HALIFAX (AP) —Rescuers in a remote area of the Atlantic Ocean raced against time Tuesday to find&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-a89dbd2f6d3edd7e4a52566e451a5e6d">a missing submersible</a>&nbsp;before the oxygen supply runs out for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-a89dbd2f6d3edd7e4a52566e451a5e6d">five people</a>&nbsp;who were on a mission to document the wreckage of the Titanic.

Authorities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-wreckage-missing-submersible-62fadef7a55af0022e3dc75df862a5c1">reported the carbon-fiber vessel overdue Sunday night</a>, setting off an international rescue effort in waters about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland. Aboard were a pilot, a renowned British adventurer, two members of an iconic Pakistani business family and a Titanic expert.

Named the Titan, the submersible had a 96-hour oxygen supply when it put to sea at roughly 6 a.m. Sunday, according to David Concannon, an adviser to OceanGate Expeditions, which oversaw the mission.

That means the oxygen supply could run out Thursday morning.

CBS News journalist David Pogue, who traveled to Titanic aboard the Titan last year, said the vehicle uses two communication systems: text messages that go back and forth to a surface ship and safety pings that are emitted every 15 minutes to indicate that the sub is still working.

Both of those systems stopped about an hour and 45 minutes after the Titan submerged.

"There are only two things that could mean. Either they lost all power or the ship developed a hull breach and it imploded instantly. Both of those are devastatingly hopeless,” Pogue told CBC on Tuesday.

Experts said the rescuers face steep challenges.

Alistair Greig, a professor of marine engineering at University College London, said submersibles typically have a drop weight, which is “a mass they can release in the case of an emergency to bring them up to the surface using buoyancy.”

“If there was a power failure and/or communication failure, this might have happened, and the submersible would then be bobbing about on the surface waiting to be found,” Greig said.

Another scenario is a leak in the pressure hull, in which case the prognosis is not good, he said.

“If it has gone down to the seabed and can’t get back up under its own power, options are very limited,” Greig said. “While the submersible might still be intact, if it is beyond the continental shelf, there are very few vessels that can get that deep, and certainly not divers.”

Even if they could go that deep, he doubts rescuers could attach to the submersible.

By Tuesday morning, an area totaling 10,000 square miles had been searched, the U.S. Coast Guard tweeted.

The Canadian research icebreaker Polar Prince, which was supporting the Titan, was to continue conducting surface searches with help from a Canadian Boeing P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, the Coast Guard said on Twitter. Two U.S. Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft also conducted overflights.

The Canadian military dropped sonar buoys to listen for any possible sounds from the Titan.

Concannon, who said he was supposed to be on the dive but could not go, said officials were also working to get a remotely operated vehicle that can dive to a depth of 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) to the site as soon as possible.

OceanGate’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arts-and-entertainment-environment-and-nature-science-f73cc9d0dbced13398bc04bf388e6eba">expeditions to the Titanic wreck site</a>&nbsp;include archaeologists and marine biologists. The company also brings people who pay to come along, known as “mission specialists.” They take turns operating sonar equipment and performing other tasks in the submersible.

The Coast Guard said Monday that the Titan carried a pilot and four “mission specialists." However, OceanGate's website suggests that the fifth person may be a so-called “content expert” who guides the paying customers.

OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush told The Associated Press in June 2021 that the Titan's technology was “very cutting edge" and was developed with the help of NASA and aerospace manufacturers.

“This is the only submersible – crewed submersible – that’s made of carbon fiber and titanium," Rush said, calling it the “largest carbon fiber structure that we know of,” with 5-inch-thick carbon fiber and 3.25-inch-thick titanium.

Authorities have yet to formally identify those on board, though some names have been confirmed.

British businessman Hamish Harding, who lives in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, was one of the mission specialists, according to Action Aviation, a company where Harding serves as chairman.

Harding is a billionaire adventurer who holds three Guinness world records, including the longest duration at full ocean depth by a crewed vessel. In March 2021, he and ocean explorer Victor Vescovo descended to the lowest depth of the Mariana Trench. In June 2022, he went into space on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket.

Also on board were Pakistani nationals Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, according to a family statement. The Dawoods belong to one of Pakistan's most prominent families. Their eponymous firm invests across the country in agriculture, industries and the health sector.

Shahzada Dawood also is on the board of trustees for the California-based SETI Institute that searches for extraterrestrial intelligence.

French explorer and Titanic expert Paul-Henry Nargeolet was also aboard, according to David Gallo, a senior adviser for strategic initiatives and special projects at RMS Titanic. Gallo identified Nargeolet, a friend who has led multiple expeditions to the Titanic, on Tuesday during an interview with CNN.

The expedition was OceanGate’s third annual voyage to chronicle the deterioration of Titanic, which struck an iceberg and sank in 1912, killing all but about 700 of the roughly 2,200 passengers and crew. Since the wreckage’s discovery in 1985, it has been slowly succumbing to metal-eating bacteria.

OceanGate’s website described the “mission support fee” for the 2023 expedition as $250,000 a person.

Recalling his own trip aboard the Titan, Pogue said the vessel got turned around looking for the Titanic.

“There’s no GPS underwater, so the surface ship is supposed to guide the sub to the shipwreck by sending text messages,” Pogue said in a segment aired on “CBS Sunday Morning.” “But on this dive, communications somehow broke down. The sub never found the wreck.”

HALIFAX (AP) —Rescuers in a remote area of the Atlantic Ocean raced against time early Tuesday to find&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-a89dbd2f6d3edd7e4a52566e451a5e6d">a missing submersible carrying five people</a>&nbsp;on a mission to document the wreckage of the Titanic.

The carbon-fiber submersible named the Titan, part of a mission by OceanGate Expeditions, carried a pilot, a renowned British adventurer, two members of an iconic Pakistani business family and a Titanic expert. Authorities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-wreckage-missing-submersible-62fadef7a55af0022e3dc75df862a5c1">reported the vessel overdue Sunday night</a>&nbsp;about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland, according to Canada's Joint Rescue Coordination Center.

Every passing minute, however, puts the Titan's crew at greater risk. The submersible had a 96-hour oxygen supply when it put to sea at roughly 6 a.m. Sunday, according to David Concannon, an adviser to OceanGate.

“It is a remote area — and it is a challenge to conduct a search in that remote area,” said Rear Adm. John Mauger, a commander for the U.S. Coast Guard, which also is searching for the Titan.

Mauger told NBC’s “Today” show on Tuesday that his crews were working to prioritize underwater search efforts and get equipment there that can be helpful to the search.

“We’re working very, very hard to make sure that we bring all assets ... to bring leading technical experts to understand what capability is available, what capability we can get to the team," he said.

The Canadian research icebreaker Polar Prince, which was supporting the Titan, reportedly lost contact with the vessel about an hour and 45 minutes after it submerged. The Polar Prince was to continue to do surface searches throughout the night and a Canadian Boeing P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft will resume their surface and subsurface search in the morning, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Twitter. Two U.S. Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft also have conducted overflights.

The Canadian military also dropped sonar buoys to listen for any possible sounds from the Titan.

Ship-tracking satellite data from MarineTraffic.com analyzed by The Associated Press showed the Polar Prince some 430 miles (690 kilometers) southeast of St. John's on Tuesday morning. The Bahamas-flagged cable layer Deep Energy was nearby as well, likely assisting in the surface search.

In an earlier email to the AP, Concannon said he was supposed to be on the dive but could not go. He said officials were working to get a remotely operated vehicle that can reach a depth of 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) to the site as soon as possible.

OceanGate’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arts-and-entertainment-environment-and-nature-science-f73cc9d0dbced13398bc04bf388e6eba">expeditions to the Titanic wreck site</a>&nbsp;include archaeologists and marine biologists. The company also brings people who pay to come along, known as “mission specialists.” They take turns operating sonar equipment and performing other tasks in the five-person submersible.

The Coast Guard said Monday that there was one pilot and four “mission specialists” aboard. However, OceanGate's website suggests that the fifth person aboard may be a so-called “content expert” who guides the paying customers.

OceanGate said its focus was on those aboard and their families.

“We are deeply thankful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep sea companies in our efforts to reestablish contact with the submersible,” it said in a statement.

British businessman Hamish Harding, who lives in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, was one of the mission specialists, according to Action Aviation, a company for which Harding serves as chairman. The company’s managing director, Mark Butler, told the AP that the crew set out on Friday.

“There is still plenty of time to facilitate a rescue mission, there is equipment on board for survival in this event,” Butler said. “We’re all hoping and praying he comes back safe and sound.”

Harding is a billionaire adventurer who holds three Guinness World Records, including the longest duration at full ocean depth by a crewed vessel. In March 2021, he and ocean explorer Victor Vescovo dived to the lowest depth of the Mariana Trench. In June 2022, he went into space on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket.

Harding was “looking forward to conducting research” at the Titanic site, said Richard Garriott de Cayeux, the president of The Explorers Club, a group to which Harding belonged.

"We all join in the fervent hope that the submersible is located as quickly as possible," he said in a statement.

Also on board were Pakistani nationals Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, according to a family statement sent to the AP. The Dawoods belong to one of Pakistan's most prominent families. Their eponymous firm invests across the country in agriculture, industries and the health sector.

“We are very grateful for the concern being shown by our colleagues and friends and would like to request everyone to pray for their safety while granting the family privacy at this time,” the statement said. “The family is well looked after and are praying to Allah for the safe return of their family members.”

French explorer and Titanic expert Paul-Henry Nargeolet also was on board, according to David Gallo, a senior adviser for strategic initiatives and special projects at RMS Titanic. Gallo identified Nargeolet, a friend who has led multiple expeditions to the Titanic, on Tuesday during an interview with CNN.

The expedition was OceanGate’s third annual voyage to chronicle the deterioration of Titanic, which struck an iceberg and sank in 1912, killing all but about 700 of the roughly 2,200 passengers and crew. Since the wreckage’s discovery in 1985, it has been slowly succumbing to metal-eating bacteria. Some have predicted the ship could vanish in a matter of decades as holes yawn in the hull and sections disintegrate.

The initial group of tourists in 2021 paid $100,000 to $150,000 apiece to go on the trip. OceanGate’s website had described the “mission support fee” for the 2023 expedition as $250,000 a person.

Unlike submarines that leave and return to port under their own power, submersibles require a ship to launch and recover them. OceanGate hired the Polar Prince to ferry dozens of people and the submersible craft to the North Atlantic wreck site. The submersible would make multiple dives in one expedition.

The expedition was scheduled to depart from St. John’s, Newfoundland, in early May and finish up at the end of June, according to documents filed by the company in April with a U.S. District Court in Virginia that oversees Titanic matters.

CBS journalist David Pogue, who went on the trip last year, noted his vessel got turned around looking for the Titanic.

“There’s no GPS underwater, so the surface ship is supposed to guide the sub to the shipwreck by sending text messages,” Pogue said in a segment aired on CBS Sunday Morning. “But on this dive, communications somehow broke down. The sub never found the wreck.”

The submersible, named Titan, is capable of diving 2.4 miles (4 kilometers) “with a comfortable safety margin,” OceanGate said in its court filing.

It weighs 20,000 pounds (9,072 kilograms) in the air, but is ballasted to be neutrally buoyant once it reaches the seafloor, the company said.

In a May 2021 court filing, OceanGate said the Titan had an “unparalleled safety feature” that assesses the integrity of the hull throughout every dive.

During its expedition in 2022, OceanGate reported that the submersible had a battery issue on its first dive, and had to be manually attached to its lifting platform, according to a November court filing. More missions, however, followed. OceanGate has described the submersible as a “state-of-the-art vessel” that “is lighter, more spacious and more comfortable than any other deep-diving submersible exploring the ocean today.”

But the custom-built, titanium-domed Titan represented a risk. Pogue and another passenger, a writer and producer for the cartoon series "The Simpsons" named Mike Reiss, noted how the liability waiver for the trip included stark safety warnings.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/video/a-visit-to-rms-titanic-1/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h#x">Pogue in his CBS piece</a>&nbsp;also highlighted how much of the “improvised” submersible, about the size of a minivan, operated with a single button, a video game-style controller, a makeshift toilet and material from an RV retailer.

Experts said Monday that rescuers face steep challenges.

“If it has gone down to the seabed and can’t get back up under its own power, options are very limited," Greig said. “While the submersible might still be intact, if it is beyond the continental shelf, there are very few vessels that can get that deep, and certainly not divers.”

Even if they could go that deep, he doubts they could attach to the hatch of OceanGate's submersible.

HALIFAX (AP) —Rescuers in a remote area of the Atlantic Ocean raced against time early Tuesday to find&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-a89dbd2f6d3edd7e4a52566e451a5e6d">a missing submersible carrying five people</a>&nbsp;on a mission to document the wreckage of the Titanic, the iconic ocean liner that sank more than a century ago.

The carbon-fiber submersible named the Titan, part of a mission by OceanGate Expeditions, carried a pilot, a renowned British adventurer, two members of an iconic Pakistani business family and another passenger. Authorities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-wreckage-missing-submersible-62fadef7a55af0022e3dc75df862a5c1">reported the vessel overdue Sunday night</a>&nbsp;about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland, according to Canada's Joint Rescue Coordination Center.

“It is a remote area — and it is a challenge to conduct a search in that remote area,” said Rear Adm. John Mauger, a commander for the U.S. Coast Guard, which also is searching for the Titan. “But we are deploying all available assets to make sure we can locate the craft and rescue the people on board.”

Race against time: Titanic tourist submarine still missing

Donald G Griffin, 66, Salina, KS, passed away June 15, 2023. Don is preceded in death by his parents Louie and Thelma, siblings Joe and Deborah, and niece Krista. &nbsp;&nbsp; Don is survived by his two loving sons Karson Griffin (Salina) and Jimmy Griffin (Russell), brothers Tim Griffin (Beverly) and Ron Griffin (Salina), and sister Sue Rider (Beverly). He is also survived by his granddaughters, nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends. &nbsp; Don grew up in Beverly and graduated from Tescott High School. He then was in the Army until honorably discharged. Don was a truck driver and general contractor who worked hard and traveled to many destinations for work.&nbsp; Don was never a stranger to a person he met. Whether you wanted to know Don or not, he made you his friend in good conversation. He was also known for his sense of humor and his strong opinions. Don was such a giving person that he proceeded on with organ donation to help save the lives of others.&nbsp; Don was also known for going to Bayard's Cafe for breakfast every morning, every meal with an extra side of gravy or butter, stopping at the gas station for his cigarettes and lottery tickets. He was also an avid classic country music listener.&nbsp; Most of us that know him, know that he would be cracking a cold Bud Light up in heaven right now. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Karson Griffin or Jimmy Griffin&nbsp;531 S Main St, Russell KS 67665&nbsp;to help with funeral expenses. A graveside service will take place at Beverly Cemetery&nbsp;Saturday, June 24 at 11 a.m. with a luncheon to follow at Beverly Community Hall. There will also be a celebration of life at Chuck's Bar&nbsp;on Sunday, June 25 from 12-4 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687231175844.jpeg" alt="Donald G. Griffin" />
 <figcaption>Donald G. Griffin</figcaption>
 </figure> Donald G Griffin, 66, Salina, KS, passed away June 15, 2023. Don is preceded in death by his parents Louie and Thelma, siblings Joe and Deborah, and niece Krista. &nbsp;&nbsp; Don is survived by his two loving sons Karson Griffin (Salina) and Jimmy Griffin (Russell), brothers Tim Griffin (Beverly) and Ron Griffin (Salina), and sister Sue Rider (Beverly). He is also survived by his granddaughters, nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends. &nbsp; Don grew up in Beverly and graduated from Tescott High School. He then was in the Army until honorably discharged. Don was a truck driver and general contractor who worked hard and traveled to many destinations for work.&nbsp; Don was never a stranger to a person he met. Whether you wanted to know Don or not, he made you his friend in good conversation. He was also known for his sense of humor and his strong opinions. Don was such a giving person that he proceeded on with organ donation to help save the lives of others.&nbsp; Don was also known for going to Bayard's Cafe for breakfast every morning, every meal with an extra side of gravy or butter, stopping at the gas station for his cigarettes and lottery tickets. He was also an avid classic country music listener.&nbsp; Most of us that know him, know that he would be cracking a cold Bud Light up in heaven right now. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Karson Griffin or Jimmy Griffin&nbsp;531 S Main St, Russell KS 67665&nbsp;to help with funeral expenses. A graveside service will take place at Beverly Cemetery&nbsp;Saturday, June 24 at 11 a.m. with a luncheon to follow at Beverly Community Hall. There will also be a celebration of life at Chuck's Bar&nbsp;on Sunday, June 25 from 12-4 p.m.

Donald G. Griffin

The transition from late spring to early summer was always my favorite growing up. The long, hot days meant different things over the course of my childhood, first afternoons at the pool, then evenings at ballfields and, eventually, days in a hayfield working with my grandparents. Hay season had a certain rhythm on the ranch. We encountered different obstacles each year, and every day was different. But there were similarities, too. For all the differences, the routines stayed largely the same. It started with swapping out the sections on the mower’s sickle bar. Each of the serrated triangles was secured with two bolts. The 14-foot bar held 56 sections and changing them was the easiest part of the job. Sliding the bar back into place between guard sections required a lot of hammering along with a few choice words. The mower was called a hydroswing because of the hydraulics used to “swing” it back and forth behind the tractor. After the cutting bar sliced off the prairie a few inches above the ground, a reel shuttled the grass to the center where it was promptly ejected from a chute through the back of the machine in a windrow. Mowing hay with the contraption was fairly easy when everything was in working order. Between the sickle sections, hydraulic pumps and other moving parts there were plenty of things that could go wrong. An O-ring on one of the pumps regularly wore out and had to be replaced. Going too fast over thick grass could clog the chute, requiring the operator to have to dig it out. By far the most common issue was a broken section, which would leave a narrow strip of uncut grass. If the section was on either side of the windrow, it was easy to spot. If it was buried under the foot-thick mound of hay however, it could take several rounds to discover. Replacing a broken section required cleaning the hay off the afflicted area while keeping an eye out for nearby critters. Then you’d remove two bolts on the guard plate followed by holding the section. With ample sunshine and the right amount of wind, you could cut hay by mid-morning, and it would be cured enough to bale by late afternoon. Under usual conditions, we allowed at least 24 hours between cutting and baling, ensuring the hay was dry. The curing process was critical because too much moisture can cause the hay to catch fire days or weeks after it’s baled and stored. Timing was a key element to the entire operation. We wanted enough hay cut and curing to keep the baler rolling, but we also didn’t want to have too much on the ground in case of rain. Not only would it delay the curing process, but a heavy rain would also require the extra step of raking the windrow to speed the drying process and preserve the quality of the hay. Each morning started the same. We’d refuel the tractors and inspect the hydroswing and baler, being sure to locate even the hard to reach grease fittings while saying unkind words about engineers. Once the sun was high enough to burn off the morning dew, we’d start cutting and baling and work until evening. The work was solitary. You could listen to the hum of machinery for hours without hearing a word until it was time to eat. The only other time we’d stop during the day was sometime in the afternoon. My grandmother would put some ice and a few cans of pop in a cooler and meet us in the field. The short break for a refreshing drink also offered the opportunity to compare notes about how everything was going, make plans for the next day or maybe continue a debate that arose during lunch. Some days we nursed those drinks, while other times we drank them quickly. Of all the hayfield routines, this brief break was my favorite. I learned a lot working in those fields, but some of the best education happened in those small conversations when we paused from harvesting hay.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687183475033.png" alt="Greg Doering, spent his youth working with his grandparents on the Double H Ranch in southeast Kansas. Prior to joining Kansas Farm Bureau as a writer and photographer, he spent 12 years working at community journalism at papers in the northern Flint Hills. When not in the office, Greg enjoys hunting, hiking and fishing. He and his wife live in Manhattan. Photo Courtesy KFB" />
 <figcaption>Greg Doering, spent his youth working with his grandparents on the Double H Ranch in southeast Kansas. Prior to joining Kansas Farm Bureau as a writer and photographer, he spent 12 years working at community journalism at papers in the northern Flint Hills. When not in the office, Greg enjoys hunting, hiking and fishing. He and his wife live in Manhattan. Photo Courtesy KFB</figcaption>
 </figure>Greg DoeringKansas Farm BureauThe transition from late spring to early summer was always my favorite growing up. The long, hot days meant different things over the course of my childhood, first afternoons at the pool, then evenings at ballfields and, eventually, days in a hayfield working with my grandparents. Hay season had a certain rhythm on the ranch. We encountered different obstacles each year, and every day was different. But there were similarities, too. For all the differences, the routines stayed largely the same. It started with swapping out the sections on the mower’s sickle bar. Each of the serrated triangles was secured with two bolts. The 14-foot bar held 56 sections and changing them was the easiest part of the job. Sliding the bar back into place between guard sections required a lot of hammering along with a few choice words. The mower was called a hydroswing because of the hydraulics used to “swing” it back and forth behind the tractor. After the cutting bar sliced off the prairie a few inches above the ground, a reel shuttled the grass to the center where it was promptly ejected from a chute through the back of the machine in a windrow. Mowing hay with the contraption was fairly easy when everything was in working order. Between the sickle sections, hydraulic pumps and other moving parts there were plenty of things that could go wrong. An O-ring on one of the pumps regularly wore out and had to be replaced. Going too fast over thick grass could clog the chute, requiring the operator to have to dig it out. By far the most common issue was a broken section, which would leave a narrow strip of uncut grass. If the section was on either side of the windrow, it was easy to spot. If it was buried under the foot-thick mound of hay however, it could take several rounds to discover. Replacing a broken section required cleaning the hay off the afflicted area while keeping an eye out for nearby critters. Then you’d remove two bolts on the guard plate followed by holding the section. With ample sunshine and the right amount of wind, you could cut hay by mid-morning, and it would be cured enough to bale by late afternoon. Under usual conditions, we allowed at least 24 hours between cutting and baling, ensuring the hay was dry. The curing process was critical because too much moisture can cause the hay to catch fire days or weeks after it’s baled and stored. Timing was a key element to the entire operation. We wanted enough hay cut and curing to keep the baler rolling, but we also didn’t want to have too much on the ground in case of rain. Not only would it delay the curing process, but a heavy rain would also require the extra step of raking the windrow to speed the drying process and preserve the quality of the hay. Each morning started the same. We’d refuel the tractors and inspect the hydroswing and baler, being sure to locate even the hard to reach grease fittings while saying unkind words about engineers. Once the sun was high enough to burn off the morning dew, we’d start cutting and baling and work until evening. The work was solitary. You could listen to the hum of machinery for hours without hearing a word until it was time to eat. The only other time we’d stop during the day was sometime in the afternoon. My grandmother would put some ice and a few cans of pop in a cooler and meet us in the field. The short break for a refreshing drink also offered the opportunity to compare notes about how everything was going, make plans for the next day or maybe continue a debate that arose during lunch. Some days we nursed those drinks, while other times we drank them quickly. Of all the hayfield routines, this brief break was my favorite. I learned a lot working in those fields, but some of the best education happened in those small conversations when we paused from harvesting hay.

INSIGHT KANSAS: harvesting hay

HEAD COACH ANDY REID&nbsp;OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;

“Alright,&nbsp;we’re&nbsp;finished up with our OTAs which is a good thing. Guys came out relatively healthy and ready to go. There are a couple of guys that I’m not sure you guys&nbsp;know&nbsp;about&nbsp;that&nbsp;I’ll put out there. Blake Bell had an appendectomy and that’s why he wasn’t at practice and then Mike Edwards had a hamstring.&nbsp;(Trent)&nbsp;McDuffie had this stress on his&nbsp;fibula. He should be ok though. I mean all these guys should be ok&nbsp;once&nbsp;we get&nbsp;downthe&nbsp;road.&nbsp;(Isiah)&nbsp;Pacheco had shoulder surgery, you know that. Trey&nbsp;Smith had a&nbsp;tricep&nbsp;that he hurt – strained&nbsp;it&nbsp;just&nbsp;a little bit during the later part of camp.&nbsp;L’Jarius&nbsp;Sneed’s knee. We’ve&nbsp;kind&nbsp;of&nbsp;backed&nbsp;off of&nbsp;him to make sure that we kept the swelling down there and then(Tershawn)&nbsp;Wharton had the knee surgery.&nbsp;So,&nbsp;with that&nbsp;-&nbsp;those are kind of the primary guys that didn’t work or worked just partially this&nbsp;camp&nbsp;here,&nbsp;but it was good to get the guys out there working. They pushed themselves, they challenged each other within the rules that we’re given here&nbsp;and it’s a good foundation to take up to training camp.&nbsp;They’ve&nbsp;got to maintain it here now for the next four&nbsp;weeks,&nbsp;but they’ll do that. I’ll take a little&nbsp;time&nbsp;off and then get back cranking and&nbsp;come back&nbsp;ready for camp.&nbsp;But&nbsp;we got the plays in we wanted to&nbsp;(and)&nbsp;the scheme evals&nbsp;that we did from last year were all covered. And we’re ready to go we’ve&nbsp;just got to get through the next month. With that (the) time’s yours.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you expect the injured guys you just mentioned&nbsp;to&nbsp;be ready to go for camp?

REID:&nbsp;“Most of them will be ready to go.&nbsp;I mean&nbsp;there are&nbsp;couple of them we’re going to&nbsp;just&nbsp;have&nbsp;to&nbsp;see&nbsp;on,&nbsp;so I’ll get you that day one when we&nbsp;get&nbsp;back.”

Q:&nbsp;What were some&nbsp;of&nbsp;your biggest takeaways from your rookies?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah,&nbsp;I thought they handled the load of the plays. Without&nbsp;picking out specific guys - in general, that’s what you look at. If&nbsp;they make a&nbsp;mistake&nbsp;are they going to make the mistake twice? And I felt like they worked their way through it and did a pretty good job of the retention part and accuracy within the play.”

Q:&nbsp;How much more&nbsp;comfortable&nbsp;do&nbsp;you feel like&nbsp;Skyy&nbsp;Moore is this year?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah&nbsp;Skyy&nbsp;was targeted quite a bit this preseason, he&nbsp;was one of the&nbsp;higher targets this preseason.&nbsp;He had the most catches or close to the most catches.&nbsp;So,&nbsp;I think he’s taken a good jump. Most of all the quarterback&nbsp;(Patrick Mahomes)&nbsp;trusts him. He’s willing to throw it to him&nbsp;- that’s why&nbsp;I mentioned the number there. The quarterback’s not going to throw it to you if he doesn’t trust you.”

Q:&nbsp;And you feel like his familiarity with everything is higher? Does that show?

REID:&nbsp;“Sure, way different. But listen – (he) still (has) a ton of room to climb and grow. He’s so willing though. You got a chance to see&nbsp;a real&nbsp;– one of the good parts of his personality is when everything was going&nbsp;wrong&nbsp;last year with punt&nbsp;returns&nbsp;he didn’t’ let that bother him. You know he came&nbsp;back&nbsp;and&nbsp;he’d&nbsp;have a big catch in the same game and that was all new territory&nbsp;for him&nbsp;with these punt returns. You know the resiliency&nbsp;and&nbsp;(being)&nbsp;able&nbsp;to focus back in there. That’s a good quality to have.”

Q:&nbsp;Understanding&nbsp;that you haven’t been playing real football yet but what have you seen from Clyde Edwards-Helaire?

REID:&nbsp;“I thought&nbsp;Clyde&nbsp;(Edwards-Helaire)&nbsp;came&nbsp;back in good shape. It was great for him&nbsp;to get all the reps that he did. He did a nice job with it.&nbsp;Obviously,&nbsp;he’s talented. But really for all those running backs it’s just a matter of getting out there that when things are flying, especially around their legs, that they’ve got&nbsp;to&nbsp;make&nbsp;sure that they keep&nbsp;that.&nbsp;But he’s proven&nbsp;that he’s good with all that too.”

Q:&nbsp;How&nbsp;have you seen the defense improve so far this preseason?

REID:&nbsp;“They know what they’re doing now which is a big plus. This time last year&nbsp;everything&nbsp;was new to them and there were quite a few busts. You&nbsp;don’t&nbsp;see those right now. They’re&nbsp;pretty&nbsp;sound&nbsp;in what they’re doing. I like the improvement that they’ve made.”

Q:&nbsp;On Chris Jones’ absence from mandatory&nbsp;mini-camp.

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah,&nbsp;so Chris&nbsp;(Jones)&nbsp;wasn’t here, kind&nbsp;of&nbsp;like last year, same type of deal. That’s his choice. He chose not to be here. I’m sure he’ll be at training camp.”

Q:&nbsp;Could you talk about the ring ceremony and just having it here in Kansas City when everyone can attend this time around?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah&nbsp;so,&nbsp;we invite people back that&nbsp;are with&nbsp;other teams now. So, it’ll&nbsp;be a&nbsp;little&nbsp;bit&nbsp;like what went&nbsp;on at the White House,but they’re coming back to Kansas&nbsp;City. I think&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;a great deal. I think the Hunts have put together a&nbsp;really&nbsp;nice&nbsp;event&nbsp;for the guys. And I think when it’s all said&nbsp;and&nbsp;done,&nbsp;you’ll&nbsp;be able to hear the response from&nbsp;them. It’s a nice plan there.”

Q:&nbsp;Going back to Chris Jones, you think he’ll be at training camp?&nbsp;

REID:&nbsp;“Well,&nbsp;I’m&nbsp;not sure about anything. I’m not sure I’m&nbsp;gonnabe there (laughter).&nbsp;I got&nbsp;to&nbsp;get through (laughter)&nbsp;I wish I could predict that. I think he’s,&nbsp;you know,&nbsp;there’s a&nbsp;chance that he’s not. We’ll see.”

Q:&nbsp;I know that is&nbsp;General Manager Brett&nbsp;Veach’s&nbsp;territory&nbsp;really&nbsp;but you feel good about it?&nbsp;

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah,&nbsp;I don’t even deal with it. I let&nbsp;(General Manager)&nbsp;Brett&nbsp;(Veach)and his group deal with it. If you’re there, you’re there. If&nbsp;you’re&nbsp;not, we keep going. It’s one&nbsp;of&nbsp;those deals so. They’ll work all that out. They’re communicating so that’s important.”

Q:&nbsp;What’s your communication with Chris&nbsp;Jones&nbsp;been about?

REID:&nbsp;“Make sure you’re in shape.”

Q:&nbsp;Could you share any of the emotions or thoughts you had directly after the Super Bowl victory and as the night went on?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah,&nbsp;well you have a big party&nbsp;afterwards that goes on like all night (laughter). And then&nbsp;(Executive Vice President of Communications)&nbsp;Ted&nbsp;(Crews)&nbsp;gets me&nbsp;up. I mean&nbsp;really,&nbsp;I don’treally go to sleep. Ted’s knocking early in the morning for a press conference.”

Q:&nbsp;What were you thinking after? Are there any moments you can share?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah,&nbsp;you feel like you accomplished something. You’re&nbsp;happy most of all&nbsp;for&nbsp;the guys that have gone through this thing and endured till the end. It’s a&nbsp;long&nbsp;haul with a lot of ups and downs.&nbsp;There are a lot of things that you’ve got to work through whether it’s personally or playing wise you’ve got&nbsp;to&nbsp;work through all that stuff. And so, these guys are humans.&nbsp;Everybody has issues.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you replay any of the plays and think one was a great call?

REID:&nbsp;“Not at that moment, no, no, not at that moment.&nbsp;You’re&nbsp;just happy to be there right then. It slows down the second time, I’ll tell you that. You can enjoy it a little bit more.”

Q:&nbsp;With that in mind, the&nbsp;team&nbsp;has been enjoying a lot of the success and celebrating a lot.&nbsp;With that being said, you&nbsp;have football coming to focus on. How have you been able to manage the celebration with trying to get the job done?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I look at what’s real.&nbsp;I mean we had&nbsp;99 percent&nbsp;of the team here.&nbsp;With the&nbsp;exception&nbsp;of&nbsp;Chris&nbsp;(Jones)&nbsp;everybody was here and working hard. And so that’s the&nbsp;important thing to me. I mean everything else we can talk about but they’re here&nbsp;working,&nbsp;and we’ve got good leadership in that locker&nbsp;room&nbsp;and they know this is all nice.&nbsp;(The)&nbsp;White House was nice, this is going to be nice tonight,&nbsp;but that’s history. It’s all been done.&nbsp;Now it’s forward and that’s the way&nbsp;they’ve approached this offseason. It’s been fun to watch.”

Q:&nbsp;Last year the rookie class talked about wanting to make their own statement and build their legacy with what they did last year. With their experience last year, how do you have them share that with the rookie class this year&nbsp;and keep them motivated again this year?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, well you know&nbsp;you’ve got guys that are motivated guys.&nbsp;You start with the&nbsp;quarterback&nbsp;(Patrick Mahomes)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Trav&nbsp;(Kelce)&nbsp;-&nbsp;they’ve&nbsp;been&nbsp;through the whole&nbsp;thing&nbsp;so they know what it takes to get there and they’re able to communicate that and they do that. You know we’ve got a bunch of guys that were&nbsp;there,&nbsp;and they understand the trials and things&nbsp;(and)&nbsp;the energy that it takes to get there. I’m aware of all that. I get to see it every day and then I get to see them go out there – as some&nbsp;of&nbsp;you guys did – you got to see them go out there and compete&nbsp;(during mandatory mini-camp)&nbsp;and I’m having to slow them down because of the rules which is a good thing.&nbsp;So,&nbsp;they want to challenge each other to go fast and&nbsp;all that so&nbsp;sometimes&nbsp;you’ve&nbsp;got to pump the breaks&nbsp;there&nbsp;a little bit.”

Q:&nbsp;Have you seen the trailer for the Netflix series that PatrickMahomes&nbsp;is featured in?&nbsp;With that crew around last year, what was that like?&nbsp;Will you watch it?

REID:&nbsp;“I don’t know if I’ll watch&nbsp;it,&nbsp;but he handled himself right. So, it didn’t affect&nbsp;anybody&nbsp;and those guys&nbsp;(the film crew)&nbsp;did a nice job of kind of staying away. Everything was distant or our own people&nbsp;working&nbsp;through our own people&nbsp;here&nbsp;and&nbsp;so it wasn’t a distraction. Some of those things can be a distraction, this wasn’t a distraction. Whatever turns up, turns up,&nbsp;but he handled it the right way.”

Q:&nbsp;It looked like you found a&nbsp;lot&nbsp;of&nbsp;work for Wanya Morris during this camp. What did you learn about him and especially his future as a potential left tackle?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I like him. I like his ability. I think that was a good pick&nbsp;there. So, we’ll just see how it all works&nbsp;out&nbsp;once we get going but he held his own. He rotated in a little&nbsp;bit&nbsp;with the one’s and as(Offensive Line&nbsp;Coach)&nbsp;Andy (Heck) does, he kind&nbsp;of&nbsp;gets everybody going&nbsp;there. I’m&nbsp;curious&nbsp;to see how he does once we get going and he’s tired mentally and physically.&nbsp;Let’s&nbsp;see what happens then.”

Q:&nbsp;“I know you had the conditioning test today. What is it?

REID:&nbsp;“This&nbsp;isn’t’ even a test today. This is just they – the test is when they get back. This is just something to – I try to give them&nbsp;allthe things that they’re going to see at camp in some form. This is ashort version of&nbsp;it,&nbsp;but it gives them an idea of where&nbsp;they’re&nbsp;at and what they need to do&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;next&nbsp;four weeks to get themselves ready for&nbsp;camp.&nbsp;So&nbsp;it’s really not - we don’t’ grade them on this or anything. We just let them go and it’s really a self (evaluation)&nbsp;for each one.”

Q:&nbsp;So&nbsp;I could do the&nbsp;conditioning&nbsp;test?

REID:&nbsp;“You might be able to do it (laughter).”

Q:&nbsp;Do you focus on disconnecting during this time before camp? Do you have to think about how you do it?

REID:&nbsp;“I don’t have to think too hard&nbsp;(laughter). I’ll take a little time, yeah. Most of the coaches take time now. You know this was a shorter off season because of what&nbsp;we went through so the coaches jump right into free agency and then the draft evaluation stuff and then&nbsp;the&nbsp;OTAs so there hasn’t been a ton of time off.&nbsp;So&nbsp;this gives guys a chance to get away (and) gives me a chance to get away.”

Q:&nbsp;Will you find a way to not do anything? Are you always still thinking about the game&nbsp;and the upcoming season?

REID:&nbsp;“Vahe&nbsp;(Gregorian)&nbsp;listen, I normally take the mornings (for) an hour or two&nbsp;and knock some stuff out and then I’m good the rest of the time. I’m at the beach but I’m not really, I&nbsp;don’t&nbsp;have that beach body (laughter).”

Q:&nbsp;As the defending Super Bowl champion, did you learn anything from the last time you were the defending Super Bowl champion?Do you have any message this time around for the guys? What about scheme wise?&nbsp;

REID:&nbsp;“As far as scheme,&nbsp;I mean&nbsp;we try to change that up every year a little bit. I mean you’re going to have your base plays but then we try to add a bunch of new stuff in there. It keeps everybody alive and then I’m short and sweet on messages. I think the truth happens on the field. You know toughness – it’s one thing to talk about toughness but the reality is you’ve got to go&nbsp;do it (and)&nbsp;show it. And then when you invest time in something then you’re less likely to put out a poor performance, you take a lot of pride in&nbsp;that,and&nbsp;so time and effort become a big part of being a professional football player. So that’s – I don’t&nbsp;do a lot of talking (in here&nbsp;with media), I don’t do a lot of talking to them (the team). It’s more this is what we’re going to do, let’s go do it with some energy (and) be an energy giver&nbsp;(and)&nbsp;not an energy taker and&nbsp;let’s&nbsp;roll.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676086443395.jpeg" alt="AP Photo Courtesy Ross D. Franklin" />
 <figcaption>AP Photo Courtesy Ross D. Franklin</figcaption>
 </figure>HEAD COACH ANDY REID&nbsp;OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright,&nbsp;we’re&nbsp;finished up with our OTAs which is a good thing. Guys came out relatively healthy and ready to go. There are a couple of guys that I’m not sure you guys&nbsp;know&nbsp;about&nbsp;that&nbsp;I’ll put out there. Blake Bell had an appendectomy and that’s why he wasn’t at practice and then Mike Edwards had a hamstring.&nbsp;(Trent)&nbsp;McDuffie had this stress on his&nbsp;fibula. He should be ok though. I mean all these guys should be ok&nbsp;once&nbsp;we get&nbsp;downthe&nbsp;road.&nbsp;(Isiah)&nbsp;Pacheco had shoulder surgery, you know that. Trey&nbsp;Smith had a&nbsp;tricep&nbsp;that he hurt – strained&nbsp;it&nbsp;just&nbsp;a little bit during the later part of camp.&nbsp;L’Jarius&nbsp;Sneed’s knee. We’ve&nbsp;kind&nbsp;of&nbsp;backed&nbsp;off of&nbsp;him to make sure that we kept the swelling down there and then(Tershawn)&nbsp;Wharton had the knee surgery.&nbsp;So,&nbsp;with that&nbsp;-&nbsp;those are kind of the primary guys that didn’t work or worked just partially this&nbsp;camp&nbsp;here,&nbsp;but it was good to get the guys out there working. They pushed themselves, they challenged each other within the rules that we’re given here&nbsp;and it’s a good foundation to take up to training camp.&nbsp;They’ve&nbsp;got to maintain it here now for the next four&nbsp;weeks,&nbsp;but they’ll do that. I’ll take a little&nbsp;time&nbsp;off and then get back cranking and&nbsp;come back&nbsp;ready for camp.&nbsp;But&nbsp;we got the plays in we wanted to&nbsp;(and)&nbsp;the scheme evals&nbsp;that we did from last year were all covered. And we’re ready to go we’ve&nbsp;just got to get through the next month. With that (the) time’s yours.”Q:&nbsp;Do you expect the injured guys you just mentioned&nbsp;to&nbsp;be ready to go for camp?REID:&nbsp;“Most of them will be ready to go.&nbsp;I mean&nbsp;there are&nbsp;couple of them we’re going to&nbsp;just&nbsp;have&nbsp;to&nbsp;see&nbsp;on,&nbsp;so I’ll get you that day one when we&nbsp;get&nbsp;back.”Q:&nbsp;What were some&nbsp;of&nbsp;your biggest takeaways from your rookies?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah,&nbsp;I thought they handled the load of the plays. Without&nbsp;picking out specific guys - in general, that’s what you look at. If&nbsp;they make a&nbsp;mistake&nbsp;are they going to make the mistake twice? And I felt like they worked their way through it and did a pretty good job of the retention part and accuracy within the play.”Q:&nbsp;How much more&nbsp;comfortable&nbsp;do&nbsp;you feel like&nbsp;Skyy&nbsp;Moore is this year?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah&nbsp;Skyy&nbsp;was targeted quite a bit this preseason, he&nbsp;was one of the&nbsp;higher targets this preseason.&nbsp;He had the most catches or close to the most catches.&nbsp;So,&nbsp;I think he’s taken a good jump. Most of all the quarterback&nbsp;(Patrick Mahomes)&nbsp;trusts him. He’s willing to throw it to him&nbsp;- that’s why&nbsp;I mentioned the number there. The quarterback’s not going to throw it to you if he doesn’t trust you.”Q:&nbsp;And you feel like his familiarity with everything is higher? Does that show?REID:&nbsp;“Sure, way different. But listen – (he) still (has) a ton of room to climb and grow. He’s so willing though. You got a chance to see&nbsp;a real&nbsp;– one of the good parts of his personality is when everything was going&nbsp;wrong&nbsp;last year with punt&nbsp;returns&nbsp;he didn’t’ let that bother him. You know he came&nbsp;back&nbsp;and&nbsp;he’d&nbsp;have a big catch in the same game and that was all new territory&nbsp;for him&nbsp;with these punt returns. You know the resiliency&nbsp;and&nbsp;(being)&nbsp;able&nbsp;to focus back in there. That’s a good quality to have.”Q:&nbsp;Understanding&nbsp;that you haven’t been playing real football yet but what have you seen from Clyde Edwards-Helaire?REID:&nbsp;“I thought&nbsp;Clyde&nbsp;(Edwards-Helaire)&nbsp;came&nbsp;back in good shape. It was great for him&nbsp;to get all the reps that he did. He did a nice job with it.&nbsp;Obviously,&nbsp;he’s talented. But really for all those running backs it’s just a matter of getting out there that when things are flying, especially around their legs, that they’ve got&nbsp;to&nbsp;make&nbsp;sure that they keep&nbsp;that.&nbsp;But he’s proven&nbsp;that he’s good with all that too.”Q:&nbsp;How&nbsp;have you seen the defense improve so far this preseason?REID:&nbsp;“They know what they’re doing now which is a big plus. This time last year&nbsp;everything&nbsp;was new to them and there were quite a few busts. You&nbsp;don’t&nbsp;see those right now. They’re&nbsp;pretty&nbsp;sound&nbsp;in what they’re doing. I like the improvement that they’ve made.”Q:&nbsp;On Chris Jones’ absence from mandatory&nbsp;mini-camp.REID:&nbsp;“Yeah,&nbsp;so Chris&nbsp;(Jones)&nbsp;wasn’t here, kind&nbsp;of&nbsp;like last year, same type of deal. That’s his choice. He chose not to be here. I’m sure he’ll be at training camp.”Q:&nbsp;Could you talk about the ring ceremony and just having it here in Kansas City when everyone can attend this time around?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah&nbsp;so,&nbsp;we invite people back that&nbsp;are with&nbsp;other teams now. So, it’ll&nbsp;be a&nbsp;little&nbsp;bit&nbsp;like what went&nbsp;on at the White House,but they’re coming back to Kansas&nbsp;City. I think&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;a great deal. I think the Hunts have put together a&nbsp;really&nbsp;nice&nbsp;event&nbsp;for the guys. And I think when it’s all said&nbsp;and&nbsp;done,&nbsp;you’ll&nbsp;be able to hear the response from&nbsp;them. It’s a nice plan there.”Q:&nbsp;Going back to Chris Jones, you think he’ll be at training camp?&nbsp;REID:&nbsp;“Well,&nbsp;I’m&nbsp;not sure about anything. I’m not sure I’m&nbsp;gonnabe there (laughter).&nbsp;I got&nbsp;to&nbsp;get through (laughter)&nbsp;I wish I could predict that. I think he’s,&nbsp;you know,&nbsp;there’s a&nbsp;chance that he’s not. We’ll see.”Q:&nbsp;I know that is&nbsp;General Manager Brett&nbsp;Veach’s&nbsp;territory&nbsp;really&nbsp;but you feel good about it?&nbsp;REID:&nbsp;“Yeah,&nbsp;I don’t even deal with it. I let&nbsp;(General Manager)&nbsp;Brett&nbsp;(Veach)and his group deal with it. If you’re there, you’re there. If&nbsp;you’re&nbsp;not, we keep going. It’s one&nbsp;of&nbsp;those deals so. They’ll work all that out. They’re communicating so that’s important.”Q:&nbsp;What’s your communication with Chris&nbsp;Jones&nbsp;been about?REID:&nbsp;“Make sure you’re in shape.”Q:&nbsp;Could you share any of the emotions or thoughts you had directly after the Super Bowl victory and as the night went on?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah,&nbsp;well you have a big party&nbsp;afterwards that goes on like all night (laughter). And then&nbsp;(Executive Vice President of Communications)&nbsp;Ted&nbsp;(Crews)&nbsp;gets me&nbsp;up. I mean&nbsp;really,&nbsp;I don’treally go to sleep. Ted’s knocking early in the morning for a press conference.”Q:&nbsp;What were you thinking after? Are there any moments you can share?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah,&nbsp;you feel like you accomplished something. You’re&nbsp;happy most of all&nbsp;for&nbsp;the guys that have gone through this thing and endured till the end. It’s a&nbsp;long&nbsp;haul with a lot of ups and downs.&nbsp;There are a lot of things that you’ve got to work through whether it’s personally or playing wise you’ve got&nbsp;to&nbsp;work through all that stuff. And so, these guys are humans.&nbsp;Everybody has issues.”Q:&nbsp;Do you replay any of the plays and think one was a great call?REID:&nbsp;“Not at that moment, no, no, not at that moment.&nbsp;You’re&nbsp;just happy to be there right then. It slows down the second time, I’ll tell you that. You can enjoy it a little bit more.”Q:&nbsp;With that in mind, the&nbsp;team&nbsp;has been enjoying a lot of the success and celebrating a lot.&nbsp;With that being said, you&nbsp;have football coming to focus on. How have you been able to manage the celebration with trying to get the job done?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I look at what’s real.&nbsp;I mean we had&nbsp;99 percent&nbsp;of the team here.&nbsp;With the&nbsp;exception&nbsp;of&nbsp;Chris&nbsp;(Jones)&nbsp;everybody was here and working hard. And so that’s the&nbsp;important thing to me. I mean everything else we can talk about but they’re here&nbsp;working,&nbsp;and we’ve got good leadership in that locker&nbsp;room&nbsp;and they know this is all nice.&nbsp;(The)&nbsp;White House was nice, this is going to be nice tonight,&nbsp;but that’s history. It’s all been done.&nbsp;Now it’s forward and that’s the way&nbsp;they’ve approached this offseason. It’s been fun to watch.”Q:&nbsp;Last year the rookie class talked about wanting to make their own statement and build their legacy with what they did last year. With their experience last year, how do you have them share that with the rookie class this year&nbsp;and keep them motivated again this year?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, well you know&nbsp;you’ve got guys that are motivated guys.&nbsp;You start with the&nbsp;quarterback&nbsp;(Patrick Mahomes)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Trav&nbsp;(Kelce)&nbsp;-&nbsp;they’ve&nbsp;been&nbsp;through the whole&nbsp;thing&nbsp;so they know what it takes to get there and they’re able to communicate that and they do that. You know we’ve got a bunch of guys that were&nbsp;there,&nbsp;and they understand the trials and things&nbsp;(and)&nbsp;the energy that it takes to get there. I’m aware of all that. I get to see it every day and then I get to see them go out there – as some&nbsp;of&nbsp;you guys did – you got to see them go out there and compete&nbsp;(during mandatory mini-camp)&nbsp;and I’m having to slow them down because of the rules which is a good thing.&nbsp;So,&nbsp;they want to challenge each other to go fast and&nbsp;all that so&nbsp;sometimes&nbsp;you’ve&nbsp;got to pump the breaks&nbsp;there&nbsp;a little bit.”Q:&nbsp;Have you seen the trailer for the Netflix series that PatrickMahomes&nbsp;is featured in?&nbsp;With that crew around last year, what was that like?&nbsp;Will you watch it?REID:&nbsp;“I don’t know if I’ll watch&nbsp;it,&nbsp;but he handled himself right. So, it didn’t affect&nbsp;anybody&nbsp;and those guys&nbsp;(the film crew)&nbsp;did a nice job of kind of staying away. Everything was distant or our own people&nbsp;working&nbsp;through our own people&nbsp;here&nbsp;and&nbsp;so it wasn’t a distraction. Some of those things can be a distraction, this wasn’t a distraction. Whatever turns up, turns up,&nbsp;but he handled it the right way.”Q:&nbsp;It looked like you found a&nbsp;lot&nbsp;of&nbsp;work for Wanya Morris during this camp. What did you learn about him and especially his future as a potential left tackle?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I like him. I like his ability. I think that was a good pick&nbsp;there. So, we’ll just see how it all works&nbsp;out&nbsp;once we get going but he held his own. He rotated in a little&nbsp;bit&nbsp;with the one’s and as(Offensive Line&nbsp;Coach)&nbsp;Andy (Heck) does, he kind&nbsp;of&nbsp;gets everybody going&nbsp;there. I’m&nbsp;curious&nbsp;to see how he does once we get going and he’s tired mentally and physically.&nbsp;Let’s&nbsp;see what happens then.”Q:&nbsp;“I know you had the conditioning test today. What is it?REID:&nbsp;“This&nbsp;isn’t’ even a test today. This is just they – the test is when they get back. This is just something to – I try to give them&nbsp;allthe things that they’re going to see at camp in some form. This is ashort version of&nbsp;it,&nbsp;but it gives them an idea of where&nbsp;they’re&nbsp;at and what they need to do&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;next&nbsp;four weeks to get themselves ready for&nbsp;camp.&nbsp;So&nbsp;it’s really not - we don’t’ grade them on this or anything. We just let them go and it’s really a self (evaluation)&nbsp;for each one.”Q:&nbsp;So&nbsp;I could do the&nbsp;conditioning&nbsp;test?REID:&nbsp;“You might be able to do it (laughter).”Q:&nbsp;Do you focus on disconnecting during this time before camp? Do you have to think about how you do it?REID:&nbsp;“I don’t have to think too hard&nbsp;(laughter). I’ll take a little time, yeah. Most of the coaches take time now. You know this was a shorter off season because of what&nbsp;we went through so the coaches jump right into free agency and then the draft evaluation stuff and then&nbsp;the&nbsp;OTAs so there hasn’t been a ton of time off.&nbsp;So&nbsp;this gives guys a chance to get away (and) gives me a chance to get away.”Q:&nbsp;Will you find a way to not do anything? Are you always still thinking about the game&nbsp;and the upcoming season?REID:&nbsp;“Vahe&nbsp;(Gregorian)&nbsp;listen, I normally take the mornings (for) an hour or two&nbsp;and knock some stuff out and then I’m good the rest of the time. I’m at the beach but I’m not really, I&nbsp;don’t&nbsp;have that beach body (laughter).”Q:&nbsp;As the defending Super Bowl champion, did you learn anything from the last time you were the defending Super Bowl champion?Do you have any message this time around for the guys? What about scheme wise?&nbsp;REID:&nbsp;“As far as scheme,&nbsp;I mean&nbsp;we try to change that up every year a little bit. I mean you’re going to have your base plays but then we try to add a bunch of new stuff in there. It keeps everybody alive and then I’m short and sweet on messages. I think the truth happens on the field. You know toughness – it’s one thing to talk about toughness but the reality is you’ve got to go&nbsp;do it (and)&nbsp;show it. And then when you invest time in something then you’re less likely to put out a poor performance, you take a lot of pride in&nbsp;that,and&nbsp;so time and effort become a big part of being a professional football player. So that’s – I don’t&nbsp;do a lot of talking (in here&nbsp;with media), I don’t do a lot of talking to them (the team). It’s more this is what we’re going to do, let’s go do it with some energy (and) be an energy giver&nbsp;(and)&nbsp;not an energy taker and&nbsp;let’s&nbsp;roll.”

Q&A with Chiefs head coach, Andy Reid

SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; —Registered nurses in Kansas and Texas at three Ascension hospitals will participate in historic one-day strikes on Tuesday, June 27 to protest the health care giant’s refusal to address its endemic staffing crisis, according to a media release from National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU). 

During contract negotiations, management has dismissed nurses’ solutions for safe staffing protections and nurse recruitment and retention, both critical factors for ensuring patient safety.

In recent weeks, nurses at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/nurses-at-ascension-christi-st-joseph-overwhelmingly-vote-to-strike">Ascension via Christi St. Joseph Hospital</a>&nbsp;(Wichita, Kan.),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/st-francis-nurses-vote-overwhelmingly-to-strike">Ascension via Christi St. Francis Hospital</a>&nbsp;(Wichita, Kan.), and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/ascension-seton-nurses-overwhelmingly-vote-to-authorize-strike">Ascension Seton Medical Center</a>&nbsp;(Austin, Texas) have voted to authorize one-day strikes by overwhelming majorities.

Nurses always give at least 10 days of advance notice to their hospitals to allow for alternative plans to be made for patient care.

“Ascension management pushed nurses to this position by failing to listen to or implement our solutions to address the staffing crisis,” said Monica Gonzalez, a registered nurse in the neurology unit at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, where nurses have been in negotiations for seven months. “Ascension management has the power to settle a strong contract now, if they are serious about staffing up and improving nurses’ ability to provide safe patient care. ”

In the past year, these 2,000 Ascension nurses have made history, creating some of the largest private-sector nurse unions in states with laws hostile to worker organizing. Driving the surge of unionization at Ascension is a systematic failure of the hospital system to invest its resources – including the tens of millions of dollars it does not pay in federal taxes, due to its nonprofit status – back into its communities and workforce.

“Ascension nurses are fighting for our patients and the sustainability of our profession,” said Marvin Ruckle, a registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph Hospital in Wichita. “Our commitment to winning strong contracts is unbreakable, like our bond to our patients. Executives can’t get away with empty promises while rejecting our commonsense solutions to improve staffing and patient care. Just as the nurse-patient relationship is important for healing, strong contracts are the best way for us to solve our staffing crisis for the sake of our patients’ health and well-being.”

Chronic short-staffing imposed by Ascension hospital management –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/business/hospital-staffing-ascension.html">a practice that began well before the Covid-19 pandemic to boost profits and executive compensation</a>&nbsp;– makes it challenging for nurses to provide the highest quality of care to their patients because it drastically limits how much time a nurse can spend on each patient. Short-staffing also creates a revolving door of nursing staff, who suffer moral injury and distress because they can’t provide the care they know results in the best patient outcomes.

“Union nurses across Ascension stand united for our patients and against management’s profiteering,” Lisa Watson, a registered nurse in the medical intensive care unit at Ascension via Christi St. Francis Hospital&nbsp;in Wichita. “It’s disrespectful to be asked to take care of more patients with fewer resources. These conditions have everything to do with management’s decision-making and nothing to do with the excuse of the so-called ‘nursing shortage’ that’s actually a staffing crisis they created.”

The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing shows that there are more than a million registered nurses with active licenses who are choosing not to work at the bedside.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.orga/sites/default/files/nnu/documents/Reporter_Memo_Hospital_Staffing_Crisis.pdf">More information and data debunking the nurse "shortage” myth can be found here.</a>

The conditions driving Austin and Wichita nurses to take unprecedented collective action at their hospitals are part of a broader pattern of Ascension negligence and greed, which has garnered the scrutiny of local and national news media and federal regulators, including:

"As a self-professed 'ministry' that claims a commitment to ‘holistic care’ that ‘sustains and improves the health of individuals and communities', safe staffing is foundational to Ascension's moral and legal obligations,” said Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, RN, and a president of NNU. “Nurses have every right to demand and strike for contracts that meet Ascension’s own standards.”&nbsp;

Ascension is the second-largest and wealthiest nonprofit and Catholic health system in the country. In fiscal year 2021, Ascension reported a net income of more than $6.4 billion, and the system’s CEO took home a compensation package worth more than $13 million. Additionally, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/reports/ADV/159767/PDF/159767.pdf">a 2022 Securities and Exchange Commission filing</a>, Ascension runs an investment company that manages more than $41 billion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686927459677.png" alt="Photo courtesy National Nurses United" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy National Nurses United</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; —Registered nurses in Kansas and Texas at three Ascension hospitals will participate in historic one-day strikes on Tuesday, June 27 to protest the health care giant’s refusal to address its endemic staffing crisis, according to a media release from National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU). During contract negotiations, management has dismissed nurses’ solutions for safe staffing protections and nurse recruitment and retention, both critical factors for ensuring patient safety.In recent weeks, nurses at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/nurses-at-ascension-christi-st-joseph-overwhelmingly-vote-to-strike">Ascension via Christi St. Joseph Hospital</a>&nbsp;(Wichita, Kan.),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/st-francis-nurses-vote-overwhelmingly-to-strike">Ascension via Christi St. Francis Hospital</a>&nbsp;(Wichita, Kan.), and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/ascension-seton-nurses-overwhelmingly-vote-to-authorize-strike">Ascension Seton Medical Center</a>&nbsp;(Austin, Texas) have voted to authorize one-day strikes by overwhelming majorities. Nurses always give at least 10 days of advance notice to their hospitals to allow for alternative plans to be made for patient care.“Ascension management pushed nurses to this position by failing to listen to or implement our solutions to address the staffing crisis,” said Monica Gonzalez, a registered nurse in the neurology unit at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, where nurses have been in negotiations for seven months. “Ascension management has the power to settle a strong contract now, if they are serious about staffing up and improving nurses’ ability to provide safe patient care. ”In the past year, these 2,000 Ascension nurses have made history, creating some of the largest private-sector nurse unions in states with laws hostile to worker organizing. Driving the surge of unionization at Ascension is a systematic failure of the hospital system to invest its resources – including the tens of millions of dollars it does not pay in federal taxes, due to its nonprofit status – back into its communities and workforce.“Ascension nurses are fighting for our patients and the sustainability of our profession,” said Marvin Ruckle, a registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph Hospital in Wichita. “Our commitment to winning strong contracts is unbreakable, like our bond to our patients. Executives can’t get away with empty promises while rejecting our commonsense solutions to improve staffing and patient care. Just as the nurse-patient relationship is important for healing, strong contracts are the best way for us to solve our staffing crisis for the sake of our patients’ health and well-being.”Chronic short-staffing imposed by Ascension hospital management –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/business/hospital-staffing-ascension.html">a practice that began well before the Covid-19 pandemic to boost profits and executive compensation</a>&nbsp;– makes it challenging for nurses to provide the highest quality of care to their patients because it drastically limits how much time a nurse can spend on each patient. Short-staffing also creates a revolving door of nursing staff, who suffer moral injury and distress because they can’t provide the care they know results in the best patient outcomes.“Union nurses across Ascension stand united for our patients and against management’s profiteering,” Lisa Watson, a registered nurse in the medical intensive care unit at Ascension via Christi St. Francis Hospital&nbsp;in Wichita. “It’s disrespectful to be asked to take care of more patients with fewer resources. These conditions have everything to do with management’s decision-making and nothing to do with the excuse of the so-called ‘nursing shortage’ that’s actually a staffing crisis they created.”The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing shows that there are more than a million registered nurses with active licenses who are choosing not to work at the bedside.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.orga/sites/default/files/nnu/documents/Reporter_Memo_Hospital_Staffing_Crisis.pdf">More information and data debunking the nurse "shortage” myth can be found here.</a>The conditions driving Austin and Wichita nurses to take unprecedented collective action at their hospitals are part of a broader pattern of Ascension negligence and greed, which has garnered the scrutiny of local and national news media and federal regulators, including:<ul>
 <li>A&nbsp;November 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statnews.com/2021/11/16/ascension-investigation-moonlighting-private-equity-firm/">STAT News investigation</a>&nbsp;describing Ascension as a hospital system “moonlighting as a private equity firm.”&nbsp;</li><li>A&nbsp;December 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/business/hospital-staffing-ascension.html">New York Times investigation</a>&nbsp;into Ascension’s staffing conditions finding the hospital “spent years reducing its staffing levels in an effort to improve profitability, even though the chain is a nonprofit organization with nearly $18 billion of cash reserves.”&nbsp;</li><li>Two&nbsp;<a href="https://www.milwaukeemag.com/special-report-how-staff-shortages-are-undermining-care-at-columbia-st-marys-hospital/">separate</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/investigations/public-investigator/2023/01/26/ascensions-columbia-st-marys-hospital-in-milwaukee-under-fire/69791985007/">reports</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;January 2023&nbsp;from Milwaukee, Wis., demonstrating “disruptions to patient care, long wait times in the emergency department, delayed surgeries and staff concerns about patient safety” at Ascension facilities.&nbsp;</li><li>A&nbsp;February 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://www.baldwin.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ascension_financial_letter_final.pdf">letter to CEO Joseph Impicciche by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin</a>&nbsp;calling into question Ascension’s nonprofit status and mission-driven values.</li>
 </ul>"As a self-professed 'ministry' that claims a commitment to ‘holistic care’ that ‘sustains and improves the health of individuals and communities', safe staffing is foundational to Ascension's moral and legal obligations,” said Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, RN, and a president of NNU. “Nurses have every right to demand and strike for contracts that meet Ascension’s own standards.”&nbsp;Ascension is the second-largest and wealthiest nonprofit and Catholic health system in the country. In fiscal year 2021, Ascension reported a net income of more than $6.4 billion, and the system’s CEO took home a compensation package worth more than $13 million. Additionally, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://reports.adviserinfo.sec.gov/reports/ADV/159767/PDF/159767.pdf">a 2022 Securities and Exchange Commission filing</a>, Ascension runs an investment company that manages more than $41 billion.

Nurses at 2 Wichita hospitals announce historic one-day strike

ROME (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;on Friday was discharged from the Rome hospital where he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-758c3d7b07e6d6f242c4a5ea6f2de154">abdominal surgery</a>&nbsp;nine days earlier to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-surgery-bowel-96b9ed94ed0dcb8c3eec6aa718202196">repair a hernia and remove painful scarring</a>, with his surgeon saying the pontiff is now “better than before” the hospitalization.

Francis, 86, left through Gemelli Polyclinic's main exit in a wheelchair, smiling and waving and saying “thanks” to a crowd of well-wishers, then stood up so he could get into the small Vatican car awaiting him. In the brief distance before he could reach the white Fiat 500, reporters thrust microphones practically at his face, and the pontiff seemed to bat them away, good-naturedly.

"Still alive,'' the pope quipped when a reporter asked how he was.

"The pope is well. He's better than before,'' Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the surgeon who did the three-hour operation on June 7 told reporters after he said goodbye to Francis as the pontiff got into the car.

Following the surgery, Francis will be a "strong pope,'' said Alfieri, who was outside along with the surging crowd as the pontiff exited.

Right after the pontiff returned home, the Vatican press office announced that Francis would make his traditional Sunday noon appearance at an Apostolic window overlooking St. Peter's Square to greet the public, an appointment that lasts about 10 minutes.

But his customary Wednesday general audience with thousands of faithful in the square "has been canceled to safeguard the post-surgical recovery of the Holy Father,'' the announcement said. The general audience lasts about an hour and includes a speech by the pontiff.

When asked by a reporter outside the hospital for a comment about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greece-missing-migrants-kalamata-8d9e8284e27880468d524eb934bb3f2a">migrant disaster off Greece</a>&nbsp;that has claimed dozens of lives and left hundreds missing, Francis replied: “So much sorrow.”

Instead of going straight back to the Vatican, Francis stopped to pray for 10 minutes before an icon of the Virgin Mary at the famous St. Mary Major Basilica, where he often stops by after trips abroad to give thanks. Francis stayed in his wheelchair as he prayed. He also went there after his discharge from the same hospital following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-released-hospital-53e6a136fe9f7b64da551e749a44930a">treatment for bronchitis</a>.

Tourists in the basilica excitedly snapped photos of the pontiff in the basilica, and several people in the crowd outside wept as he left and headed for the Holy See hotel, where he lives on Vatican City grounds.

But before he arrived back home, Francis made two more stops — first at a convent adjacent to the Vatican to greet nuns, and then outside one of the walled city's gates to get out of his car so he could shake hands with and thank police officers who provided a motorcycle escort.

Hours after the surgery, Alfieri said that the scarring, which had resulted from previous abdominal surgeries, had been increasingly causing the pope pain. There was also risk of an intestinal blockage, if adhesions, or scar tissue, weren’t removed, according to the doctors.

No complications occurred during the surgery or while the pope was convalescing in Gemelli’s 10th-floor apartment reserved exclusively for hospitalization of pontiffs, according to the pope’s medical staff.

Alfieri has said that the pontiff, in choosing to have the surgery in June, made his calculations that he would bounce back in time for the August trip to Portugal. “He has confirmed all” his trips, the surgeon said.

“Actually, he’ll be able to tackle them better than before, because now he won’t have the discomfort he had,″ Alfieri said, referring to the scarring known medically as adhesions. The surgeon had said that if the pope hadn’t had the surgery, there would have been a risk of an intestinal blockage.

“He’ll be a stronger pope,″ the surgeon added.

Right after the surgery, the Vatican said all of the pope’s audiences would be canceled through June 18. Among the high-profile appointments Francis is expected to have next week at the Vatican are audiences with the presidents of Cuba and Brazil, although the meetings haven't been officially announced yet by the Vatican.

Commitments that have officially been announced include pilgrimages to Portugal in early August for a Catholic youth jamboree and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-russia-china-mongolia-fbd2cb3b9b8e68ed0e46122ec2ba5129">a trip to Mongolia</a>&nbsp;beginning on Aug. 31, a first-ever visit by a pontiff to that Asian country.

In just under two years, Francis had been hospitalized three times at Gemelli Polyclinic. In July 2021, he underwent surgery to remove a 33-centimeter (13-inch) section of his bowel removed because of narrowing of his intestinal. That, as well as abdominal surgeries years back in his native Argentina before he became pontiff, had contributed to the painful scarring, according to Alfieri. Then in early spring of this year, Francis was back in the hospital to receive intravenous antibiotic treatment for bronchitis, an illness Francis later said caused him pain and fever.

As a young man in his native Argentina, Francis had a portion of one lung removed following infection.

The latest hospitalization came just as Francis seemed to be walking better, with the aid of a cane, following months of often using a wheelchair because of a painful knee problem. He also has suffered from sciatica, a painful inflammation of a nerve that runs down from back to leg.

Alfieri has said that the pontiff, in choosing to have the surgery in June, made his calculations that he would bounce back in time for the August trip to Portugal.

On Friday, the surgeon expressed confidence that the pontiff will pace himself as he resumes his appointment-packed days at the Vatican.

“He'll listen a little more to us, because he has important commitments that he has confirmed, including the trips," Alfieri said.

ROME (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;on Friday was discharged from the Rome hospital where he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-758c3d7b07e6d6f242c4a5ea6f2de154">abdominal surgery</a>&nbsp;nine days earlier to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-surgery-bowel-96b9ed94ed0dcb8c3eec6aa718202196">repair a hernia and remove painful scarring</a>, with his surgeon saying the pontiff is now “better than before” the hospitalization.Francis, 86, left through Gemelli Polyclinic's main exit in a wheelchair, smiling and waving and saying “thanks” to a crowd of well-wishers, then stood up so he could get into the small Vatican car awaiting him. In the brief distance before he could reach the white Fiat 500, reporters thrust microphones practically at his face, and the pontiff seemed to bat them away, good-naturedly."Still alive,'' the pope quipped when a reporter asked how he was."The pope is well. He's better than before,'' Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the surgeon who did the three-hour operation on June 7 told reporters after he said goodbye to Francis as the pontiff got into the car.Following the surgery, Francis will be a "strong pope,'' said Alfieri, who was outside along with the surging crowd as the pontiff exited.Right after the pontiff returned home, the Vatican press office announced that Francis would make his traditional Sunday noon appearance at an Apostolic window overlooking St. Peter's Square to greet the public, an appointment that lasts about 10 minutes.But his customary Wednesday general audience with thousands of faithful in the square "has been canceled to safeguard the post-surgical recovery of the Holy Father,'' the announcement said. The general audience lasts about an hour and includes a speech by the pontiff.When asked by a reporter outside the hospital for a comment about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greece-missing-migrants-kalamata-8d9e8284e27880468d524eb934bb3f2a">migrant disaster off Greece</a>&nbsp;that has claimed dozens of lives and left hundreds missing, Francis replied: “So much sorrow.”Instead of going straight back to the Vatican, Francis stopped to pray for 10 minutes before an icon of the Virgin Mary at the famous St. Mary Major Basilica, where he often stops by after trips abroad to give thanks. Francis stayed in his wheelchair as he prayed. He also went there after his discharge from the same hospital following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-released-hospital-53e6a136fe9f7b64da551e749a44930a">treatment for bronchitis</a>.Tourists in the basilica excitedly snapped photos of the pontiff in the basilica, and several people in the crowd outside wept as he left and headed for the Holy See hotel, where he lives on Vatican City grounds.But before he arrived back home, Francis made two more stops — first at a convent adjacent to the Vatican to greet nuns, and then outside one of the walled city's gates to get out of his car so he could shake hands with and thank police officers who provided a motorcycle escort.Hours after the surgery, Alfieri said that the scarring, which had resulted from previous abdominal surgeries, had been increasingly causing the pope pain. There was also risk of an intestinal blockage, if adhesions, or scar tissue, weren’t removed, according to the doctors.No complications occurred during the surgery or while the pope was convalescing in Gemelli’s 10th-floor apartment reserved exclusively for hospitalization of pontiffs, according to the pope’s medical staff.Alfieri has said that the pontiff, in choosing to have the surgery in June, made his calculations that he would bounce back in time for the August trip to Portugal. “He has confirmed all” his trips, the surgeon said.“Actually, he’ll be able to tackle them better than before, because now he won’t have the discomfort he had,″ Alfieri said, referring to the scarring known medically as adhesions. The surgeon had said that if the pope hadn’t had the surgery, there would have been a risk of an intestinal blockage.“He’ll be a stronger pope,″ the surgeon added.Right after the surgery, the Vatican said all of the pope’s audiences would be canceled through June 18. Among the high-profile appointments Francis is expected to have next week at the Vatican are audiences with the presidents of Cuba and Brazil, although the meetings haven't been officially announced yet by the Vatican.Commitments that have officially been announced include pilgrimages to Portugal in early August for a Catholic youth jamboree and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-russia-china-mongolia-fbd2cb3b9b8e68ed0e46122ec2ba5129">a trip to Mongolia</a>&nbsp;beginning on Aug. 31, a first-ever visit by a pontiff to that Asian country.In just under two years, Francis had been hospitalized three times at Gemelli Polyclinic. In July 2021, he underwent surgery to remove a 33-centimeter (13-inch) section of his bowel removed because of narrowing of his intestinal. That, as well as abdominal surgeries years back in his native Argentina before he became pontiff, had contributed to the painful scarring, according to Alfieri. Then in early spring of this year, Francis was back in the hospital to receive intravenous antibiotic treatment for bronchitis, an illness Francis later said caused him pain and fever.As a young man in his native Argentina, Francis had a portion of one lung removed following infection.The latest hospitalization came just as Francis seemed to be walking better, with the aid of a cane, following months of often using a wheelchair because of a painful knee problem. He also has suffered from sciatica, a painful inflammation of a nerve that runs down from back to leg.Alfieri has said that the pontiff, in choosing to have the surgery in June, made his calculations that he would bounce back in time for the August trip to Portugal.On Friday, the surgeon expressed confidence that the pontiff will pace himself as he resumes his appointment-packed days at the Vatican.“He'll listen a little more to us, because he has important commitments that he has confirmed, including the trips," Alfieri said.

Pope Francis leaves Rome hospital 9 days after surgery

BY LISA MOSER K-State Research and Extension

&nbsp;Sitting at youth events alongside grandparents can often lead to joyful conversations.

And as people engage with members of that generation, it is important to be listening and observing possible signs of mistreatment, said Erin Yelland, Kansas State University specialist and interim director of the Center on Aging.

“Ten percent of Americans over the age of 60 have experienced some form of elder abuse in the last year and many researchers expect this number to rise with the growth of the aging population,” Yelland said. “For the first time in human history we are going to have the population of older adults outnumber children in the U.S.”

Because of this shift in balance, Yelland said there are going to be fewer caregivers to look after the older generation and that is a risk factor for elder abuse.

“Caregivers, family members (including the adult children and their spouses) are 90% of the people who are most likely to perpetrate elder abuse, and so oftentimes it is someone on the outside who will see the warning signs,” Yelland said.

She said the six common categories of abuse are:

Physical Emotional/Psychological Sexual. Neglect Abandonment Financial/Exploitation

While anyone can be a victim of elder abuse, Yelland said it is most often seen in those who are female, very elderly, socially isolated, mentally impaired or a prior victim of abuse.

“Unfortunately, older adults are often hesitant to report this because it is oftentimes someone in their family and they don’t want to get that person in trouble,” Yelland said. “So, when you are interacting with older adults, it is important to keep an eye out and report anything that seems not quite right.”

Yelland stressed the importance of elders in society. “Older adults are such an incredible value to a community with their wealth of knowledge and experience, and with longer lifespans, we have the opportunity to enjoy our time with them by fostering those connections.”

For more information on how to spot the signs of elder abuse and how to report it, turn to the K-State extension bulletin —&nbsp;<a href="https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF3343.pdf">Elder Abuse and Neglect: What You Should Know</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632227184611.png" alt="Image Courtesy K-State Research and Extension" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy K-State Research and Extension</figcaption>
 </figure>BY LISA MOSER K-State Research and Extension&nbsp;Sitting at youth events alongside grandparents can often lead to joyful conversations.And as people engage with members of that generation, it is important to be listening and observing possible signs of mistreatment, said Erin Yelland, Kansas State University specialist and interim director of the Center on Aging.“Ten percent of Americans over the age of 60 have experienced some form of elder abuse in the last year and many researchers expect this number to rise with the growth of the aging population,” Yelland said. “For the first time in human history we are going to have the population of older adults outnumber children in the U.S.”Because of this shift in balance, Yelland said there are going to be fewer caregivers to look after the older generation and that is a risk factor for elder abuse.“Caregivers, family members (including the adult children and their spouses) are 90% of the people who are most likely to perpetrate elder abuse, and so oftentimes it is someone on the outside who will see the warning signs,” Yelland said.She said the six common categories of abuse are:Physical Emotional/Psychological Sexual. Neglect Abandonment Financial/ExploitationWhile anyone can be a victim of elder abuse, Yelland said it is most often seen in those who are female, very elderly, socially isolated, mentally impaired or a prior victim of abuse.“Unfortunately, older adults are often hesitant to report this because it is oftentimes someone in their family and they don’t want to get that person in trouble,” Yelland said. “So, when you are interacting with older adults, it is important to keep an eye out and report anything that seems not quite right.”Yelland stressed the importance of elders in society. “Older adults are such an incredible value to a community with their wealth of knowledge and experience, and with longer lifespans, we have the opportunity to enjoy our time with them by fostering those connections.”For more information on how to spot the signs of elder abuse and how to report it, turn to the K-State extension bulletin —&nbsp;<a href="https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF3343.pdf">Elder Abuse and Neglect: What You Should Know</a>

Elder Abuse Awareness Month, K-State specialist shares what to look out for

BY SALINA POST Check out the Coach Heron O'Neal Show tonight!

The show begins at 6 p.m. in AJ's at the Alley. If you can't be there, listen on KINA (910AM and 107.5FM) or watch it live here. Click on the link below.

BY SALINA POST Check out the Coach Heron O'Neal Show tonight!The show begins at 6 p.m. in AJ's at the Alley. If you can't be there, listen on KINA (910AM and 107.5FM) or watch it live here. Click on the link below.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BGCrwlK4M8I" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

🎥Watch the Coach Heron O'Neal Show live at 6 p.m. on Salina Post

The Salina Public Library (SPL) is excited to announce Allyson Walker as Head of Fundraising and Development. Both Allyson and the position are new to the library.

Walker was raised in Lindsborg, Kansas, graduated from Smoky Valley High School, and in 2018, received her Marketing degree from Emporia State University. Walker focused on fulfilling her mission of helping people, leading her to the nonprofit arena. In early 2023, Walker returned to her roots when the Salina Public Library was in search of a team member to strengthen its relationship with the community and build the foundation for future growth. With the combination of Walker’s experience in the entrepreneurship space and business development, SPL was eager to have her unique fundraising insight.

“We are thrilled to welcome Allyson to the Salina Public Library. Her experience and passion for community building are exactly what we are looking for as we work to expand our capacity to offer quality library services in Salina,” Melanie Hedgespeth, SPL’s director, said. “The library’s tax-payer funded annual budget is sufficient for our day-to-day operations, but as we look to the future and consider the continuing spread of our community, aging of our building and opportunity to help Salina address future challenges we recognize additional support is needed.”

Since 1868, the Salina Public Library operated without a position designed specifically for Fundraising and Development. While programming, resources, outreach, and patrons continue to increase, the building itself has remained the same for many years. The relationship the Salina Public Library has already cultivated with the community has helped propel Walker’s efforts to meet with local leaders and formulate plans for future growth. Walker has plans to embark on a “Listening Tour” in which she will listen to the stories of local community members and stakeholders and learn how the mission of the library and the community intertwine.

The Salina Public Library’s mission is “Connecting people to information, learning, and culture”. “Regardless of age, background or circumstances, everyone has access to the knowledge and resources they need to thrive. SPL offers education, entertainment, innovation and so much more to empower the community,” explained Walker. To uphold and further their mission, fundraising is necessary. “Donations give us the freedom to support special projects or allow us to campaign for larger projects that public funds cannot fully fund. We are planning to embark on exciting new chapters, but we can't write them alone, we need the community's support,” said Walker.

When asked what the community can do to help, Walker gave the following three suggestions:

1. Champion the library. Use your voice to advocate for us - spread the word and let the community know what you love about the library and the value you see in our services. By amplifying our message you are creating awareness and helping us reach a wider audience to attract more supporters.

2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Open doors for us by facilitating introductions and connections. If you have friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, or others that might be valuable to our success, share their names and connect with us.

3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Make a donation. While not everyone may be able to contribute financially, gifts of any size have a lasting impact and are an incredibly valuable way to support our mission. Through our secure online donation portal, you can choose to give a one-time donation or set up recurring support or you can give through mail by sending cash or check to the library.&nbsp;Donations are put towards enhancing the collection, expanding technology, improving facilities, supporting programs, outreach and community engagement, and other special projects.

Because of the support from the community both past and present, the library has seen great success and growth. “On behalf of the Salina Public Library, I want to thank everyone who has donated, including our patrons who donate their time to volunteer,” said Walker.

Walker continues to grow her roots in Salina alongside her husband Seth, two cats, Ivan and Odin, and two dogs, Froya and Oskar. She invites community members to reach out with questions or to make a community connection at<a href="mailto:giving@salinapublic.org" target="_blank">giving@salinapublic.org</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;785-833-9211. Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="http://salinapubliclibrary.org/donate" target="_blank">salinapubliclibrary.org/donate</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686577492026.jpeg" alt="Allyson Walker Photo Courtesy Salina Public Library" />
 <figcaption>Allyson Walker Photo Courtesy Salina Public Library</figcaption>
 </figure>Salina Public Library The Salina Public Library (SPL) is excited to announce Allyson Walker as Head of Fundraising and Development. Both Allyson and the position are new to the library.Walker was raised in Lindsborg, Kansas, graduated from Smoky Valley High School, and in 2018, received her Marketing degree from Emporia State University. Walker focused on fulfilling her mission of helping people, leading her to the nonprofit arena. In early 2023, Walker returned to her roots when the Salina Public Library was in search of a team member to strengthen its relationship with the community and build the foundation for future growth. With the combination of Walker’s experience in the entrepreneurship space and business development, SPL was eager to have her unique fundraising insight.“We are thrilled to welcome Allyson to the Salina Public Library. Her experience and passion for community building are exactly what we are looking for as we work to expand our capacity to offer quality library services in Salina,” Melanie Hedgespeth, SPL’s director, said. “The library’s tax-payer funded annual budget is sufficient for our day-to-day operations, but as we look to the future and consider the continuing spread of our community, aging of our building and opportunity to help Salina address future challenges we recognize additional support is needed.”Since 1868, the Salina Public Library operated without a position designed specifically for Fundraising and Development. While programming, resources, outreach, and patrons continue to increase, the building itself has remained the same for many years. The relationship the Salina Public Library has already cultivated with the community has helped propel Walker’s efforts to meet with local leaders and formulate plans for future growth. Walker has plans to embark on a “Listening Tour” in which she will listen to the stories of local community members and stakeholders and learn how the mission of the library and the community intertwine.The Salina Public Library’s mission is “Connecting people to information, learning, and culture”. “Regardless of age, background or circumstances, everyone has access to the knowledge and resources they need to thrive. SPL offers education, entertainment, innovation and so much more to empower the community,” explained Walker. To uphold and further their mission, fundraising is necessary. “Donations give us the freedom to support special projects or allow us to campaign for larger projects that public funds cannot fully fund. We are planning to embark on exciting new chapters, but we can't write them alone, we need the community's support,” said Walker.When asked what the community can do to help, Walker gave the following three suggestions:1. Champion the library. Use your voice to advocate for us - spread the word and let the community know what you love about the library and the value you see in our services. By amplifying our message you are creating awareness and helping us reach a wider audience to attract more supporters.2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Open doors for us by facilitating introductions and connections. If you have friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, or others that might be valuable to our success, share their names and connect with us.3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Make a donation. While not everyone may be able to contribute financially, gifts of any size have a lasting impact and are an incredibly valuable way to support our mission. Through our secure online donation portal, you can choose to give a one-time donation or set up recurring support or you can give through mail by sending cash or check to the library.&nbsp;Donations are put towards enhancing the collection, expanding technology, improving facilities, supporting programs, outreach and community engagement, and other special projects.Because of the support from the community both past and present, the library has seen great success and growth. “On behalf of the Salina Public Library, I want to thank everyone who has donated, including our patrons who donate their time to volunteer,” said Walker.Walker continues to grow her roots in Salina alongside her husband Seth, two cats, Ivan and Odin, and two dogs, Froya and Oskar. She invites community members to reach out with questions or to make a community connection at<a href="mailto:giving@salinapublic.org" target="_blank">giving@salinapublic.org</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;785-833-9211. Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="http://salinapubliclibrary.org/donate" target="_blank">salinapubliclibrary.org/donate</a>.

Salina Public Library welcomes new head of fundraising 

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, good to be back together. So,&nbsp;I’ll&nbsp;start with Norma Hunt.&nbsp;You know&nbsp;we’re&nbsp;obviously&nbsp;sad that she passed away.&nbsp;You know the thing that gets you through these things is trying&nbsp;to focus on the good times&nbsp;and we had so many good timeswith her.&nbsp;And just the picture,&nbsp;the image of her greeting Lamar up there kind of fires me up.&nbsp;It’ll&nbsp;be a great reunion and there’s&nbsp;suchlove between them and the family&nbsp;so we’re here to support&nbsp;them, the family,&nbsp;and our memories of Norma are great.&nbsp;With&nbsp;that,&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;good to get these guys out here working.&nbsp;They’re&nbsp;working&nbsp;their tail&nbsp;off. This week has been all against opponents, so&nbsp;the AFC West and&nbsp;then&nbsp;our first&nbsp;opponent,&nbsp;the Lions. So,&nbsp;we’ve&nbsp;got some work.&nbsp;We’ve&nbsp;got the Lions tomorrow.&nbsp;We’ve&nbsp;had the AFC West the last three days. So, the guys are working hard,&nbsp;they’re&nbsp;challenging each other within the rules&nbsp;that you’re confined to.&nbsp;But&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;a good foundation for them&nbsp;as we work into the veteran mini-camp and then&nbsp;into&nbsp;training camp,most of all.&nbsp;They’ll&nbsp;at least have a foundation there going up to St. Joseph. Anyways, with that,&nbsp;time’s&nbsp;yours.”

Q:&nbsp;Early impressions on&nbsp;Skyy Moore&nbsp;heading into this season.

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 </figure>OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, good to be back together. So,&nbsp;I’ll&nbsp;start with Norma Hunt.&nbsp;You know&nbsp;we’re&nbsp;obviously&nbsp;sad that she passed away.&nbsp;You know the thing that gets you through these things is trying&nbsp;to focus on the good times&nbsp;and we had so many good timeswith her.&nbsp;And just the picture,&nbsp;the image of her greeting Lamar up there kind of fires me up.&nbsp;It’ll&nbsp;be a great reunion and there’s&nbsp;suchlove between them and the family&nbsp;so we’re here to support&nbsp;them, the family,&nbsp;and our memories of Norma are great.&nbsp;With&nbsp;that,&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;good to get these guys out here working.&nbsp;They’re&nbsp;working&nbsp;their tail&nbsp;off. This week has been all against opponents, so&nbsp;the AFC West and&nbsp;then&nbsp;our first&nbsp;opponent,&nbsp;the Lions. So,&nbsp;we’ve&nbsp;got some work.&nbsp;We’ve&nbsp;got the Lions tomorrow.&nbsp;We’ve&nbsp;had the AFC West the last three days. So, the guys are working hard,&nbsp;they’re&nbsp;challenging each other within the rules&nbsp;that you’re confined to.&nbsp;But&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;a good foundation for them&nbsp;as we work into the veteran mini-camp and then&nbsp;into&nbsp;training camp,most of all.&nbsp;They’ll&nbsp;at least have a foundation there going up to St. Joseph. Anyways, with that,&nbsp;time’s&nbsp;yours.”Q:&nbsp;Early impressions on&nbsp;Skyy Moore&nbsp;heading into this season.REID:&nbsp;“Skyy’s&nbsp;worked real hard this offseason. He looks like&nbsp;he’s on the same page with Patrick.&nbsp;He’s&nbsp;doing a nice job and again, we just – in these camps he’s been doing a real nice job.&nbsp;Let’s&nbsp;keep on advancing as we go and he’ll do that because he’s wired right to do that.”Q:&nbsp;Have you learned anything about Donovan Smith&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jawaan&nbsp;Taylor&nbsp;after&nbsp;a few&nbsp;weeks?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah so this is all pass game.&nbsp;There’s&nbsp;no run game and then the defensive line pulls off once they get&nbsp;up the field but, listen, they’re smart guys.&nbsp;They’re&nbsp;taking good sets and doing the things that they’re supposed to do. You can tell that&nbsp;they’ve&nbsp;played before.&nbsp;They’re&nbsp;handling themselves right and digging in on the new protections and the snap count&nbsp;in&nbsp;itself, you know and all those things&nbsp;to make sure they’re ready once we get to training camp.”Q:&nbsp;You’ve&nbsp;had turnover&nbsp;at the receiver position especially the last couple of years. With the new guys and the&nbsp;rookies&nbsp;coming in&nbsp;as well,&nbsp;is there a custom game&nbsp;plan as far as how you prep those guys and get&nbsp;them up to speed?&nbsp;Or is it one-size fits all?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, well you&nbsp;kind of teach&nbsp;them the whole as&nbsp;you’regoing, one day at a time. The whole to the part and not the part&nbsp;tothe&nbsp;whole. So, we give them the whole&nbsp;shebang&nbsp;and then we break it down for them in little pods each day.&nbsp;Although&nbsp;they have all the&nbsp;information,&nbsp;and they can go look at the big picture of things but we try to taper the&nbsp;individual practices and pretty tight window there for them so they can focus in on what they need to.”Q:&nbsp;From a skill position standpoint what are your&nbsp;thoughts on Rashee Rice&nbsp;and&nbsp;Deneric Prince?REID:&nbsp;“Listen,&nbsp;I think they both have done&nbsp;a nice job. Again, I&nbsp;think&nbsp;the&nbsp;volume&nbsp;and the tempo&nbsp;and all those things,&nbsp;the newness of the plays,&nbsp;they’re&nbsp;in a huddle&nbsp;–&nbsp;you know what I’m saying?&nbsp;Then&nbsp;the speed that we go at and then the speed obviously that the defense presents,&nbsp;they’re&nbsp;in their different coverages. So,&nbsp;they’re&nbsp;working through all that and that’s a positive.”Q:&nbsp;Deneric Prince had a good catch out there&nbsp;today. What have you seen from him?&nbsp;REID:&nbsp;“Listen, I saw&nbsp;(General Manager Brett) Veach&nbsp;over there coaching&nbsp;you guys&nbsp;up (laughter).&nbsp;Yeah, he’s got really good hands and it&nbsp;looked&nbsp;like&nbsp;he caught one right when Veach was there, in the endzone, right in front of you guys.&nbsp;He’s&nbsp;done a nice job. Again, that’s part of the game.&nbsp;So,&nbsp;another part is the running game which&nbsp;we’re&nbsp;not doing (yet), except versus air, so we’ll have to see how all of that goes once we get there. But&nbsp;he’s&nbsp;a sharp kid, he’s got skill,&nbsp;looks like.&nbsp;He’s&nbsp;big and can run and has good feel for things right now.”Q:&nbsp;Is Felix&nbsp;Anudike-Uzomah&nbsp;back to full participation?&nbsp;REID:&nbsp;“Yeah,&nbsp;he is. He had that surgery&nbsp;–&nbsp;that thumb surgery&nbsp;–&nbsp;and had a hamstring too and&nbsp;so&nbsp;he’s&nbsp;worked through all that and he’s back&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;swing and looks like he’s feeling better every day,&nbsp;which is a good thing.”Q:&nbsp;What was it like&nbsp;being around last year’s team at the White House? How was it to have guys like&nbsp;former Chiefs Offensive Coordinator&nbsp;Eric Bieniemy and&nbsp;former Chiefs DE&nbsp;Frank Clark attend?&nbsp;REID:&nbsp;“I’ll&nbsp;tell you it was great. You know what was neat,&nbsp;I mentioned it to you&nbsp;down&nbsp;there that you put all the politics aside.So,&nbsp;you’re&nbsp;not democratic,&nbsp;you’re&nbsp;not republican,&nbsp;you’re not independent, you’re&nbsp;just – you’re&nbsp;an American. I thought that was the neatest part of the thing – that everybody&nbsp;was just enjoying the history and they laid out a spread for us of food that was great. The&nbsp;hospitality&nbsp;was&nbsp;phenomenal. They had different military guys in each of the rooms&nbsp;they&nbsp;let us go in and the guys were experts on the paintings and the architecture and who’s special room this was&nbsp;andthat room,&nbsp;and so you got the history. Everything&nbsp;from the oldest table to the oldest picture, you know you got&nbsp;the history of&nbsp;that,&nbsp;and&nbsp;I think the guys&nbsp;appreciated that part. And then, listen&nbsp;PresidentBiden spent a ton&nbsp;of&nbsp;time with the guys and myself,&nbsp;and some of the coaches there.&nbsp;He’s&nbsp;obviously&nbsp;a Delaware&nbsp;fan&nbsp;and&nbsp;we’ve got a lot of&nbsp;those&nbsp;Blue Hens on our team&nbsp;in the coaching ranks&nbsp;and&nbsp;Brett.&nbsp;So,&nbsp;he spent a ton of time with us – more than we thought. We were thinking&nbsp;maybe 10&nbsp;minutes that you get&nbsp;from&nbsp;the president but he was very giving there.”Q:&nbsp;Did you attend the White House when you were with Green Bay?&nbsp;REID:&nbsp;“I did.&nbsp;Yeah,&nbsp;I went with&nbsp;Green&nbsp;Bay.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was a little different than that.&nbsp;Some of&nbsp;the&nbsp;restrictions&nbsp;are tighter now but, they try not to make you feel that way. We were in,&nbsp;and they appreciated us being there. I mean, like I said, the&nbsp;hospitality&nbsp;was phenomenal. My hat goes off to them.”Q:&nbsp;How impactful was it for you and&nbsp;some of&nbsp;the other players from the 2019 team who weren’t able to visit the White House after that Super Bowl win?&nbsp;REID:&nbsp;“Yeah,&nbsp;it was&nbsp;kind of fun.&nbsp;I&nbsp;mentioned&nbsp;that you know when I had a chance to talk that&nbsp;we’re&nbsp;enjoying the heck out of this thing. I wish all the guys from that team&nbsp;could’ve&nbsp;been there too but, you&nbsp;know, it was great. That was great. We had a ton – they divided off, which I know some of&nbsp;you&nbsp;guys&nbsp;were there, they divided off the crowd. So,&nbsp;you had the team and the Chiefs organization on one side and then on the other&nbsp;side you had people that&nbsp;were Chiefs fans&nbsp;thatlived either in D.C.&nbsp;and&nbsp;work or in the&nbsp;surrounding&nbsp;area there. And&nbsp;both sides&nbsp;were fully loaded.&nbsp;There were a lot of people and that was&nbsp;kind&nbsp;of&nbsp;fun&nbsp;to see and the people that were outside&nbsp;around&nbsp;the busses. They let people get&nbsp;relatively close&nbsp;there. Again, the support was&nbsp;great,&nbsp;and you felt that for the guys. The guys that left had a blast with it. They just&nbsp;jumped in like they were still on the team and rolling. So, I had&nbsp;a good time.”Q:&nbsp;How fun has it been celebrating this time around after not getting to&nbsp;much&nbsp;after 2019?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, in a weird way&nbsp;I think they&nbsp;were excited to have us there just because of that. And President Biden played football&nbsp;at Delaware.&nbsp;He was –&nbsp;I’m&nbsp;sure it’s a breath&nbsp;of&nbsp;fresh air where he doesn’t have to worry about talking to the guys&nbsp;(the Chiefs)&nbsp;he could just talk to them and he did. And&nbsp;I think the guys&nbsp;loved&nbsp;that part, I think he loved it.&nbsp;It was neat.”Q:&nbsp;Are you excited for Chiefs Night at the K with the Royals? On Travis Kelce throwing out the first pitch&nbsp;to redeem himself.REID:&nbsp;“Yeah,&nbsp;he’s been working hard (laughter).”Q:&nbsp;Have you&nbsp;been coaching him up?&nbsp;REID:&nbsp;“I think Pat&nbsp;(Mahomes)&nbsp;has. Pat’s been on him.&nbsp;He’sworking hard at it. I think&nbsp;you’re&nbsp;going to get a better performance this time. He can throw&nbsp;now;&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;just getting it straight there.”Q:&nbsp;So much of Kadarius Toney’s time here has been keeping him healthy. How has he been feeling and looking?&nbsp;REID:&nbsp;“Yeah,&nbsp;no,&nbsp;he’s&nbsp;doing good.&nbsp;It’s&nbsp;good&nbsp;to&nbsp;have him out there.&nbsp;I think&nbsp;he’s&nbsp;having fun and developing&nbsp;a relationship there with everybody,&nbsp;and the quarterback in particular.”Q:&nbsp;You mentioned the excellent food at the White House. Can you elaborate on the spread at all?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, they did have&nbsp;some&nbsp;good stuff.&nbsp;I’ve&nbsp;never had this before, but they had a French Toast grilled cheese and ham sandwich that they sprinkled a little bit of powdered sugar on. It was phenomenal. There was an abundance of this. Then they had chicken fingers – exotic chicken fingers.&nbsp;Maybe the&nbsp;best part was, which I hadn’t seen before, little bite-size squares of the heart of the watermelon. My hat went off to the chef. I went back and talked to him and I just go “You guys are unbelievable.” Whoever cut all of that out, had the patience to do it, my hat goes off to them.”