Central Kansas Mental Health Center

Returning to the classroom can be an exciting time for many students, but for some, it can mean increased levels of stress and anxiety. Back-to-school stress and anxiety is normal and understandable, and parents can help ease the transition by recognizing symptoms and providing support.

Several factors can cause stress and anxiety for students. Back to school can bring a number of transitions, including a new school building or district, new teachers, new schedules, and new classmates. Students’ social networks could be changed or disrupted. There could be changes and challenges at home, like a parent losing or changing jobs, moving to a new house or community, or friction between parents. Family members may be leaving the household for college, work, or military.

Social issues also influence children’s stress levels. With the pandemic, the trauma of school shootings, and a youth mental health warning, it is not surprising that there is a lot of anxiety surrounding the new school year. There are many reasons why kids may experience anxiety and stress as the first day of school approaches, and their reasons are as unique as they are.

Signs of increased stress and anxiety include sudden changes in appearance or behavior. Withdrawing from friends, family, and activities, more tearful or less cheerful than usual, difficulty sleeping (or sleeping too much), loss of appetite (or overeating), or increased irritability, are some signs that children may be experiencing unhealthy levels of stress. Stress can manifest as physical symptoms too, including stomachaches, muscle tension and aches, quick breathing, and feeling hot or sweating.

There are several ways parents can help students manage stress and anxiety and alleviate symptoms. Build routines around mornings and bedtime before schools starts to help ease the transition. Help them find activities they enjoy or opportunities to blow off steam, and promote healthy habits around sleeping, eating, and exercising. Spend quality time together. Most importantly listen and try to understand their feelings, and work together to think about ways to reduce their anxiety.

Several therapists and case managers at Central Kansas Mental Health Center specialize in working with youth, helping them work through difficult and stressful life transitions.

Renee Thomas, LMSW Crisis Clinician, and Leannitta Heller, Crisis Administrative Liaison, highlight the importance of communication when children are dealing with stress and anxiety. “Make open conversation a normal part of your families daily routine,” Heller recommends. “Talk to your kids about what is happening in the world. Allow them to ask questions, and educate them on who they can go to for help. Create a safe space for them to talk about what is going on in their lives. If they are not comfortable talking to you, allow them to talk to a professional.”

“Just asking ‘How are you feeling?’ can open the conversation,” Thomas added. “Use open ended questions and listen to their answers without judgement. Check in on them, ask if there is anything they need, and offer to take them to activities. Be present for them even if they do not want to talk. Don’t pry or push, but remind them that you are there for them when they are ready and then make yourself available.”

Both Thomas and Heller also stressed that it is important to normalize mental health and self-care. “Help break the stigma by showing your children you are taking care of your own mental health,” Heller said. “Set the example, whether it be by participating in individual therapy yourself, family therapy, regular family check-ins, or practicing self-care. If your child sees that you are invested in your own mental health as well as theirs, they are more willing to engage.”

For most students, back-to-school jitters subside in a few days and the feelings of stress and anxiety are temporary. If symptoms last longer than two weeks and interfere with daily life and activities, this could be a sign of an anxiety disorder and the help of a professional is recommended.

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Central Kansas Mental Health CenterReturning to the classroom can be an exciting time for many students, but for some, it can mean increased levels of stress and anxiety. Back-to-school stress and anxiety is normal and understandable, and parents can help ease the transition by recognizing symptoms and providing support.Several factors can cause stress and anxiety for students. Back to school can bring a number of transitions, including a new school building or district, new teachers, new schedules, and new classmates. Students’ social networks could be changed or disrupted. There could be changes and challenges at home, like a parent losing or changing jobs, moving to a new house or community, or friction between parents. Family members may be leaving the household for college, work, or military.Social issues also influence children’s stress levels. With the pandemic, the trauma of school shootings, and a youth mental health warning, it is not surprising that there is a lot of anxiety surrounding the new school year. There are many reasons why kids may experience anxiety and stress as the first day of school approaches, and their reasons are as unique as they are.Signs of increased stress and anxiety include sudden changes in appearance or behavior. Withdrawing from friends, family, and activities, more tearful or less cheerful than usual, difficulty sleeping (or sleeping too much), loss of appetite (or overeating), or increased irritability, are some signs that children may be experiencing unhealthy levels of stress. Stress can manifest as physical symptoms too, including stomachaches, muscle tension and aches, quick breathing, and feeling hot or sweating.There are several ways parents can help students manage stress and anxiety and alleviate symptoms. Build routines around mornings and bedtime before schools starts to help ease the transition. Help them find activities they enjoy or opportunities to blow off steam, and promote healthy habits around sleeping, eating, and exercising. Spend quality time together. Most importantly listen and try to understand their feelings, and work together to think about ways to reduce their anxiety.Several therapists and case managers at Central Kansas Mental Health Center specialize in working with youth, helping them work through difficult and stressful life transitions.Renee Thomas, LMSW Crisis Clinician, and Leannitta Heller, Crisis Administrative Liaison, highlight the importance of communication when children are dealing with stress and anxiety. “Make open conversation a normal part of your families daily routine,” Heller recommends. “Talk to your kids about what is happening in the world. Allow them to ask questions, and educate them on who they can go to for help. Create a safe space for them to talk about what is going on in their lives. If they are not comfortable talking to you, allow them to talk to a professional.”“Just asking ‘How are you feeling?’ can open the conversation,” Thomas added. “Use open ended questions and listen to their answers without judgement. Check in on them, ask if there is anything they need, and offer to take them to activities. Be present for them even if they do not want to talk. Don’t pry or push, but remind them that you are there for them when they are ready and then make yourself available.”Both Thomas and Heller also stressed that it is important to normalize mental health and self-care. “Help break the stigma by showing your children you are taking care of your own mental health,” Heller said. “Set the example, whether it be by participating in individual therapy yourself, family therapy, regular family check-ins, or practicing self-care. If your child sees that you are invested in your own mental health as well as theirs, they are more willing to engage.”For most students, back-to-school jitters subside in a few days and the feelings of stress and anxiety are temporary. If symptoms last longer than two weeks and interfere with daily life and activities, this could be a sign of an anxiety disorder and the help of a professional is recommended.<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/2c47aafe-6064-4b7c-88ca-bfdae4509967">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the weekday Salina Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Managing back-to-school stress

By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancher

As I was outside with my kids waiting for them to catch their big yellow bus to begin another school year, I was reminded of how all of the back-to-school excitement is similar to the anticipation of fall on the farm. &nbsp; Being that it’s a new school year, the kids are understandably excited to return to school. This has translated to them getting out to their bus stop with plenty of time to spare ensuring they don’t miss the bus and avoiding frantic, last-minute morning chaos. &nbsp; As we get closer to the start of fall harvest, we are also getting out into the fields and testing the moisture of the corn with plenty of time to spare. While some might argue it’s still too early, just like with the kids, we want to make sure we experience a smooth transition into fall harvest with as little unnecessary chaos as possible.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the days leading up to the first day of classes, our school district provided us with a rough estimate of when we should expect the bus to arrive. Although we had a good idea of when to expect the bus, we knew to be ready a little before the expected time while also understanding if it was later.&nbsp; &nbsp; Just like the morning bus, we know fall harvest will get here. We’re not quite sure when exactly that will be; we just have to be ready to go when it’s time. &nbsp; While waiting for their bus, I reminded my two children to be observant as they have the tools needed to identify the bus and know when it’s coming minutes before actually seeing it. If one listens, amid the morning sounds of feed trucks and cattle in the distance, the distinct sound of the bus bouncing down the gravel roads can be heard. &nbsp; As adults, we too have tools to use to help determine when it’s time to harvest. While it might not be our sense of hearing, we do scout fields using our eyes to make observations while also picking and shelling ears of corn before testing for moisture. If we look, the distinct signs of a field that’s ready for harvest can be seen. &nbsp; Once on the morning bus, I watched the silhouettes of my two little ones cautiously walk down the aisle before committing and settling into their seats for the duration of their morning ride. I know both my son and daughter prefer to sit up near the front of the bus to avoid negative results like getting car sick or getting themselves into trouble. &nbsp; We will also be intentional in our field selections prior to committing the machines to a field as we want to make sure our decisions will not cause negative results like dockage once our grain is delivered to the elevator. &nbsp; As the bus slowly moved forward, I scanned the bus windows to see if I could spot any other morning riders. With the sun rising behind the bus, it appeared my two were the first ones on. The saying “first ones on, last ones off” has been true given our location within the school district’s boundaries and bus route. Being first on and last off the bus can make for some long and tiring days for my little kiddos.&nbsp; &nbsp; And just like the bus rides, fall harvest will also bring some exhausting days as expected. In either case, we know that at the end of these long days, whether we’re riding a school bus or driving a combine, we’ll all return and find comfort (and snacks) at home.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;Copyright © 2022 Kansas Farm Bureau, All rights reserved.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="Kim Baldwin. Photo courtesy Kansas Farm Bureau" />
 <figcaption>Kim Baldwin. Photo courtesy Kansas Farm Bureau</figcaption>
 </figure>By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer and rancherAs I was outside with my kids waiting for them to catch their big yellow bus to begin another school year, I was reminded of how all of the back-to-school excitement is similar to the anticipation of fall on the farm. &nbsp; Being that it’s a new school year, the kids are understandably excited to return to school. This has translated to them getting out to their bus stop with plenty of time to spare ensuring they don’t miss the bus and avoiding frantic, last-minute morning chaos. &nbsp; As we get closer to the start of fall harvest, we are also getting out into the fields and testing the moisture of the corn with plenty of time to spare. While some might argue it’s still too early, just like with the kids, we want to make sure we experience a smooth transition into fall harvest with as little unnecessary chaos as possible.&nbsp; &nbsp; In the days leading up to the first day of classes, our school district provided us with a rough estimate of when we should expect the bus to arrive. Although we had a good idea of when to expect the bus, we knew to be ready a little before the expected time while also understanding if it was later.&nbsp; &nbsp; Just like the morning bus, we know fall harvest will get here. We’re not quite sure when exactly that will be; we just have to be ready to go when it’s time. &nbsp; While waiting for their bus, I reminded my two children to be observant as they have the tools needed to identify the bus and know when it’s coming minutes before actually seeing it. If one listens, amid the morning sounds of feed trucks and cattle in the distance, the distinct sound of the bus bouncing down the gravel roads can be heard. &nbsp; As adults, we too have tools to use to help determine when it’s time to harvest. While it might not be our sense of hearing, we do scout fields using our eyes to make observations while also picking and shelling ears of corn before testing for moisture. If we look, the distinct signs of a field that’s ready for harvest can be seen. &nbsp; Once on the morning bus, I watched the silhouettes of my two little ones cautiously walk down the aisle before committing and settling into their seats for the duration of their morning ride. I know both my son and daughter prefer to sit up near the front of the bus to avoid negative results like getting car sick or getting themselves into trouble. &nbsp; We will also be intentional in our field selections prior to committing the machines to a field as we want to make sure our decisions will not cause negative results like dockage once our grain is delivered to the elevator. &nbsp; As the bus slowly moved forward, I scanned the bus windows to see if I could spot any other morning riders. With the sun rising behind the bus, it appeared my two were the first ones on. The saying “first ones on, last ones off” has been true given our location within the school district’s boundaries and bus route. Being first on and last off the bus can make for some long and tiring days for my little kiddos.&nbsp; &nbsp; And just like the bus rides, fall harvest will also bring some exhausting days as expected. In either case, we know that at the end of these long days, whether we’re riding a school bus or driving a combine, we’ll all return and find comfort (and snacks) at home."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;Copyright © 2022 Kansas Farm Bureau, All rights reserved.

INSIGHT: Bus rides and harvest

By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football Writer

Alabama is No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25 for the second straight season. That is also the ninth time overall, second most in poll history. The Crimson Tide received 54 of 63 first-place votes. Ohio State is No. 2 with six first-place votes. Defending national champion Georgia is third with three first-place votes. Clemson is No. 4 and Notre Dame rounds out the top five. The Tide's preseason No. 1 ranking is the seventh in 15 years. Since the preseason rankings started in 1950, only Oklahoma has been No. 1 in the initial poll more than Alabama.

With two of the best players in the country leading the way — and a championship game loss as motivation — Alabama is No. 1 in The Associated Press preseason college football poll for the second straight season and ninth time overall.

Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young, national defensive player of year Will Anderson Jr. and the Crimson Tide received 54 of 63 first-place votes and 1,566 points in the Top 25 presented by Regions Bank released on Monday.

Ohio State is No. 2 with six first-place votes (1,506 points) from the media panel and defending national champion Georgia is third with three first-place votes (1,455 points). Clemson is No. 4. Notre Dame rounds out the top five, setting up a tantalizing opener at Ohio State on Sept. 3.

The Tide's preseason No. 1 ranking is the seventh in 15 years under coach Nick Saban. Since the preseason rankings started in 1950, only Oklahoma with 10 has been No. 1 in the initial poll more often than Alabama.

The Crimson Tide started last season No. 1 and finished ranked No. 2 after losing the national championship game to the Southeastern Conference rival Bulldogs.

"It wasn't our end goal that we wanted," Anderson said in the spring. "But I'm super proud of those guys, the way they fought. We were a young team. We had people go down. People had to step in that never been there before. So, I think that's just a learning experience."

Saban recently called 2021 a rebuilding season for his Tide dynasty, which has won six national titles over the last 13 years. He has a point.

Young was in his first season as a starter, playing behind an inexperienced offensive line. He was unfazed, throwing for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns.

Anderson was a force on the other side ball as Alabama broke in a back seven with mostly new starters. The sophomore led the nation in tackles for loss with 33 1/2, 11 1/2 more than No. 2 on the list.

Ohio State brings back a Heisman Trophy finalist at quarterback in C.J. Stroud while at Georgia, most of the key players from one of the best college defenses of the last 25 years are now in NFL. Still, quarterback Stetson Bennett and All-America tight end Brock Bowers return to a Bulldogs offense that could be even more explosive in 2022.

Texas A&amp;M, which finished last season unranked despite handing Alabama its only regular-season loss, starts this season No. 6.

Defending Pac-12 champion Utah is seventh, the best preseason ranking in school history. Defending Big Ten champion Michigan is No. 8 after making the playoff for the first time last season.

No. 9 Oklahoma is the highest-ranked Big 12 school, one spot ahead of defending league champion Baylor.

Alabama has been in the preseason top five in each of last 14 seasons and in the preseason top three in 13 straight. The Tide's 31st preseason top-five ranking this year matches Ohio State for second-most in poll history behind Oklahoma's 37.

Turning preseason No. 1 into a national championship has proved tricky throughout history, even for Alabama.

The Crimson Tide have gone on to win the national championship after starting No. 1 just once under Saban and twice overall.

Since the AP preseason poll began in 1950, there have been 11 preseason No. 1 teams that also finished the season top ranked. Alabama was the last to do it (2017).

— No. 13 North Carolina State is ranked in the preseason for the first time since 2003. The Wolfpack matched their best preseason ranking. They were also 13th in 1975.

— No. 17 Pitt is in the preseason rankings for the first time since 2010.

— No. 20 Kentucky is making its first preseason poll appearance since 1978.

— No. 22 Wake Forest made the preseason rankings for the first time since 2008.

— Ohio State is ranked in the preseason for the 34th straight season, breaking a tie with Nebraska (1970-2002) and Penn State (1968-2000) for the longest such streak in poll history.

— Texas A&amp;M has the second-best preseason ranking for a team that finished the previous season unranked. Ohio State was No. 3 in the 1972 preseason poll after being unranked at the end of the 1971 season and Notre Dame also started No. 6 in 1983 after finishing unranked in 1982.

How did the seasons work out for those teams? Ohio State went 9-2 and finished the season No. 9. The Irish went 7-5 and unranked again.

— LSU with new coach Brian Kelly will start the season unranked for the first time 2000, Saban's first of five seasons as coach of the Tigers.

— Florida and Florida State are both unranked to start the season, which has not happened since 1974.

Five schools ranked in the preseason poll have head coaches starting their first full seasons: Notre Dame (Marcus Freeman), Oklahoma (Brent Venables), No. 11 Oregon (Dan Lanning), No. 14 USC (Lincoln Riley) and No. 16 Miami (Mario Cristobal).

This is the second time in the last five seasons that five teams with new coaches were ranked in the preseason, according to Sportradar. It also happened in 2018, but before that season that type of representation in the preseason poll for teams with new coaches was a rarity.

You have to go all the way back to 1990 when six schools with coaches entering their first full season appeared in the preseason Top 25, according to Sportradar. That list includes some notable names: Gary Moeller, Michigan; Ken Hatfield, Clemson; Gene Stallings, Alabama; Jack Crowe, Arkansas; Paul Hackett, Pittsburgh; and John Jenkins, Houston.

For the fourth straight season, the Southeastern Conference has three teams in the top six.

The Atlantic Coast Conference matched its best showing in the preseason poll with five teams. The ACC has reached that number four previous times.

Follow Ralph D. Russo at <a href="https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP">https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP</a> and listen at <a href="http://www.appodcasts.com">http://www.appodcasts.com</a>

By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football WriterAlabama is No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25 for the second straight season. That is also the ninth time overall, second most in poll history. The Crimson Tide received 54 of 63 first-place votes. Ohio State is No. 2 with six first-place votes. Defending national champion Georgia is third with three first-place votes. Clemson is No. 4 and Notre Dame rounds out the top five. The Tide's preseason No. 1 ranking is the seventh in 15 years. Since the preseason rankings started in 1950, only Oklahoma has been No. 1 in the initial poll more than Alabama.With two of the best players in the country leading the way — and a championship game loss as motivation — Alabama is No. 1 in The Associated Press preseason college football poll for the second straight season and ninth time overall.Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young, national defensive player of year Will Anderson Jr. and the Crimson Tide received 54 of 63 first-place votes and 1,566 points in the Top 25 presented by Regions Bank released on Monday.Ohio State is No. 2 with six first-place votes (1,506 points) from the media panel and defending national champion Georgia is third with three first-place votes (1,455 points). Clemson is No. 4. Notre Dame rounds out the top five, setting up a tantalizing opener at Ohio State on Sept. 3.The Tide's preseason No. 1 ranking is the seventh in 15 years under coach Nick Saban. Since the preseason rankings started in 1950, only Oklahoma with 10 has been No. 1 in the initial poll more often than Alabama.The Crimson Tide started last season No. 1 and finished ranked No. 2 after losing the national championship game to the Southeastern Conference rival Bulldogs."It wasn't our end goal that we wanted," Anderson said in the spring. "But I'm super proud of those guys, the way they fought. We were a young team. We had people go down. People had to step in that never been there before. So, I think that's just a learning experience."Saban recently called 2021 a rebuilding season for his Tide dynasty, which has won six national titles over the last 13 years. He has a point.Young was in his first season as a starter, playing behind an inexperienced offensive line. He was unfazed, throwing for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns.Anderson was a force on the other side ball as Alabama broke in a back seven with mostly new starters. The sophomore led the nation in tackles for loss with 33 1/2, 11 1/2 more than No. 2 on the list.Ohio State brings back a Heisman Trophy finalist at quarterback in C.J. Stroud while at Georgia, most of the key players from one of the best college defenses of the last 25 years are now in NFL. Still, quarterback Stetson Bennett and All-America tight end Brock Bowers return to a Bulldogs offense that could be even more explosive in 2022.Texas A&amp;M, which finished last season unranked despite handing Alabama its only regular-season loss, starts this season No. 6.Defending Pac-12 champion Utah is seventh, the best preseason ranking in school history. Defending Big Ten champion Michigan is No. 8 after making the playoff for the first time last season.No. 9 Oklahoma is the highest-ranked Big 12 school, one spot ahead of defending league champion Baylor.POLL POINTSAlabama has been in the preseason top five in each of last 14 seasons and in the preseason top three in 13 straight. The Tide's 31st preseason top-five ranking this year matches Ohio State for second-most in poll history behind Oklahoma's 37.Turning preseason No. 1 into a national championship has proved tricky throughout history, even for Alabama.The Crimson Tide have gone on to win the national championship after starting No. 1 just once under Saban and twice overall.Since the AP preseason poll began in 1950, there have been 11 preseason No. 1 teams that also finished the season top ranked. Alabama was the last to do it (2017).RARITIES AND STREAKS— No. 13 North Carolina State is ranked in the preseason for the first time since 2003. The Wolfpack matched their best preseason ranking. They were also 13th in 1975.— No. 17 Pitt is in the preseason rankings for the first time since 2010.— No. 20 Kentucky is making its first preseason poll appearance since 1978.— No. 22 Wake Forest made the preseason rankings for the first time since 2008.— Ohio State is ranked in the preseason for the 34th straight season, breaking a tie with Nebraska (1970-2002) and Penn State (1968-2000) for the longest such streak in poll history.— Texas A&amp;M has the second-best preseason ranking for a team that finished the previous season unranked. Ohio State was No. 3 in the 1972 preseason poll after being unranked at the end of the 1971 season and Notre Dame also started No. 6 in 1983 after finishing unranked in 1982.How did the seasons work out for those teams? Ohio State went 9-2 and finished the season No. 9. The Irish went 7-5 and unranked again.NOTABLE OMISSIONS— LSU with new coach Brian Kelly will start the season unranked for the first time 2000, Saban's first of five seasons as coach of the Tigers.— Florida and Florida State are both unranked to start the season, which has not happened since 1974.NEWBIESFive schools ranked in the preseason poll have head coaches starting their first full seasons: Notre Dame (Marcus Freeman), Oklahoma (Brent Venables), No. 11 Oregon (Dan Lanning), No. 14 USC (Lincoln Riley) and No. 16 Miami (Mario Cristobal).This is the second time in the last five seasons that five teams with new coaches were ranked in the preseason, according to Sportradar. It also happened in 2018, but before that season that type of representation in the preseason poll for teams with new coaches was a rarity.You have to go all the way back to 1990 when six schools with coaches entering their first full season appeared in the preseason Top 25, according to Sportradar. That list includes some notable names: Gary Moeller, Michigan; Ken Hatfield, Clemson; Gene Stallings, Alabama; Jack Crowe, Arkansas; Paul Hackett, Pittsburgh; and John Jenkins, Houston.CONFERENCE CALLFor the fourth straight season, the Southeastern Conference has three teams in the top six.The Atlantic Coast Conference matched its best showing in the preseason poll with five teams. The ACC has reached that number four previous times.SEC — 6 (Nos. 1, 3, 6, 19, 20, 21).ACC — 5 (Nos. 4, 13, 16, 17, 22).Big Ten — 4 (Nos. 2, 8, 15, 18).Big 12 — 3 (Nos. 9, 10, 12).Pac-12 — 3 (Nos. 7, 11, 14).American — 2 (Nos. 23, 24).Independents — 2 (Nos. 5, 25).Follow Ralph D. Russo at <a href="https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP">https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP</a> and listen at <a href="http://www.appodcasts.com">http://www.appodcasts.com</a>

No. 1 Alabama tops preseason AP Top 25; Ohio St, 'Dawgs next

EDITOR'S NOTE: Much of Condos' work also appears on Salina Post.

By KAREN CAMPBELL <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-arts-culture-history/2022-08-11/hpprs-david-condos-wins-national-murrow-award-for-his-coverage-of-western-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>

David Condos, a reporter for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service, has won a National Edward R. Murrow Award — one of the most prestigious prizes in broadcast journalism — for his coverage of western Kansas, its ongoing problems with water, its history of racism and how meatpacking transformed the region.

Condos won the award for Excellence in Writing and was selected as the national winner from among this year's regional Murrow award recipients across the country.

Condos is a reporter based in Hays for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service, which is a statewide collaboration of public radio newsrooms. This is the first-ever national Murrow award for HPPR in the station’s 42-year history.

The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) recognized his work for three stories written and reported in western Kansas:

<a href="https://www.hppr.org/people/david-condos" target="_blank">See all of David Condos' reporting</a>.

“A national organization recognized what’s obvious to people in Kansas, that David is a talented and serious journalist,” said Scott Canon, the managing editor of the Kansas News Service. “His work has brought important stories to a statewide and national audience. David’s ability to report complicated stories in easily digestible ways is a rare thing.”

The award was given based on “excellence in writing that conveys the feeling and significance of events to the listener or viewer.” The Murrow Awards are among the most prestigious in news, recognizing the importance and impact of journalism as a service to the community.

Condos took home<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-arts-culture-history/2022-06-01/david-condos-hpprs-kansas-news-service-reporter-honored-at-2022-edward-r-murrow-awards" target="_blank">&nbsp;three regional Edward R. Murrow Awards earlier this year.</a>

Additionally, he received two national awards from the Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA): First place in Enterprise reporting for his series on racism in Kansas, “Race in the Free State,” and second place in Photojournalism for his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-12-11/russell-kansas-bids-farewell-to-its-most-favorite-son-bob-dole" target="_blank">photo of Elizabeth Dole</a>&nbsp;at the funeral of former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole.

Condos will be recognized alongside all of the national Murrow award winners at the RTDNA’s gala in New York City in October.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660312247035.png" alt="Condos" />
 <figcaption>Condos</figcaption>
 </figure>EDITOR'S NOTE: Much of Condos' work also appears on Salina Post.By KAREN CAMPBELL <a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-arts-culture-history/2022-08-11/hpprs-david-condos-wins-national-murrow-award-for-his-coverage-of-western-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>David Condos, a reporter for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service, has won a National Edward R. Murrow Award — one of the most prestigious prizes in broadcast journalism — for his coverage of western Kansas, its ongoing problems with water, its history of racism and how meatpacking transformed the region.Condos won the award for Excellence in Writing and was selected as the national winner from among this year's regional Murrow award recipients across the country.Condos is a reporter based in Hays for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service, which is a statewide collaboration of public radio newsrooms. This is the first-ever national Murrow award for HPPR in the station’s 42-year history.The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) recognized his work for three stories written and reported in western Kansas:<ol>
 <li><a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-03-02/what-the-history-of-noose-road-tells-us-about-kansas-race-and-the-lynchings-of-black-men" target="_blank">What The History Of 'Noose Road' Tells Us About Kansas, Race And The Lynchings Of Black Men</a></li><li><a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-05-05/farmers-trying-to-save-the-ogallala-aquifer-face-tension-from-peers-but-their-profits-are-improving" target="_blank">Farmers Trying To Save The Ogallala Aquifer Face Tension From Peers, But Their Profits Are Improving</a></li><li><a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-10-25/how-a-meatpacking-plant-changed-one-kansas-town-40-years-ago-and-left-a-colorado-community-behind" target="_blank">How a meatpacking plant changed one Kansas town 40 years ago and left a Colorado community behind</a></li>
 </ol><a href="https://www.hppr.org/people/david-condos" target="_blank">See all of David Condos' reporting</a>.“A national organization recognized what’s obvious to people in Kansas, that David is a talented and serious journalist,” said Scott Canon, the managing editor of the Kansas News Service. “His work has brought important stories to a statewide and national audience. David’s ability to report complicated stories in easily digestible ways is a rare thing.”The award was given based on “excellence in writing that conveys the feeling and significance of events to the listener or viewer.” The Murrow Awards are among the most prestigious in news, recognizing the importance and impact of journalism as a service to the community.Condos took home<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-arts-culture-history/2022-06-01/david-condos-hpprs-kansas-news-service-reporter-honored-at-2022-edward-r-murrow-awards" target="_blank">&nbsp;three regional Edward R. Murrow Awards earlier this year.</a>Additionally, he received two national awards from the Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA): First place in Enterprise reporting for his series on racism in Kansas, “Race in the Free State,” and second place in Photojournalism for his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hppr.org/hppr-news/2021-12-11/russell-kansas-bids-farewell-to-its-most-favorite-son-bob-dole" target="_blank">photo of Elizabeth Dole</a>&nbsp;at the funeral of former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole.Condos will be recognized alongside all of the national Murrow award winners at the RTDNA’s gala in New York City in October.

Condos wins National Murrow Award for coverage of western Kansas

Position Title:&nbsp;Service Technician / Quality Control Specialist

The Service Technician at Weddle and Sons will be tasked with assessing leaks, planning and performing many different small to medium-size roof repairs on steep/low slope roofs along with other company projects. Ability to perform repairs on the following materials: composition shingles; single ply membranes and built-up roof systems. This person will be able to work independently with little or no supervision; must also be able to work well with a team and know when to ask for outside input and support.

The Quality Control Specialist (QCS) at Weddle and Sons will develop and demonstrate skill in overseeing the day-to-day operations of a residential roofing crew and will show an advanced level of initiative in communication with supervisors, subordinates, and clients. A QCS must be committed to the core values of the company and must show the potential to coach others to higher levels of execution.

The starting hourly rate in the range of $16.00 - $20.00 based upon level of experience, paid biweekly, per 40 hours worked in a week with overtime paid at time-and-a-half.

The company provides 5 days of paid vacation and seven paid holiday days annually. Employees are eligible to join a company-sponsored health insurance plan after 30 days of employment. Employees are eligible for a company-sponsored 401k plan after 12 months of employment.

Weddle and Sons team members must support our Mission of “Building Better Lives” and embody our Core Values. We make hiring, retention, and advancement decisions largely on how well team members exemplify our core values in each aspect of their job. Our Core Values are:

1. Commitment to Clients: We will act in the best interest of those we serve

2. Responsibility: We will hold ourselves and each other accountable for excellent work

3. Integrity: We will exemplify fairness and honesty in our actions, decisions, and communications

4. Positivity: We choose to view and respond to life and work in a positive way

5. Never Settle: We are committed to constantly improving personally and professionally

1. Successfully solve client problems through effective issue identification, troubleshooting, and repairs

2. Demonstrate professionalism in all interactions with clients and team, communicating clearly and with a positive attitude, actively listening to customer concerns, and explaining our recommendations, options, and timing

3. Maintain current and accurate records of existing conditions, recommendations, work performed, time spent, and materials purchased for each project

4. Manage multiple tasks, prioritizing and carefully planning to maximize daily efficiency and minimize down time and unnecessary trips while quickly responding to urgent needs

5. Proactively seek service leads in the Salina area by networking and initiating with key service clients and potential clients

1. Keeping the client informed of the re-roof process

2. Keeping sub-contractors informed and scheduled ahead of time so that the client may plan appropriately.

4. Ensuring materials delivery is timely, accurate and correct

6. Informing the crew of safety requirements and promptly addressing violations

7. Managing the quality of installation by the sub-contractor

8. Maintain industry-best cleanliness of the job site, with specific attention to trash and nail clean up

9. Completing roof inspection form before leaving the job-site

11. Performing the installation of custom chimney flashing and skylight installation

13. Proper documentation of job notes on company platform

14. Regular communication with the Production Manager on ways to improve processes

1. Basic knowledge of roofing systems (and ability to learn quickly) with overall technical proficiency

2. Physical fitness sufficient to perform tasks that can be demanding at times

3. Problem-solving ability to troubleshoot roofing (and related) issues: ability to identify symptoms and systematically eliminate potential causes until solving the issue

a. Customer service skills (listening, positive communication, patience)

b. Competence in grammar and spelling preferred

c. Ability to send clear and mistake-free written communications

5. Ability to organize many competing and concurrent workstreams, while prioritizing and following through on commitments

Working Environment and Expectations:

Hours: A typical work week is expected to be not less than 40 hours. Given the seasonality of this business, we expect that there will be many weeks in middle of the year that require well over 40 hours of work. At the same time, there will be many weeks in the winter that may require somewhat less than 40 hours. At any time, and especially during the winter months, the service technician may be asked to assist with various company initiatives.

Travel: A service technician role is likely to involve occasional travel for company training, and projects. At times, business demand or weather events may require that the QCS spend time working in other company locations.

This is an “At Will” employment agreement. Nothing in the company’s policies, actions, or this document shall be construed to alter the “At Will” nature of Employee’s status with the company, and Employee understands that the company may terminate his/her employment at any time for any reason or for no reason, provided it is not terminated in violation of state or federal law. Likewise, the company recognizes the employee’s right to resign from employment for any reason.

Go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weddleandsons.com/apply/">https://www.weddleandsons.com/apply/</a>&nbsp;and select the “Salina” branch and “Service Technician/Quality Control Specialist” job.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656094503581.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Position Title:&nbsp;Service Technician / Quality Control SpecialistLocation:&nbsp;Salina, KSReports to:&nbsp;Branch ManagerGeneral Description:The Service Technician at Weddle and Sons will be tasked with assessing leaks, planning and performing many different small to medium-size roof repairs on steep/low slope roofs along with other company projects. Ability to perform repairs on the following materials: composition shingles; single ply membranes and built-up roof systems. This person will be able to work independently with little or no supervision; must also be able to work well with a team and know when to ask for outside input and support.The Quality Control Specialist (QCS) at Weddle and Sons will develop and demonstrate skill in overseeing the day-to-day operations of a residential roofing crew and will show an advanced level of initiative in communication with supervisors, subordinates, and clients. A QCS must be committed to the core values of the company and must show the potential to coach others to higher levels of execution.Compensation:The starting hourly rate in the range of $16.00 - $20.00 based upon level of experience, paid biweekly, per 40 hours worked in a week with overtime paid at time-and-a-half.The company provides 5 days of paid vacation and seven paid holiday days annually. Employees are eligible to join a company-sponsored health insurance plan after 30 days of employment. Employees are eligible for a company-sponsored 401k plan after 12 months of employment.Mission and Core Values:Weddle and Sons team members must support our Mission of “Building Better Lives” and embody our Core Values. We make hiring, retention, and advancement decisions largely on how well team members exemplify our core values in each aspect of their job. Our Core Values are:1. Commitment to Clients: We will act in the best interest of those we serve2. Responsibility: We will hold ourselves and each other accountable for excellent work3. Integrity: We will exemplify fairness and honesty in our actions, decisions, and communications4. Positivity: We choose to view and respond to life and work in a positive way5. Never Settle: We are committed to constantly improving personally and professionallyResponsibilities:Service Technician1. Successfully solve client problems through effective issue identification, troubleshooting, and repairs2. Demonstrate professionalism in all interactions with clients and team, communicating clearly and with a positive attitude, actively listening to customer concerns, and explaining our recommendations, options, and timing3. Maintain current and accurate records of existing conditions, recommendations, work performed, time spent, and materials purchased for each project4. Manage multiple tasks, prioritizing and carefully planning to maximize daily efficiency and minimize down time and unnecessary trips while quickly responding to urgent needs5. Proactively seek service leads in the Salina area by networking and initiating with key service clients and potential clientsQuality Control Specialist1. Keeping the client informed of the re-roof process2. Keeping sub-contractors informed and scheduled ahead of time so that the client may plan appropriately.3. Being available: cell phone; email4. Ensuring materials delivery is timely, accurate and correct5. Abiding by OSHA laws6. Informing the crew of safety requirements and promptly addressing violations7. Managing the quality of installation by the sub-contractor8. Maintain industry-best cleanliness of the job site, with specific attention to trash and nail clean up9. Completing roof inspection form before leaving the job-site10. Removing left over inventory11. Performing the installation of custom chimney flashing and skylight installation12. Managing weather hazards13. Proper documentation of job notes on company platform14. Regular communication with the Production Manager on ways to improve processesSkills:1. Basic knowledge of roofing systems (and ability to learn quickly) with overall technical proficiency2. Physical fitness sufficient to perform tasks that can be demanding at times3. Problem-solving ability to troubleshoot roofing (and related) issues: ability to identify symptoms and systematically eliminate potential causes until solving the issue4. Written and verbal professionalisma. Customer service skills (listening, positive communication, patience)b. Competence in grammar and spelling preferredc. Ability to send clear and mistake-free written communicationsd. Good phone demeanor and tone5. Ability to organize many competing and concurrent workstreams, while prioritizing and following through on commitmentsWorking Environment and Expectations:Hours: A typical work week is expected to be not less than 40 hours. Given the seasonality of this business, we expect that there will be many weeks in middle of the year that require well over 40 hours of work. At the same time, there will be many weeks in the winter that may require somewhat less than 40 hours. At any time, and especially during the winter months, the service technician may be asked to assist with various company initiatives.Travel: A service technician role is likely to involve occasional travel for company training, and projects. At times, business demand or weather events may require that the QCS spend time working in other company locations.Employment Terms:This is an “At Will” employment agreement. Nothing in the company’s policies, actions, or this document shall be construed to alter the “At Will” nature of Employee’s status with the company, and Employee understands that the company may terminate his/her employment at any time for any reason or for no reason, provided it is not terminated in violation of state or federal law. Likewise, the company recognizes the employee’s right to resign from employment for any reason.To apply:Go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weddleandsons.com/apply/">https://www.weddleandsons.com/apply/</a>&nbsp;and select the “Salina” branch and “Service Technician/Quality Control Specialist” job.

Heath Russell Volkman ( Russ Jones)

My husband and I are retired. I receive a small pension, and we are both on Medicare and Social Security. We have about $25,000 left to pay on our mortgage, along with a second mortgage of $18,000. These are our only debts. We also have a nest egg of $30,000 set aside, and a small annuity that’s worth about $20,000. Would you recommend paying off our mortgages with our savings?

If you know me at all, you understand how much I’d love to see everyone in control of their finances and living&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/7-characteristics-of-debt-free-people" target="_blank">debt-free</a>. But being broke, even in a house that’s paid for, isn’t a good idea. Believe me, I understand. The idea of paying off the house and everything is awfully tempting. But if you two did that, you’d be left with very little. To me, that’s a scary thought when your small pension—along with Social Insecurity and Medicare—are all you have coming in.

No offense, but your nest egg is kind of small to begin with, so I don’t think I’d be raiding it right now. On the other hand, if you’d told me you had $400,000 or $500,000 saved up, I’d tell you pay off the house and second mortgage&nbsp;today.

If you’re not doing this already, I’d advise you two to start making and living on a regular&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/guide-to-budgeting/Introduction" target="_blank">monthly budget</a>. Give every dollar a name on paper before the month begins, because if you don’t, your money will control you instead of you controlling it. Make sure you’re living on less than what’s coming in, and hopefully you can devise a plan to have the house and other debt paid off in a few years.

<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/" target="_blank">Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</a>is an eight-time No. 1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of&nbsp;The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648176857529.png" alt="Dave Ramsey" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,My husband and I are retired. I receive a small pension, and we are both on Medicare and Social Security. We have about $25,000 left to pay on our mortgage, along with a second mortgage of $18,000. These are our only debts. We also have a nest egg of $30,000 set aside, and a small annuity that’s worth about $20,000. Would you recommend paying off our mortgages with our savings?JaneDear Jane,If you know me at all, you understand how much I’d love to see everyone in control of their finances and living&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/7-characteristics-of-debt-free-people" target="_blank">debt-free</a>. But being broke, even in a house that’s paid for, isn’t a good idea. Believe me, I understand. The idea of paying off the house and everything is awfully tempting. But if you two did that, you’d be left with very little. To me, that’s a scary thought when your small pension—along with Social Insecurity and Medicare—are all you have coming in.No offense, but your nest egg is kind of small to begin with, so I don’t think I’d be raiding it right now. On the other hand, if you’d told me you had $400,000 or $500,000 saved up, I’d tell you pay off the house and second mortgage&nbsp;today.If you’re not doing this already, I’d advise you two to start making and living on a regular&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/guide-to-budgeting/Introduction" target="_blank">monthly budget</a>. Give every dollar a name on paper before the month begins, because if you don’t, your money will control you instead of you controlling it. Make sure you’re living on less than what’s coming in, and hopefully you can devise a plan to have the house and other debt paid off in a few years.God bless you two!Dave<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/" target="_blank">Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</a>is an eight-time No. 1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of&nbsp;The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

DAVE SAYS: Pay off the mortgages? Not so fast…

By JAMES WALKER and JUDITH R. HILTNER <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-vin-scully-scored-his-dodgers-gig-at-22-years-old-188264">The Conversation</a>

Vin Scully, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/02/sports/baseball/vin-scully-dead.html">who died on Aug. 2, 2022</a>,
 is widely viewed as the greatest baseball announcer of all time. But 
for an earlier generation, his mentor, Red Barber, held that 
distinction.

In our recent biography “<a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Red_Barber/lWhgEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=0">Red Barber: The Life and Legacy of a Broadcasting Legend</a>,”
 we uncovered moving private letters and public references documenting 
the rich personal bonds between these two great voices of the game.

In 1939, Barber brought daily radio broadcasts of Dodgers baseball to
 Brooklyn’s fans for the first time. By the time Scully arrived in 1950,
 Barber – known as “<a href="https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19921022&amp;slug=1520043">the Old Redhead</a>” – was the toast of Flatbush.

For a combined century – 33 years for Barber and 67 for Scully – the 
two blessed baseball fans with some of the sharpest word pictures ever 
painted of the grand old game. Together in the Brooklyn booth for four 
crucial years, from 1950 to 1953, they forged a relationship that proved
 to be both demanding and gratifying.

After Scully graduated with a degree in English from Fordham 
University in 1949, he papered East Coast radio stations with 
applications. <a href="https://vault.si.com/vault/1964/05/04/the-transistor-kid">He eventually scored an interview with CBS Radio</a>, where Barber was director of sports. Barber came away impressed, but there were no openings at the time.

Barber later phoned Vin Scully when, at the last minute, he needed a 
reporter to cover a college football contest at Fenway Park in Boston 
for CBS College Football Roundup. Scully’s mother answered the phone and
 took the message for Vin that <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Voices_of_the_Game/oNBwQgAACAAJ?hl=en">“Red Skelton” wanted to talk to him about a job</a> – confusing Barber with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Skelton">the popular entertainer</a>.

Fortunately, Scully figured out who was calling. He hustled to the 
park, only to learn there was no room for him in the press box. With 
only a light topcoat to defend himself against the cruel New England 
elements, he had to call the entire game from the roof, braving the 
winds on a chilly fall day with only a 60-watt light bulb to warm his 
hands. Barber, initially unaware of Scully’s plight, later wrote that 
when he learned his announcer had called the game from the roof, he was 
impressed by the young broadcaster’s stamina and even more impressed 
that Scully had never complained about the brutal conditions.

When <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ2EG3t3fEI">Ernie Harwell</a>,
 who would become the legendary voice of the Detroit Tigers, left the 
Brooklyn Dodgers’ broadcast booth for the New York Giants, Red Barber 
needed to find a replacement. He decided to go with the young 
broadcaster <a href="https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00067187/00001/downloads">who had so impressed him</a> – later describing Scully as “a pretty appealing young green pea … a boy who had something on the ball.”

So Vin Scully, just 22 years old, <a href="https://dodgers.mlblogs.com/on-this-date-70-years-ago-today-vin-scully-joins-the-booth-a66648e399e8">was given the chance of a lifetime</a>, to broadcast the games of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the National League’s most successful team.

But this golden opportunity was challenging in ways Scully did not foresee.

Red Barber, who early in life planned to be a college professor, was a
 tough grader. He demanded a lot of himself, and he held those who 
worked with him to just as high a standard. 

When Vin first entered the Dodgers broadcast booth, Barber told the 
young man that his job was to do whatever Red and his colleague Connie 
Desmond didn’t want to do. He also made it clear that any Scully errors 
would be corrected on air for all to hear. When Barber saw Scully 
drinking a beer with his pregame sandwich – a common practice at the 
time – <a href="https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00067191/00001/downloads">he told Vin he never wanted to see him do it again</a>.

Barber was no teetotaler – far from it; leisure hours drinks were 
something he treasured. But he believed a broadcaster should never have a
 drink, even a beer, on the job. Barber reasoned if Scully made an 
error, something inevitable for a broadcaster ad-libbing for hours at a 
time, anyone who saw him sipping the press room brew would conclude that
 alcohol had clouded his performance.

One of Red’s broadcasting mantras was <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Broadcasters/bpFZAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=0">pregame preparation</a>.
 So before one game, when Scully told his mentor that a Dodgers’ regular
 would be out of the lineup, Barber demanded to know why. Scully told 
him he had no idea. To Barber, that was unacceptable.

Scully quickly realized that he needed to know the “whys”; he had to 
get to the stadium early and spend time talking with managers and 
players, absorbing compelling facts and stories to keep listeners 
engaged during slow stretches of each contest.

The delicate bonds that develop between any mentor and mentee, though
 often fruitful, almost always involve some degree of resentment and 
frustration, likely because each member of the pair has so much vested 
in winning the respect and affection of the other. Some of Barber’s 
barbs must have stung. But throughout his career Scully always credited 
Red for instilling in him the discipline and values of a professional 
baseball announcer. <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Red_Barber/lWhgEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=0">He claimed</a>
 that the greatest virtue of Red as a mentor “was the fact that he 
cared. I wasn’t just another kid in the booth, just another announcer. …
 He made sure that my work habits were good, and he rode me if I drifted
 away from his ideal of the right way to work.”

In 1953, Barber left the Brooklyn booth after a dispute over his pay. 

Ahead of that season’s World Series between the Dodgers and the New 
York Yankees, the Series’ sponsor, Gillette, offered Barber only $200 
per game, take it or leave it. Barber left it, and when he did not get 
the support he wanted from Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley, he decided to 
sit out the Series and sign with the Yankees for the following season.

Gillette then turned to Scully, asking him if he’d announce the 
Series. Scully called Red seeking his permission. Barber was genuinely 
moved by Scully’s request, given that his permission clearly was not 
needed.  

All of a sudden, Scully, at the age of 25, was thrust onto the 
national stage. He remains the youngest person to ever call a World 
Series. Two years later, he announced the Brooklyn Dodgers’ only World 
Series win, and in 1958 he moved with the club to Los Angeles, where he 
would call games for the next 59 seasons.

Barber and Scully maintained an affectionate dialogue for the remainder of Red’s life.

When Barber and Mel Allen were honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the first recipients of the <a href="https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/awards/887">Ford C. Frick Award</a>, presented yearly to a broadcaster for “major contributions to baseball,” <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Red_Barber/lWhgEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=0">Scully wrote his old teacher</a>,
 “I know as well as anyone alive what a true artist you were behind the 
mike. There is a great deal of you in anything I do well in 
play-by-play, and it will live in me as long as I am working.”

<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/23/obituaries/red-barber-baseball-voice-of-summer-is-dead-at-84.html">When Barber died in 1992</a>, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=lWhgEAAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA421&amp;lpg=PA421&amp;dq=%22radio%27s+first+poet%22+vin+scully+reader%27s+digest&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=eKTwjzRZ9i&amp;sig=ACfU3U20PiKT9ghjq_j_phD7Wi3yq3zg8g&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwipi_j9srD5AhXvGFkFHaZ5AIQQ6AF6BAgCEAM#v=onepage&amp;q=%22radio's%20first%20poet%22%20vin%20scully%20reader's%20digest&amp;f=false">Scully penned a tribute</a> in Reader’s Digest, calling him “radio’s first poet … and the most honorable man I ever met.”

At Barber’s funeral, Scully <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=lWhgEAAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA416&amp;lpg=PA416&amp;dq=%22Now+don%E2%80%99t+you+talk+about+me+during+the+game.+These+people+aren%E2%80%99t+tuning+in+to+hear+about+me.+Talk+about+the+game.%22&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=eKTwjyO0aa&amp;sig=ACfU3U0RPFLsb-840mAH9SYnTQ8e10yLOQ&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjBsqDXg7D5AhWthIkEHSHWAt0Q6AF6BAgCEAM#v=onepage&amp;q=%22Now%20don%E2%80%99t%20you%20talk%20about%20me%20during%20the%20game.%20These%20people%20aren%E2%80%99t%20tuning%20in%20to%20hear%20about%20me.%20Talk%20about%20the%20game.%22&amp;f=false">told a reporter</a>
 that he was preparing to announce the fourth game of the World Series 
when he first learned of Red’s death. After absorbing the sad news, he 
began hearing his old mentor chiding him: “Now don’t you talk about me 
during the game. These people aren’t tuning in to hear about me. Talk 
about the game.”

James Walker is
 Past Executive Director of the International Association for 
Communication and Sport and Emeritus Professor of Communication at Saint 
Xavier University. Judith R. Hiltner is Emeritus Professor of English at Saint Xavier University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659497855884.png" alt="Scully" />
 <figcaption>Scully</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES WALKER and JUDITH R. HILTNER <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-vin-scully-scored-his-dodgers-gig-at-22-years-old-188264">The Conversation</a>Vin Scully, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/02/sports/baseball/vin-scully-dead.html">who died on Aug. 2, 2022</a>,
 is widely viewed as the greatest baseball announcer of all time. But 
for an earlier generation, his mentor, Red Barber, held that 
distinction.In our recent biography “<a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Red_Barber/lWhgEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=0">Red Barber: The Life and Legacy of a Broadcasting Legend</a>,”
 we uncovered moving private letters and public references documenting 
the rich personal bonds between these two great voices of the game. In 1939, Barber brought daily radio broadcasts of Dodgers baseball to
 Brooklyn’s fans for the first time. By the time Scully arrived in 1950,
 Barber – known as “<a href="https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19921022&amp;slug=1520043">the Old Redhead</a>” – was the toast of Flatbush. For a combined century – 33 years for Barber and 67 for Scully – the 
two blessed baseball fans with some of the sharpest word pictures ever 
painted of the grand old game. Together in the Brooklyn booth for four 
crucial years, from 1950 to 1953, they forged a relationship that proved
 to be both demanding and gratifying.<h2>The chance of a lifetime</h2>After Scully graduated with a degree in English from Fordham 
University in 1949, he papered East Coast radio stations with 
applications. <a href="https://vault.si.com/vault/1964/05/04/the-transistor-kid">He eventually scored an interview with CBS Radio</a>, where Barber was director of sports. Barber came away impressed, but there were no openings at the time.Barber later phoned Vin Scully when, at the last minute, he needed a 
reporter to cover a college football contest at Fenway Park in Boston 
for CBS College Football Roundup. Scully’s mother answered the phone and
 took the message for Vin that <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Voices_of_the_Game/oNBwQgAACAAJ?hl=en">“Red Skelton” wanted to talk to him about a job</a> – confusing Barber with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Skelton">the popular entertainer</a>.Fortunately, Scully figured out who was calling. He hustled to the 
park, only to learn there was no room for him in the press box. With 
only a light topcoat to defend himself against the cruel New England 
elements, he had to call the entire game from the roof, braving the 
winds on a chilly fall day with only a 60-watt light bulb to warm his 
hands. Barber, initially unaware of Scully’s plight, later wrote that 
when he learned his announcer had called the game from the roof, he was 
impressed by the young broadcaster’s stamina and even more impressed 
that Scully had never complained about the brutal conditions.When <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ2EG3t3fEI">Ernie Harwell</a>,
 who would become the legendary voice of the Detroit Tigers, left the 
Brooklyn Dodgers’ broadcast booth for the New York Giants, Red Barber 
needed to find a replacement. He decided to go with the young 
broadcaster <a href="https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00067187/00001/downloads">who had so impressed him</a> – later describing Scully as “a pretty appealing young green pea … a boy who had something on the ball.”So Vin Scully, just 22 years old, <a href="https://dodgers.mlblogs.com/on-this-date-70-years-ago-today-vin-scully-joins-the-booth-a66648e399e8">was given the chance of a lifetime</a>, to broadcast the games of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the National League’s most successful team. But this golden opportunity was challenging in ways Scully did not foresee.<h2>Barber takes Scully under his wing</h2>Red Barber, who early in life planned to be a college professor, was a
 tough grader. He demanded a lot of himself, and he held those who 
worked with him to just as high a standard. When Vin first entered the Dodgers broadcast booth, Barber told the 
young man that his job was to do whatever Red and his colleague Connie 
Desmond didn’t want to do. He also made it clear that any Scully errors 
would be corrected on air for all to hear. When Barber saw Scully 
drinking a beer with his pregame sandwich – a common practice at the 
time – <a href="https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00067191/00001/downloads">he told Vin he never wanted to see him do it again</a>.Barber was no teetotaler – far from it; leisure hours drinks were 
something he treasured. But he believed a broadcaster should never have a
 drink, even a beer, on the job. Barber reasoned if Scully made an 
error, something inevitable for a broadcaster ad-libbing for hours at a 
time, anyone who saw him sipping the press room brew would conclude that
 alcohol had clouded his performance.One of Red’s broadcasting mantras was <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Broadcasters/bpFZAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=0">pregame preparation</a>.
 So before one game, when Scully told his mentor that a Dodgers’ regular
 would be out of the lineup, Barber demanded to know why. Scully told 
him he had no idea. To Barber, that was unacceptable.Scully quickly realized that he needed to know the “whys”; he had to 
get to the stadium early and spend time talking with managers and 
players, absorbing compelling facts and stories to keep listeners 
engaged during slow stretches of each contest.The delicate bonds that develop between any mentor and mentee, though
 often fruitful, almost always involve some degree of resentment and 
frustration, likely because each member of the pair has so much vested 
in winning the respect and affection of the other. Some of Barber’s 
barbs must have stung. But throughout his career Scully always credited 
Red for instilling in him the discipline and values of a professional 
baseball announcer. <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Red_Barber/lWhgEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=0">He claimed</a>
 that the greatest virtue of Red as a mentor “was the fact that he 
cared. I wasn’t just another kid in the booth, just another announcer. …
 He made sure that my work habits were good, and he rode me if I drifted
 away from his ideal of the right way to work.”<h2>Scully in the spotlight</h2>In 1953, Barber left the Brooklyn booth after a dispute over his pay. Ahead of that season’s World Series between the Dodgers and the New 
York Yankees, the Series’ sponsor, Gillette, offered Barber only $200 
per game, take it or leave it. Barber left it, and when he did not get 
the support he wanted from Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley, he decided to 
sit out the Series and sign with the Yankees for the following season.Gillette then turned to Scully, asking him if he’d announce the 
Series. Scully called Red seeking his permission. Barber was genuinely 
moved by Scully’s request, given that his permission clearly was not 
needed. All of a sudden, Scully, at the age of 25, was thrust onto the 
national stage. He remains the youngest person to ever call a World 
Series. Two years later, he announced the Brooklyn Dodgers’ only World 
Series win, and in 1958 he moved with the club to Los Angeles, where he 
would call games for the next 59 seasons.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xCS8jmV0WiE"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Barber and Scully maintained an affectionate dialogue for the remainder of Red’s life.When Barber and Mel Allen were honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the first recipients of the <a href="https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/awards/887">Ford C. Frick Award</a>, presented yearly to a broadcaster for “major contributions to baseball,” <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Red_Barber/lWhgEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=0">Scully wrote his old teacher</a>,
 “I know as well as anyone alive what a true artist you were behind the 
mike. There is a great deal of you in anything I do well in 
play-by-play, and it will live in me as long as I am working.”<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/23/obituaries/red-barber-baseball-voice-of-summer-is-dead-at-84.html">When Barber died in 1992</a>, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=lWhgEAAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA421&amp;lpg=PA421&amp;dq=%22radio%27s+first+poet%22+vin+scully+reader%27s+digest&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=eKTwjzRZ9i&amp;sig=ACfU3U20PiKT9ghjq_j_phD7Wi3yq3zg8g&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwipi_j9srD5AhXvGFkFHaZ5AIQQ6AF6BAgCEAM#v=onepage&amp;q=%22radio's%20first%20poet%22%20vin%20scully%20reader's%20digest&amp;f=false">Scully penned a tribute</a> in Reader’s Digest, calling him “radio’s first poet … and the most honorable man I ever met.” At Barber’s funeral, Scully <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=lWhgEAAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA416&amp;lpg=PA416&amp;dq=%22Now+don%E2%80%99t+you+talk+about+me+during+the+game.+These+people+aren%E2%80%99t+tuning+in+to+hear+about+me.+Talk+about+the+game.%22&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=eKTwjyO0aa&amp;sig=ACfU3U0RPFLsb-840mAH9SYnTQ8e10yLOQ&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjBsqDXg7D5AhWthIkEHSHWAt0Q6AF6BAgCEAM#v=onepage&amp;q=%22Now%20don%E2%80%99t%20you%20talk%20about%20me%20during%20the%20game.%20These%20people%20aren%E2%80%99t%20tuning%20in%20to%20hear%20about%20me.%20Talk%20about%20the%20game.%22&amp;f=false">told a reporter</a>
 that he was preparing to announce the fourth game of the World Series 
when he first learned of Red’s death. After absorbing the sad news, he 
began hearing his old mentor chiding him: “Now don’t you talk about me 
during the game. These people aren’t tuning in to hear about me. Talk 
about the game.”James Walker is
 Past Executive Director of the International Association for 
Communication and Sport and Emeritus Professor of Communication at Saint 
Xavier University. Judith R. Hiltner is Emeritus Professor of English at Saint Xavier University.<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/188264/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1"></iframe></div>

🎥 How Vin Scully scored his Dodgers gig at 22 years old

<a href="https://www.wilsonfamilyfuneralhome.com/obituary/lindsey-l-stanley">Obituary | Lindsey L. Stanley of Minneapolis, Kansas | Wilson Family Funeral Home</a>

Lindsey Lynae Stanley 38, Minneapolis KS, passed away Friday, Aug. 5th 2022 at Salina Regional Health Center Salina Kansas.

Lindsey was born January 22, 1984 to Russell and Kimberly Stanley.&nbsp;

Lindsey was preceded&nbsp; in death by her mother Kimberly, February 23, 2022

Lindsey loved to read books and go for walks, go fishing, go cruising, doing hair, and listening to music and being with her boys.&nbsp;

Survivors are her boys Garson of Hutchinson KS, Braydon of Beverly, KS, Mystery of Hutchinson, and Kaysyn of the home; her father Russell, her siblings Angela and Charles Finkbiner of Delphos, KS, Jennifer and Josh Kirk of Delphos, KS, Jeramiah and Desiree Stanley of Minneapolis, and Jerrisue Carlenton of Winfield; her uncle William and aunt Christel Stanley and aunt Joyce Davis; lots of cousins, nieces and nephews, and special friends.

At Lindsey’s request she was cremated. A Memorial/Luncheon (Pot luck) will be Sunday, Aug. 21st at 12 at 1283 Windmill Rd, Delphos KS. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wilson Family Funeral Home, P.O Box 166, Minneapolis KS 67467 to assist with expenses.&nbsp;

To plant Memorial Trees in memory of&nbsp;Lindsey L. Stanley, please&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wilsonfamilyfuneralhome.com/obituary/lindsey-l-stanley/gifts?campaign=obituaryThemed-gifts-textLink-obitText">click here to visit our Sympathy Store</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659913280814.jpeg" alt="Lindsey L. Stanley" />
 <figcaption>Lindsey L. Stanley</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.wilsonfamilyfuneralhome.com/obituary/lindsey-l-stanley">Obituary | Lindsey L. Stanley of Minneapolis, Kansas | Wilson Family Funeral Home</a>January 22, 1984 - Aug 5, 2022Lindsey Lynae Stanley 38, Minneapolis KS, passed away Friday, Aug. 5th 2022 at Salina Regional Health Center Salina Kansas.Lindsey was born January 22, 1984 to Russell and Kimberly Stanley.&nbsp;Lindsey was preceded&nbsp; in death by her mother Kimberly, February 23, 2022Lindsey loved to read books and go for walks, go fishing, go cruising, doing hair, and listening to music and being with her boys.&nbsp;Survivors are her boys Garson of Hutchinson KS, Braydon of Beverly, KS, Mystery of Hutchinson, and Kaysyn of the home; her father Russell, her siblings Angela and Charles Finkbiner of Delphos, KS, Jennifer and Josh Kirk of Delphos, KS, Jeramiah and Desiree Stanley of Minneapolis, and Jerrisue Carlenton of Winfield; her uncle William and aunt Christel Stanley and aunt Joyce Davis; lots of cousins, nieces and nephews, and special friends.At Lindsey’s request she was cremated. A Memorial/Luncheon (Pot luck) will be Sunday, Aug. 21st at 12 at 1283 Windmill Rd, Delphos KS. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wilson Family Funeral Home, P.O Box 166, Minneapolis KS 67467 to assist with expenses.&nbsp;To plant Memorial Trees in memory of&nbsp;Lindsey L. Stanley, please&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wilsonfamilyfuneralhome.com/obituary/lindsey-l-stanley/gifts?campaign=obituaryThemed-gifts-textLink-obitText">click here to visit our Sympathy Store</a>.

 Lindsey L. Stanley

By LESLIE MANNING Tri-Rivers Fair Board

The 2022 Tri-Rivers Fair board invites folks to be inspired by presentations focused on innovative programming and projects impacting Saline County residents during the Inspiration and Innovation Showcase on Saturday, Aug. 6 in the Great Plains Manufacturing Convention Center of the Tony’s Pizza Event Center. The showcase is partnered with an outdoor event honoring the innovations of the past, with an antique tractor show in the south parking lot of Tony’s Pizza Event Center, featuring tractors owned by members of the Kansas Tractor Club. The Kansas Tractor Club will also provide tractor games during the outdoor show.

“There are a lot of stories behind these tractors,” Michael Boldenow said. "A lot of those tractors came around the war, when the armed forces needed more metal. The tractors have cast iron frames, because the steel was used in the war, and once the war was over they went back to steel tractors.”

Boldenow serves as the president of the Kansas Tractor Club. The club will be showcasing the members’ tractors and sharing stories during the Antique Tractor Show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday in the south parking lot of the Tony’s Pizza Event Center.

“The club involves basically anyone who wants to join, and we usually don’t go more than an hour away for shows,” Boldenow said. “It’s fun talking about the history on these tractors. You get a lot of that from everybody who is a member.”

According to Boldenow, the majority of tractors on display were built between the years of 1925 and 1955.

“We enjoy any tractor that shows up,” Boldenow said. “We expect 20 plus tractors from the Kansas Tractor Club on Saturday.”

One tractor Boldenow expects to display is a Ford 8N.

“They made a lot of them,” Boldenow said. “Those are really unique tractors, because there are not a whole lot that are exactly the same. They would change them throughout the year, so they are all kind of different.”

The Kansas Tractor Club will also host tractor games at noon on Saturday. The games will include the chain game which involves a tractor driver dragging the chain back and forth, dropping it in a box; a game with the goal of dropping washers in a bucket while driving; a blind fold driving game, which involves a partner providing directions to a blind folded driver and the teeter totter game, where a tractor drives up on a teeter totter and has to balance for an extended and measured amount of time.

The Kansas Tractor Club involves more than 70 members, some who own antique tractors and some who do not. The club offers a $1,000 scholarship to club members each year to support a restoration project, and offers a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating senior each year. You can find club information on Facebook.

The Inspiration and Innovation Showcase on Saturday begins at 10 a.m. with a presentation from Lori Blake, executive director at Child Advocacy and Parenting Services, Salina. Parents and guardians attending the presentation will discover the different free services available to support the full-time job of raising children of all ages. The presentation is titled Connections Matter, and Blake hopes to empower good parents to become great parents. The presentation will include information on the value of safe, caring adults in the lives of children.

Tim Bartz, Long McArthur Ford, will take the stage at 11 a.m. to share the details on Ford’s lineup of electrified vehicles. Long McArthur’s communication and marketing team has developed systems allowing Salina’s Ford dealership to ship on average more than 50 vehicles out of state each month. Long McArthur Ford is the No. 1 Ford Maverick dealer in the USA, No. 1 Super Duty Dealer in Kansas, and has won the Ford President Award three years in a row. Bartz will share which electric vehicles are available from the Long McArthur inventory, including the Ford Maverick Hybrid 42mpg truck that can haul 1,500 pounds and tow up to 4,000 pounds; the Ford Mustang Mach-E which is a full electric crossover that drives like a Mustang and uses zero fuel; the Ford F-150 Hybrid offering the best of both worlds with 13,000 pounds of towing and good fuel economy in town; the Ford F-150 Lightning which is the first all electric American made truck with 10,000 pounds towing and 775 pounds of torque; along with other hybrid line-ups like the Escape and Explorer. Several of the electric vehicles will be on display in the circle drive of Tony’s Pizza Event Center during the showcase.

As federal decision makers delegate more and more policy making to states and local governments, a relationship with local representation becomes all the more important. Clarke Sanders will take the stage at noon to share what he has been working on as the District 69 representative in the Kansas House of Representatives, and a question and answer session will be facilitated during the time available.

Speaking of federal action delegated to the state and local level, Phillip Smith-Hanes will present at 1 p.m. regarding the money received by Saline County from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA.) Smith-Hanes collected surveys from Saline County residents to better understand where the people wanted ARPA funding spent, and the highest priority communicated was business recovery. Smith-Hanes has worked with technology companies to provide an app that consumers can download, along with technology businesses can use, to shop and distribute ARPA funds to local participating business.

If you are a local business owner, learn how to earn ARPA dollars by attending this presentation. For consumers, come learn how you can be a part of a grassroots effort to support and provide recovery dollars to the businesses in Saline County.

At 1:30 p.m. Eric Brown from the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce will follow the presentation about the Saline County business recovery, with information about leadership programs available to Saline County business owners. The presentation titled, Ins and Outs of Local Community Leadership Programs,&nbsp; will focus on high level overview of two community leadership programs offered by the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce. The Leadership Salina program and Springboard program are designed to develop leaders who will have the skills and capacities to move our community forward by being trained with the tools necessary to lead at work and non-profit sectors.

The ever changing landscape of technology continues to impact lives in Saline County, and Deven Fortkamp, vice president at WCCiT, will identify ways to navigate these changes at 2:30 p.m. The presentation will discuss aspects of cyber security, including what it is, why it is needed and hot to spot scans and phishing attempts. Fortkamp will also share what can be done to stay safe on the internet. The presentation will include some true, personal stories related to cyber-attacks and some frightening statistics.

Continuing the trend of tech talk, Emanuel Ashiedu of the Salina Code Academy, will present at 3 p.m. on stage. The Saline Code Academy provides hands on learning for elementary aged kids, middle-schoolers and high school students, teaching them math, logical thinking, creativity, persistence, problem solving and strategizing with the power of code. Ashiedu will share information about the classes available, and the results he has observed in the short time the academy has been open in Salina.

Did you know that Saline County and the City of Salina have set a goal together, to reduce solid waste across the county? Learn more about the goal, current efforts and future projects by attending a presentation at 3:30 p.m. from Jim Kowach, City of Salina public works operations manager, about the Zero Waste Initiative efforts. The presentation will define the Zero Waste Initiative goal; explain the Saline County Solid Waste plan and the role of the Saline County Solid Waste committee; describe the current waste diversion efforts in Salina and Saline County; describe the Solid Waste Sort and Recyclables Composition Study completed in the Spring of 2022 and describe the ongoing and planned efforts to develop waste reduction strategies for the community.

Bring your kids to the air conditioning of the Great Plains Manufacturing Convention Center at 4 p.m. to listen to a presentation from Rolling Hills Zoo staff. The presentation will cover a brief history of the zoo, as well as new exhibits and animals; upcoming events and future projects. The presentation will also share the SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program, explaining what it is and how Rolling Hills Zoo is involved. Three Animal Ambassadors will be guests during the presentation, allowing guests to get close to the exhibits safely, without touching.

The showcase is headlined by a free concert and presentation provided by the Peterson Farm Bros at 5 p.m. In 2012, the Peterson Farm Bros published a parody video on YouTube titled,&nbsp;I’m Farming and I Grow It.&nbsp; The video has grown to 12 million views, hitting 50,000 views in the first 48 hours online. To celebrate 10 years since the launch of the Peterson Farm Bros, Greg Peterson, Nathan Peterson and Kendal Peterson will take the stage and perform parodies and share their story.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659716820320.jpeg" alt="An antique tractor show will be part of the Tri-Rivers Fair Saturday. Photos courtesy Tri-Rivers Fair Board" />
 <figcaption>An antique tractor show will be part of the Tri-Rivers Fair Saturday. Photos courtesy Tri-Rivers Fair Board</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE MANNING Tri-Rivers Fair BoardThe 2022 Tri-Rivers Fair board invites folks to be inspired by presentations focused on innovative programming and projects impacting Saline County residents during the Inspiration and Innovation Showcase on Saturday, Aug. 6 in the Great Plains Manufacturing Convention Center of the Tony’s Pizza Event Center. The showcase is partnered with an outdoor event honoring the innovations of the past, with an antique tractor show in the south parking lot of Tony’s Pizza Event Center, featuring tractors owned by members of the Kansas Tractor Club. The Kansas Tractor Club will also provide tractor games during the outdoor show.Honoring history“There are a lot of stories behind these tractors,” Michael Boldenow said. "A lot of those tractors came around the war, when the armed forces needed more metal. The tractors have cast iron frames, because the steel was used in the war, and once the war was over they went back to steel tractors.”Boldenow serves as the president of the Kansas Tractor Club. The club will be showcasing the members’ tractors and sharing stories during the Antique Tractor Show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday in the south parking lot of the Tony’s Pizza Event Center.“The club involves basically anyone who wants to join, and we usually don’t go more than an hour away for shows,” Boldenow said. “It’s fun talking about the history on these tractors. You get a lot of that from everybody who is a member.”According to Boldenow, the majority of tractors on display were built between the years of 1925 and 1955.“We enjoy any tractor that shows up,” Boldenow said. “We expect 20 plus tractors from the Kansas Tractor Club on Saturday.”One tractor Boldenow expects to display is a Ford 8N.“They made a lot of them,” Boldenow said. “Those are really unique tractors, because there are not a whole lot that are exactly the same. They would change them throughout the year, so they are all kind of different.”The Kansas Tractor Club will also host tractor games at noon on Saturday. The games will include the chain game which involves a tractor driver dragging the chain back and forth, dropping it in a box; a game with the goal of dropping washers in a bucket while driving; a blind fold driving game, which involves a partner providing directions to a blind folded driver and the teeter totter game, where a tractor drives up on a teeter totter and has to balance for an extended and measured amount of time.The Kansas Tractor Club involves more than 70 members, some who own antique tractors and some who do not. The club offers a $1,000 scholarship to club members each year to support a restoration project, and offers a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating senior each year. You can find club information on Facebook.Local innovationThe Inspiration and Innovation Showcase on Saturday begins at 10 a.m. with a presentation from Lori Blake, executive director at Child Advocacy and Parenting Services, Salina. Parents and guardians attending the presentation will discover the different free services available to support the full-time job of raising children of all ages. The presentation is titled Connections Matter, and Blake hopes to empower good parents to become great parents. The presentation will include information on the value of safe, caring adults in the lives of children.Tim Bartz, Long McArthur Ford, will take the stage at 11 a.m. to share the details on Ford’s lineup of electrified vehicles. Long McArthur’s communication and marketing team has developed systems allowing Salina’s Ford dealership to ship on average more than 50 vehicles out of state each month. Long McArthur Ford is the No. 1 Ford Maverick dealer in the USA, No. 1 Super Duty Dealer in Kansas, and has won the Ford President Award three years in a row. Bartz will share which electric vehicles are available from the Long McArthur inventory, including the Ford Maverick Hybrid 42mpg truck that can haul 1,500 pounds and tow up to 4,000 pounds; the Ford Mustang Mach-E which is a full electric crossover that drives like a Mustang and uses zero fuel; the Ford F-150 Hybrid offering the best of both worlds with 13,000 pounds of towing and good fuel economy in town; the Ford F-150 Lightning which is the first all electric American made truck with 10,000 pounds towing and 775 pounds of torque; along with other hybrid line-ups like the Escape and Explorer. Several of the electric vehicles will be on display in the circle drive of Tony’s Pizza Event Center during the showcase.As federal decision makers delegate more and more policy making to states and local governments, a relationship with local representation becomes all the more important. Clarke Sanders will take the stage at noon to share what he has been working on as the District 69 representative in the Kansas House of Representatives, and a question and answer session will be facilitated during the time available.Speaking of federal action delegated to the state and local level, Phillip Smith-Hanes will present at 1 p.m. regarding the money received by Saline County from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA.) Smith-Hanes collected surveys from Saline County residents to better understand where the people wanted ARPA funding spent, and the highest priority communicated was business recovery. Smith-Hanes has worked with technology companies to provide an app that consumers can download, along with technology businesses can use, to shop and distribute ARPA funds to local participating business.If you are a local business owner, learn how to earn ARPA dollars by attending this presentation. For consumers, come learn how you can be a part of a grassroots effort to support and provide recovery dollars to the businesses in Saline County.At 1:30 p.m. Eric Brown from the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce will follow the presentation about the Saline County business recovery, with information about leadership programs available to Saline County business owners. The presentation titled, Ins and Outs of Local Community Leadership Programs,&nbsp; will focus on high level overview of two community leadership programs offered by the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce. The Leadership Salina program and Springboard program are designed to develop leaders who will have the skills and capacities to move our community forward by being trained with the tools necessary to lead at work and non-profit sectors.The ever changing landscape of technology continues to impact lives in Saline County, and Deven Fortkamp, vice president at WCCiT, will identify ways to navigate these changes at 2:30 p.m. The presentation will discuss aspects of cyber security, including what it is, why it is needed and hot to spot scans and phishing attempts. Fortkamp will also share what can be done to stay safe on the internet. The presentation will include some true, personal stories related to cyber-attacks and some frightening statistics.Continuing the trend of tech talk, Emanuel Ashiedu of the Salina Code Academy, will present at 3 p.m. on stage. The Saline Code Academy provides hands on learning for elementary aged kids, middle-schoolers and high school students, teaching them math, logical thinking, creativity, persistence, problem solving and strategizing with the power of code. Ashiedu will share information about the classes available, and the results he has observed in the short time the academy has been open in Salina.Did you know that Saline County and the City of Salina have set a goal together, to reduce solid waste across the county? Learn more about the goal, current efforts and future projects by attending a presentation at 3:30 p.m. from Jim Kowach, City of Salina public works operations manager, about the Zero Waste Initiative efforts. The presentation will define the Zero Waste Initiative goal; explain the Saline County Solid Waste plan and the role of the Saline County Solid Waste committee; describe the current waste diversion efforts in Salina and Saline County; describe the Solid Waste Sort and Recyclables Composition Study completed in the Spring of 2022 and describe the ongoing and planned efforts to develop waste reduction strategies for the community.Bring your kids to the air conditioning of the Great Plains Manufacturing Convention Center at 4 p.m. to listen to a presentation from Rolling Hills Zoo staff. The presentation will cover a brief history of the zoo, as well as new exhibits and animals; upcoming events and future projects. The presentation will also share the SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program, explaining what it is and how Rolling Hills Zoo is involved. Three Animal Ambassadors will be guests during the presentation, allowing guests to get close to the exhibits safely, without touching.The showcase is headlined by a free concert and presentation provided by the Peterson Farm Bros at 5 p.m. In 2012, the Peterson Farm Bros published a parody video on YouTube titled,&nbsp;I’m Farming and I Grow It.&nbsp; The video has grown to 12 million views, hitting 50,000 views in the first 48 hours online. To celebrate 10 years since the launch of the Peterson Farm Bros, Greg Peterson, Nathan Peterson and Kendal Peterson will take the stage and perform parodies and share their story.

Current, past innovations focus of Tri-Rivers Fair Saturday

CEDAR COUNTY, NE —The Nebraska State Patrol has arrested a suspect in connection with four homicides that occurred in Laurel early Thursday morning. The investigation included two scenes on Elm Street in Laurel. Each scene included a residence with a fire, according to a media release from the patrol.

Once fire suppression efforts were complete at a residence at 503 Elm Street, NSP Crime Scene Investigators were able to examine the scene. Investigators located three deceased victims at that location, each with suspected gunshot wounds. The victims have been identified as Gene Twiford, 86, Janet Twiford, 85, and Dana Twiford, 55. All three were residents of the home.

One deceased victim was located at 209 Elm Street, also with suspected gunshot wounds. That victim has been identified as Michele Ebeling, 53. She was a resident at that home.

Physical evidence located at both scenes led investigators to identify a suspect as Jason Jones, 42, who is a resident of Laurel. Investigators developed information to believe that Jones was inside his home at 206 Elm Street in Laurel. The NSP SWAT Team was activated, and an arrest warrant was obtained for Jones. Following repeated attempts to have Jones exit the home voluntarily, the SWAT Team made entry into the home and located Jones in a bedroom, with severe burns.

Jones was flown to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Lincoln for treatment of his burn injuries. He is in custody at the hospital.

The investigation remains ongoing. Several agencies have been involved in the response and investigation, including the volunteer fire departments of Laurel, Wayne, and Beldon, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Cedar County Attorney, the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, as well as the Laurel Police Department, Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, and the Nebraska State Patrol.

CEDAR COUNTY, NE —The Nebraska State Patrol, working with several public safety partners, is investigating the deaths of four people, at two different scenes in Laurel, Nebraska, according to a release from the patrol.

The first incident occurred shortly after 3:00 a.m. Thursday, when an explosion was reported at a residence in the 200 block of&nbsp;Elm Street in Laurel. Local volunteer firefighters responded and located an individual inside the home. That victim was found to be deceased. At that point, the Laurel Police Department and Cedar County Sheriff’s Office responded and requested assistance from the Nebraska State Patrol.

As investigators were on scene at the first residence, a second fire was reported a few blocks away, at a residence in the 500 block of Elm Street.&nbsp;Fire crews and law enforcement responded immediately. Three individuals were located deceased inside the residence.

At this time there are no identified suspects, however, NSP is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a vehicle that was seen leaving Laurel shortly after the second fire. That vehicle is described as a silver sedan that was seen traveling westbound out of Laurel on Highway 20. According to a witness report, the vehicle was driven by a black male, and may have picked up a passenger before leaving Laurel. Fire investigators believe that anyone inside either residence at the time of the fires may have suffered burns.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659643660427.png" alt="Investigators on the scene Thursday photo courtesy KCAU TV" />
 <figcaption>Investigators on the scene Thursday photo courtesy KCAU TV</figcaption>
 </figure>CEDAR COUNTY, NE —The Nebraska State Patrol has arrested a suspect in connection with four homicides that occurred in Laurel early Thursday morning. The investigation included two scenes on Elm Street in Laurel. Each scene included a residence with a fire, according to a media release from the patrol.Once fire suppression efforts were complete at a residence at 503 Elm Street, NSP Crime Scene Investigators were able to examine the scene. Investigators located three deceased victims at that location, each with suspected gunshot wounds. The victims have been identified as Gene Twiford, 86, Janet Twiford, 85, and Dana Twiford, 55. All three were residents of the home.One deceased victim was located at 209 Elm Street, also with suspected gunshot wounds. That victim has been identified as Michele Ebeling, 53. She was a resident at that home.Physical evidence located at both scenes led investigators to identify a suspect as Jason Jones, 42, who is a resident of Laurel. Investigators developed information to believe that Jones was inside his home at 206 Elm Street in Laurel. The NSP SWAT Team was activated, and an arrest warrant was obtained for Jones. Following repeated attempts to have Jones exit the home voluntarily, the SWAT Team made entry into the home and located Jones in a bedroom, with severe burns.Jones was flown to St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Lincoln for treatment of his burn injuries. He is in custody at the hospital.The investigation remains ongoing. Several agencies have been involved in the response and investigation, including the volunteer fire departments of Laurel, Wayne, and Beldon, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Cedar County Attorney, the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, as well as the Laurel Police Department, Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, and the Nebraska State Patrol.----------CEDAR COUNTY, NE —The Nebraska State Patrol, working with several public safety partners, is investigating the deaths of four people, at two different scenes in Laurel, Nebraska, according to a release from the patrol.The first incident occurred shortly after 3:00 a.m. Thursday, when an explosion was reported at a residence in the 200 block of&nbsp;Elm Street in Laurel. Local volunteer firefighters responded and located an individual inside the home. That victim was found to be deceased. At that point, the Laurel Police Department and Cedar County Sheriff’s Office responded and requested assistance from the Nebraska State Patrol.As investigators were on scene at the first residence, a second fire was reported a few blocks away, at a residence in the 500 block of Elm Street.&nbsp;Fire crews and law enforcement responded immediately. Three individuals were located deceased inside the residence.At this time there are no identified suspects, however, NSP is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a vehicle that was seen leaving Laurel shortly after the second fire. That vehicle is described as a silver sedan that was seen traveling westbound out of Laurel on Highway 20. According to a witness report, the vehicle was driven by a black male, and may have picked up a passenger before leaving Laurel. Fire investigators believe that anyone inside either residence at the time of the fires may have suffered burns.Anyone with information about either incident, or about the vehicle, is urged to contact the Nebraska State Patrol at 402-479-4921. This is an active investigation. Additional details will be released when possible.------CEDAR COUNTY, NE —The Nebraska State Patrol is able to release new information and urges public vigilance as the investigation into four deaths in Laurel continues, according to a media release from the patrol.After fire suppression efforts were successful this afternoon at the scene in the 500 block of Elm Street in Laurel, investigators have been able to examine the crime scene and now identify that gunfire is suspected to have played a part in the incidents at both homes. Fire investigators also believe that the fire in the 500 block of Elm Street may have started around the same time as the reported explosion in the 200 block of Elm Street. However, indications of that fire weren’t visible outside the home for hours. Both incidents are now believed to have occurred shortly after 3:00 a.m. Thursday.Based on that time frame, NSP is requesting anyone that may have seen anything out-of-the-ordinary in Laurel between midnight and 4:00 a.m. to report it immediately. Tips can be reported to 402-479-4921.Additionally, based on this focused time frame of the fires, investigators now believe the previously sought silver sedan reported by a member of the public may have left Laurel much later after the incidents than previously thought.---------LAUREL, Neb. (AP) — An unknown number of people were found dead Thursday in two homes in a small community in northeastern Nebraska, and schools and most businesses went on lockdown as a precaution at the recommendation of police, officials said.Cody Thomas, a spokesman for the Nebraska State Patrol, said he didn't know how many people were found dead or how anyone died, but that fire “was involved” at both houses. He said state investigators were headed to Laurel and would likely take the lead in investigating what happened.Most businesses, a senior center and schools voluntarily went on lockdown at the recommendation of police, said Lori Hansen, a clerical assistant at the Laurel City Hall. She said she had no other information about what was happening at the police scenes.“We've been listening to TV to try to find out what's going on," she said.A woman who answered the phone at the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office said she had no information about the deaths and that she was the only person in the office.Laurel is home to fewer than 1,000 people and is located about 100 miles northwest of Omaha.The patrol plans to hold a news conference later Thursday to discuss its findings.