeting up with the former AIDS activists
 who once decried him. They have long since reconciled; they were all on
 the same side, after all — science.

“I put aside the 
confrontational behavior and the attacks on me and listen to what they 
were saying,” Fauci explained in the interview. “And what they were 
saying was making perfect sense. It made me feel if I were in their 
shoes, I’d be doing exactly what they were doing.”

That's not the 
case when protesters in recent years began attacking Fauci for mask 
mandates, school closures, quarantines and bizarre claims about the 
COVID-19 vaccines.

“There’s one sign that says, ‘Fauci, You’re 
Killing Us’ and the other sign that says ‘Fauci, You’re Killing Us’ but 
the rationale for those from the 1980s to 2023 is enormously different,”
 Fauci said. “They couldn't be more different.”

In one remarkable 
sequence in the documentary, Mannucci presses Fauci on whether he might 
have handled things differently looking back — like asking Americans to 
adopt masks sooner or ordering quarantines faster. “Maybe I should have 
done that,” he says. “Yeah, I was wrong.”

Mannucci relied on 10 
long sit-downs with Fauci to develop trust with his subject and didn't 
clutter the documentary with testimonials from talking heads, wanting to
 focus on Fauci's experiences.

“I hope it’s not viewed as a 
partisan message, but as a portrait of who he is and what he went 
through,” said the director. “I hope that people on the other side, even
 if they never end up agreeing with him, will at least see somebody who 
is a real person, who’s a thinking person, who’s somebody maybe they can
 even relate to.”

The film ends with Fauci's retirement from the 
NIAID late last year. Kantor suspects only time will tell where history 
will judge a man who dedicated his life to public service.

“I 
think 10 years from now, hopefully the furor over him as a controversial
 figure will die down. But the legacy of the approach to pandemics and 
so on will still be super valuable,” he said.

By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment WriterNEW YORK (AP) — There's a moment in the new PBS documentary about <a href="https://apnews.com/article/anthony-fauci-announces-retirement-7efdacac6a9ff7aa6e2f870b551fe508">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a> when a protester holds up a handmade sign reading, “Dr. Fauci, You Are Killing Us."It
 says something about Fauci that it's not initially clear when that sign
 was waved in anger — in the 1980s as AIDS made its deadly rise or in 
the 2020s with COVID-19 vaccine opponents.<a href="https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/anthony-fauci-documentary/23072/">“American Masters: Dr. Tony Fauci,”</a>
 offers a portrait of an unlikely lightning rod: A government infectious
 disease scientist who advised seven presidents. Fauci hopes it can 
inspire more public servants like him.“I just felt that there 
needed to be a story of people understanding what public health 
officials go through, but also I hope as a source of inspiration for 
young people who are either in science or interested in going into 
science,” he told The Associated Press. The documentary airs Tuesday and
 later streams.Fauci allowed a film crew to follow him for 23 
months starting in January 2021. The documentary covers his career and 
its crises, especially the way COVID-19 was handled by the Trump 
administration.“When you talk about all of the different things 
coming together for a disaster, that’s what happened: A divided country,
 a president who amplified the division and then a public health crisis —
 you couldn’t ask for a worse combination of things,” he said.<a href="http://room608.com/portrait-photos">Director Mark Mannucci</a>
 offers an intimate look at his subject, with images of Fauci running 
from meeting to meeting and wolfing down Wheat Thins between Zooms. His 
wife attests to the stress by pointing out their security detail due to 
threats.“The story illuminates — and he’d be the first to say it —
 some very dark stuff about this country and how a person who has 
devoted his life to helping individuals got so twisted in this current 
climate,” said Mannucci.Michael Kantor, executive producer for the <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/">American Masters series</a>,
 says Fauci is a figure who has been central to American life for 
decades and deserves an examination, even if some virulently oppose him.“Dr.
 Fauci is a very controversial figure, and there are going to be people 
who are going to voice — just as in the film — great displeasure about 
what he’s done and about his approach to things. But isn’t that the 
whole point of public media? It is intended to make that conversation 
happen in the best possible way.”COVID-19 may have introduced 
Fauci to millions of Americans, but his long career at the National 
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases was marked by numerous 
previous health scares, among them HIV, SARS, MERS, Ebola and even the 
nation’s 2001 anthrax attacks.The film shows that Fauci learned a
 lesson in humility with AIDS, as the disease stubbornly persisted and 
activists argued not enough was being done from the government. “I went 
from a world of success and gratification to a world of frustration and 
failure,” he says in the film.Mannucci's camera flashes-forward 
to today, with Fauci cordially meeting up with the former AIDS activists
 who once decried him. They have long since reconciled; they were all on
 the same side, after all — science.“I put aside the 
confrontational behavior and the attacks on me and listen to what they 
were saying,” Fauci explained in the interview. “And what they were 
saying was making perfect sense. It made me feel if I were in their 
shoes, I’d be doing exactly what they were doing.”That's not the 
case when protesters in recent years began attacking Fauci for mask 
mandates, school closures, quarantines and bizarre claims about the 
COVID-19 vaccines.“There’s one sign that says, ‘Fauci, You’re 
Killing Us’ and the other sign that says ‘Fauci, You’re Killing Us’ but 
the rationale for those from the 1980s to 2023 is enormously different,”
 Fauci said. “They couldn't be more different.”In one remarkable 
sequence in the documentary, Mannucci presses Fauci on whether he might 
have handled things differently looking back — like asking Americans to 
adopt masks sooner or ordering quarantines faster. “Maybe I should have 
done that,” he says. “Yeah, I was wrong.”Mannucci relied on 10 
long sit-downs with Fauci to develop trust with his subject and didn't 
clutter the documentary with testimonials from talking heads, wanting to
 focus on Fauci's experiences.“I hope it’s not viewed as a 
partisan message, but as a portrait of who he is and what he went 
through,” said the director. “I hope that people on the other side, even
 if they never end up agreeing with him, will at least see somebody who 
is a real person, who’s a thinking person, who’s somebody maybe they can
 even relate to.”The film ends with Fauci's retirement from the 
NIAID late last year. Kantor suspects only time will tell where history 
will judge a man who dedicated his life to public service.“I 
think 10 years from now, hopefully the furor over him as a controversial
 figure will die down. But the legacy of the approach to pandemics and 
so on will still be super valuable,” he said.

Anthony Fauci documentary on PBS covers a career of crises

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fictional soccer coach Ted Lasso used a White House visit Monday to encourage people, even in politically divided Washington, to make it a point to check in often with friends, family and co-workers to "ask how they're doing, and listen, sincerely,”

(click below to listen watch Sudeikis at the press conference.)

Comedian&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jason-sudeikis">Jason Sudeikis</a>, who plays the title character — an American coaching a soccer team in London — and other cast members were meeting with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden to talk about how mental health contributes to overall well-being.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mental-health">Mental health</a>&nbsp;and looking after one another is a theme of the show, Sudeikis told reporters from behind the lectern as he helped press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre open her daily White House briefing. The Emmy-winning, feel-good show on Apple TV+ just opened its third season.

“While it’s easier said than done, we also have to know that we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help ourselves," said Sudeikis. "That does take a lot, especially when it’s something that has such a negative stigma to it, such as mental health and it doesn’t need to be that way.

“And if you can ask for that help from a professional, fantastic,” he continued. "If it needs to be a loved one, equally as good, in a lot of ways.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-xavier-becerra-roy-blunt-mental-debbie-stabenow-c0ceb3cfae563cec8e18452970b49236">Mental health is part of Biden's bipartisan “unity agenda.”</a>&nbsp;He also has called on lawmakers to direct more resources toward fighting what some say is a crisis. The administration also has surged funding to bolster a new 988 suicide and crisis line, and to put more mental-health professionals in schools.

Sudeikis said there should be no stigma attached to reaching out for help because everyone knows someone who has needed someone to lean on, or has been that person themselves.

“No matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter who you voted for, we all probably, I assume, we all know someone who has, or have been that someone ourselves actually, that’s struggled, that’s felt isolated, that’s felt anxious, that has felt alone," he said.

“It’s actually one of the many things, believe it or not, that we all have in common as human beings," Sudeikis continued. “That means it's something that we can all, you know, and should, talk about with one another when we’re feeling that way or when we recognize that in someone feeling that way.”

He issued a special appeal for folks in the nation's capital.

“I know in this town a lot of folks don’t always agree, right, and don’t always feel heard, seen, listened to," Sudeikis said. "But I truly believe we should all do our best to help take care of each other. That’s my own personal belief. I think that’s something that everyone up here on stage believes in.”

The Bidens have seen some of “Ted Lasso” and are familiar with its messages of hope and kindness, according to the White House.

Joining Sudeikis at the daily briefing were cast members Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt and Toheeb Jimoh.

Sudeikis and his cast members were the latest entertainers to visit the White House and associate themselves with issues the Democratic president and first lady are raising awareness about.

Singer Olivia Rodrigo visited during the pandemic to help encourage young people like herself to get vaccinated against COVID-19. BTS, the popular Korean boy band, helped promote Asian inclusion and combat bias against Asian Americans.

Actor Matthew McConaughey delivered a passionate appeal for tighter gun laws last year after the shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 children and two teachers.

Singer/actors Mary J. Blige and Selena Gomez participated in separate events with Jill Biden focused on cancer awareness and youth mental health, respectively.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679344368794.png" alt="Actor&nbsp;Jason Sudeikis&nbsp;and the cast of “Ted Lasso” participated in the White House press briefing on Monday ahead of a meeting with President&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;to discuss efforts to address mental health." />
 <figcaption>Actor&nbsp;Jason Sudeikis&nbsp;and the cast of “Ted Lasso” participated in the White House press briefing on Monday ahead of a meeting with President&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;to discuss efforts to address mental health.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Fictional soccer coach Ted Lasso used a White House visit Monday to encourage people, even in politically divided Washington, to make it a point to check in often with friends, family and co-workers to "ask how they're doing, and listen, sincerely,”(click below to listen watch Sudeikis at the press conference.)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F205886922057028%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=167" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Comedian&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jason-sudeikis">Jason Sudeikis</a>, who plays the title character — an American coaching a soccer team in London — and other cast members were meeting with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden to talk about how mental health contributes to overall well-being.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mental-health">Mental health</a>&nbsp;and looking after one another is a theme of the show, Sudeikis told reporters from behind the lectern as he helped press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre open her daily White House briefing. The Emmy-winning, feel-good show on Apple TV+ just opened its third season.“While it’s easier said than done, we also have to know that we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help ourselves," said Sudeikis. "That does take a lot, especially when it’s something that has such a negative stigma to it, such as mental health and it doesn’t need to be that way.“And if you can ask for that help from a professional, fantastic,” he continued. "If it needs to be a loved one, equally as good, in a lot of ways.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Tomorrow. <a href="https://t.co/XPNAfqnzEj">pic.twitter.com/XPNAfqnzEj</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1637574673494933506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-xavier-becerra-roy-blunt-mental-debbie-stabenow-c0ceb3cfae563cec8e18452970b49236">Mental health is part of Biden's bipartisan “unity agenda.”</a>&nbsp;He also has called on lawmakers to direct more resources toward fighting what some say is a crisis. The administration also has surged funding to bolster a new 988 suicide and crisis line, and to put more mental-health professionals in schools.Sudeikis said there should be no stigma attached to reaching out for help because everyone knows someone who has needed someone to lean on, or has been that person themselves.“No matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter who you voted for, we all probably, I assume, we all know someone who has, or have been that someone ourselves actually, that’s struggled, that’s felt isolated, that’s felt anxious, that has felt alone," he said.“It’s actually one of the many things, believe it or not, that we all have in common as human beings," Sudeikis continued. “That means it's something that we can all, you know, and should, talk about with one another when we’re feeling that way or when we recognize that in someone feeling that way.”He issued a special appeal for folks in the nation's capital.“I know in this town a lot of folks don’t always agree, right, and don’t always feel heard, seen, listened to," Sudeikis said. "But I truly believe we should all do our best to help take care of each other. That’s my own personal belief. I think that’s something that everyone up here on stage believes in.”The Bidens have seen some of “Ted Lasso” and are familiar with its messages of hope and kindness, according to the White House.Joining Sudeikis at the daily briefing were cast members Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt and Toheeb Jimoh.Sudeikis and his cast members were the latest entertainers to visit the White House and associate themselves with issues the Democratic president and first lady are raising awareness about.Singer Olivia Rodrigo visited during the pandemic to help encourage young people like herself to get vaccinated against COVID-19. BTS, the popular Korean boy band, helped promote Asian inclusion and combat bias against Asian Americans.Actor Matthew McConaughey delivered a passionate appeal for tighter gun laws last year after the shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 children and two teachers.Singer/actors Mary J. Blige and Selena Gomez participated in separate events with Jill Biden focused on cancer awareness and youth mental health, respectively.

🎥 Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso cast at White House to promote mental health

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/07/kansas-state-representative-calls-rainbow-drawings-proof-of-indoctrination-at-leavenworth-school/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Intersex people and those born with sexual development differences would be classified as disabled and required to use separate bathrooms and locker rooms under legislation being considered by Kansas lawmakers.

This designation was added as an amendment to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb180/">Senate Bill 180</a>, otherwise known as a “women’s bill of rights.” Lawmakers in the House Health and Human Services Committee debated and passed the bill in a little more than 11 minutes Thursday.

The bill states that separate accommodations based on biological sex aren’t unequal, and that people with female reproductive systems need women-only social, educational, athletic and other spaces to ensure safety. The bill would include domestic violence shelters, restrooms and locker rooms as women-only spaces.

Critics have said the bill is a blatant attempt to ban transgender women from women’s spaces.

In its original form, the Kansas legislation defined “females”as having biological reproductive systems developed to produce ova, a definition that excluded intersex people and alienated women without ovaries.

To address the concerns, Rep. John Eplee, R-Atchison prepared an amendment to apply to intersex people and others. The amendment states that those born with sex development differences or “disorders” would be provided legal protections and accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Eplee said his goal with the amendment was to give people who fall under the amendment a separate space from men’s and women’s spaces. Eplee said the amendment came about after he listened to testimony asking lawmakers in charge of the bill to consider how it would impact people who didn’t fall into binary biological sex categories. Eplee said the amendment was aimed at providing privacy and a sense of safety for these individuals.

“It would provide security for them for those functions that relate to using the bathroom and changing clothes for an athletic event. So there’s privacy issues addressed,” Eplee said. “That’s the whole purpose of the amendment for nonbinary folks.”&nbsp;

Eplee said they would be classified as disabled to offer them protections.

“People that are disabled do have that recognition and that ability now,” Eplee said. “This is just to say this is somewhat of an expansion of that narrative, because certainly not all intersex folks are disabled. But some are, and this is just to reaffirm that.”

Eplee said he didn’t have all the answers on what the bill entailed, but he thought it would help set a standard in the state of Kansas to give men and women security and privacy in bathroom facilities, lockers and athletic endeavors.

Other lawmakers discussed the disability aspect of the amendment during the Thursday meeting.

Rep. Bill Clifford, R-Garden City, identified Turner Syndrome as an example of a sex development condition where one of two X chromosomes is either missing or partially present, potentially causing ovarian issues or stalled sexual development.&nbsp;

<a target="_blank" href="https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/turner-syndrome/">Turner Syndrome is rare</a>&nbsp;overall, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26146109/">less than half</a>&nbsp;of the people who have it also have extra folds of skin on the neck.

Clifford said women with Turner Syndrome could be embarrassed to change in dressing rooms with other women.

“A person in that state, I don’t think, would want to undress in front of even fellow females,” Clifford said.

The committee chairwoman, Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican, said people with sexual development differences qualify for protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act, because the act deals with the loss of body functions.

“It’s my understanding that a majority of these individuals would actually have the loss of some body functions, which would make them qualified for the ADA,” Landwehr said.

Rep. Susan Ruiz, D-Shawnee, said this designation was offensive.

“I don’t want to insult them that way,” Ruiz said.

Critics say the legislation doesn’t actually address gender inequality and would be extremely difficult to enforce.

“It’s all an attack on our LGBTQ folks,” said Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin, D-Leawood.

“My first question about the bill is: Where are my rights? Where is my equal pay? Where is my bodily autonomy, if this is about a women’s bill of rights?” Poskin added.

Poskin referenced former Rep. Stephanie Byers, a Wichita Democrat and Kansas’ first transgender lawmaker, as an example of the women the legislation would harm.

“Where would she go to the bathroom in this building?” Poskin asked.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/P3161510-1024x768.jpg" alt="- John Eplee, R-Atchison, says he introduced legislation to classify intersex people as disabled in order to provide them protections. The change means they would have to use separate bathrooms and locker rooms than men or women. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>- John Eplee, R-Atchison, says he introduced legislation to classify intersex people as disabled in order to provide them protections. The change means they would have to use separate bathrooms and locker rooms than men or women. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/07/kansas-state-representative-calls-rainbow-drawings-proof-of-indoctrination-at-leavenworth-school/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Intersex people and those born with sexual development differences would be classified as disabled and required to use separate bathrooms and locker rooms under legislation being considered by Kansas lawmakers.This designation was added as an amendment to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb180/">Senate Bill 180</a>, otherwise known as a “women’s bill of rights.” Lawmakers in the House Health and Human Services Committee debated and passed the bill in a little more than 11 minutes Thursday.The bill states that separate accommodations based on biological sex aren’t unequal, and that people with female reproductive systems need women-only social, educational, athletic and other spaces to ensure safety. The bill would include domestic violence shelters, restrooms and locker rooms as women-only spaces.Critics have said the bill is a blatant attempt to ban transgender women from women’s spaces.In its original form, the Kansas legislation defined “females”as having biological reproductive systems developed to produce ova, a definition that excluded intersex people and alienated women without ovaries.To address the concerns, Rep. John Eplee, R-Atchison prepared an amendment to apply to intersex people and others. The amendment states that those born with sex development differences or “disorders” would be provided legal protections and accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act.Eplee said his goal with the amendment was to give people who fall under the amendment a separate space from men’s and women’s spaces. Eplee said the amendment came about after he listened to testimony asking lawmakers in charge of the bill to consider how it would impact people who didn’t fall into binary biological sex categories. Eplee said the amendment was aimed at providing privacy and a sense of safety for these individuals.“It would provide security for them for those functions that relate to using the bathroom and changing clothes for an athletic event. So there’s privacy issues addressed,” Eplee said. “That’s the whole purpose of the amendment for nonbinary folks.”&nbsp;Eplee said they would be classified as disabled to offer them protections.“People that are disabled do have that recognition and that ability now,” Eplee said. “This is just to say this is somewhat of an expansion of that narrative, because certainly not all intersex folks are disabled. But some are, and this is just to reaffirm that.”Eplee said he didn’t have all the answers on what the bill entailed, but he thought it would help set a standard in the state of Kansas to give men and women security and privacy in bathroom facilities, lockers and athletic endeavors.Other lawmakers discussed the disability aspect of the amendment during the Thursday meeting.Rep. Bill Clifford, R-Garden City, identified Turner Syndrome as an example of a sex development condition where one of two X chromosomes is either missing or partially present, potentially causing ovarian issues or stalled sexual development.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/turner-syndrome/">Turner Syndrome is rare</a>&nbsp;overall, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26146109/">less than half</a>&nbsp;of the people who have it also have extra folds of skin on the neck.Clifford said women with Turner Syndrome could be embarrassed to change in dressing rooms with other women.“A person in that state, I don’t think, would want to undress in front of even fellow females,” Clifford said.The committee chairwoman, Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican, said people with sexual development differences qualify for protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act, because the act deals with the loss of body functions.“It’s my understanding that a majority of these individuals would actually have the loss of some body functions, which would make them qualified for the ADA,” Landwehr said.Rep. Susan Ruiz, D-Shawnee, said this designation was offensive.“I don’t want to insult them that way,” Ruiz said.<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/P3161521-scaled.jpg" alt="-Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin, D-Leawood, says proposed legislation offering a “women’s bill of rights” is really an attack on transgender people and doesn’t protect any rights. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>-Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin, D-Leawood, says proposed legislation offering a “women’s bill of rights” is really an attack on transgender people and doesn’t protect any rights. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Other reactionsCritics say the legislation doesn’t actually address gender inequality and would be extremely difficult to enforce.“It’s all an attack on our LGBTQ folks,” said Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin, D-Leawood.“My first question about the bill is: Where are my rights? Where is my equal pay? Where is my bodily autonomy, if this is about a women’s bill of rights?” Poskin added.Poskin referenced former Rep. Stephanie Byers, a Wichita Democrat and Kansas’ first transgender lawmaker, as an example of the women the legislation would harm.“Where would she go to the bathroom in this building?” Poskin asked.When asked during the meeting how the bill would be enforced, Landwehr said she had seen schools use faculty bathrooms and dressing rooms to accommodate people.“In places that don’t have somewhere separate, someone may stand outside the door to allow them privacy so they don’t have to intermingle with individuals they would feel uncomfortable with,” Landwehr said.Similar legislation to the “women’s bill of rights” has been introduced by Republican lawmakers in North Dakota, Oklahoma and Arizona, among other states.The Kansas Attorney General’s Office has said the bill’s constitutionality is likely to be challenged.Eplee said he was aware the bill would most likely lead to a legal challenge if passed into law.“It’s going to create a challenge to the status quo that will be a legal challenge at some point,” Eplee said. “I’m not going to sit here and tell you how I think it’s going to go because I don’t know that.”