WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of pro-life supporters under falling snow on Friday at the annual March for Life, as speakers urged the impassioned crowd to capitalize on the movement's major victory in the Supreme Court and keep fighting until abortion is eliminated.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?533055-1/pro-life-advocates-supporters-attend-march-life-rally">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the rally

Months before a presidential election that could be heavily influenced by abortion politics, pro-life activists packed the National Mall carrying signs with messages such as “Life is precious" and “I am the pro-life generation.” After listening to speeches, the crowd, braving frigid temperatures, marched past the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court. One group planted in front of Court, beating a drum and chanting: “Everyone you know was once an embryo."

Friday’s March for Life is the second such event in the nation's capital since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the June 2022 Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;that ended the federal protection for abortion rights enshrined in Roe v. Wade. Last year’s march was triumphant, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-florida-state-government-kentucky-6ed9dbcdaae33312f1425ea38b681a7e">organizers relishing a state-by-state fight</a>&nbsp;in legislatures around the country.

Speakers praised the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade but said it was more important now than ever to keep up the pressure on lawmakers to advance abortion restrictions.

“Roe is done, but we still live in a culture that knows not how to care for life,” said Benjamin Watson, a former NFL player who is now an anti-abortion advocate. “Roe is done, but the factors that drive women to seek abortions are ever apparent and ever increasing. Roe is done, but abortion is still legal and thriving in too much of America.”

Friday's event appeared smaller than in past years as ice and snow complicated travel plans. But the crowd was fired up as speakers, which included members of Congress and Michigan University Football Coach Jim Harbaugh, urged participants to keep fighting until abortion becomes “unthinkable.”

“Let's be encouraged, let's press on and hope that we can join together and make this great difference," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “We can stand with every woman for every child, and we can truly build a culture that cherishes and protects life.”

The snow fell heavily throughout the speeches as young people built snowmen and had snowball fights behind the stage. Near the Capitol, the crowd celebrated as a group on a balcony of the Cannon House Office building cheered on the march.

“I almost didn’t come when I saw the forecast, but this is just incredible,” said Stephanie Simpson, a 42-year-old grocery store employee from Cleveland, who has attended the last four marches.

Roberto Reyes, a Mexican native and Carmelite friar, said: “All these people are going to remember this year’s march for the rest of their lives!”

Members of the crowd described overturning Roe v. Wade as a victory, but said the anti-abortion fight rages on.

“The key message this year is that our work is not done,” said Bishop Michael Burbidge, chair of the committee for pro-life activities for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The movement has seen mixed results. The ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization reverted abortion lawmaking back to the states, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-exception-lawsuit-legislature-confusion-b2808df90937e96887aa4e1f9c565771">14 states</a>&nbsp;are now enforcing bans on abortion throughout pregnancy. Two more have such bans on hold because of court rulings. And another two have bans that take effect when cardiac activity can be detected, about six weeks into pregnancy — often before women know they’re pregnant.

But abortion restrictions have also lost at the ballot box in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-abortion-amendment-election-2023-fe3e06747b616507d8ca21ea26485270">Ohio</a>, Kansas and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kentucky-abortion-3fa387a4cdc355d50a223f4788aa0ae8">Kentucky</a>. And total bans have produced high-profile causes for abortion rights supporters to rally around.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-ban-7d865cdfd75bdc6b2f4186f4d1e6e8bd">Kate Cox</a>, a Texas mother of two, sought an abortion after learning the baby she was carrying had a fatal genetic condition. Her request for an exemption from Texas’ ban, one of the country’s strictest, was denied by the state Supreme Court, and she left Texas to seek an abortion elsewhere.

Movement organizers now expect abortion rights to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-kamala-harris-abortion-c634452da5e103913982e1cc5a0cae78">a major Democratic rallying cry</a>&nbsp;in President Joe Biden's reelection campaign.

“The pro-abortion forces, that's one of the major things they're going to run on,” said Susan Swift, president of Pro-Life Legal and a veteran anti-abortion activist. “That's one of the only things that seems to animate their base.”

Biden campaign officials openly state that they plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-kamala-harris-abortion-c634452da5e103913982e1cc5a0cae78">make Biden synonymous</a>&nbsp;with the fight to preserve abortion rights.

Vice President Kamala Harris has led the charge on the issue for the White House. She will hold the first event in Wisconsin on Monday, which would have been the 51st anniversary of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-roe-v-wade-33c08858dc8b0aa5f0450858b51a648a">Roe v. Wade</a>, the lawsuit that led to the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705761295598.png" alt="Friday’s March for Life is the second such event in the nation's capital since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the June 2022 Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;that ended the federal protection for abortion rights enshrined in Roe v. Wade-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Friday’s March for Life is the second such event in the nation's capital since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the June 2022 Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;that ended the federal protection for abortion rights enshrined in Roe v. Wade-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of pro-life supporters under falling snow on Friday at the annual March for Life, as speakers urged the impassioned crowd to capitalize on the movement's major victory in the Supreme Court and keep fighting until abortion is eliminated.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?533055-1/pro-life-advocates-supporters-attend-march-life-rally">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the rally<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Thank you to everyone who is participating in today’s snowy <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarchForLife?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarchForLife</a> on the National Mall! It’s an honor to fight alongside you for pro-family, pro-children policies here in DC! <a href="https://t.co/VDXNIPsoIL">pic.twitter.com/VDXNIPsoIL</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1748436943971491936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Months before a presidential election that could be heavily influenced by abortion politics, pro-life activists packed the National Mall carrying signs with messages such as “Life is precious" and “I am the pro-life generation.” After listening to speeches, the crowd, braving frigid temperatures, marched past the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court. One group planted in front of Court, beating a drum and chanting: “Everyone you know was once an embryo."Friday’s March for Life is the second such event in the nation's capital since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the June 2022 Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;that ended the federal protection for abortion rights enshrined in Roe v. Wade. Last year’s march was triumphant, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-florida-state-government-kentucky-6ed9dbcdaae33312f1425ea38b681a7e">organizers relishing a state-by-state fight</a>&nbsp;in legislatures around the country.Speakers praised the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade but said it was more important now than ever to keep up the pressure on lawmakers to advance abortion restrictions.“Roe is done, but we still live in a culture that knows not how to care for life,” said Benjamin Watson, a former NFL player who is now an anti-abortion advocate. “Roe is done, but the factors that drive women to seek abortions are ever apparent and ever increasing. Roe is done, but abortion is still legal and thriving in too much of America.”Friday's event appeared smaller than in past years as ice and snow complicated travel plans. But the crowd was fired up as speakers, which included members of Congress and Michigan University Football Coach Jim Harbaugh, urged participants to keep fighting until abortion becomes “unthinkable.”“Let's be encouraged, let's press on and hope that we can join together and make this great difference," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “We can stand with every woman for every child, and we can truly build a culture that cherishes and protects life.”The snow fell heavily throughout the speeches as young people built snowmen and had snowball fights behind the stage. Near the Capitol, the crowd celebrated as a group on a balcony of the Cannon House Office building cheered on the march.“I almost didn’t come when I saw the forecast, but this is just incredible,” said Stephanie Simpson, a 42-year-old grocery store employee from Cleveland, who has attended the last four marches.Roberto Reyes, a Mexican native and Carmelite friar, said: “All these people are going to remember this year’s march for the rest of their lives!”Members of the crowd described overturning Roe v. Wade as a victory, but said the anti-abortion fight rages on.“The key message this year is that our work is not done,” said Bishop Michael Burbidge, chair of the committee for pro-life activities for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.The movement has seen mixed results. The ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization reverted abortion lawmaking back to the states, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-exception-lawsuit-legislature-confusion-b2808df90937e96887aa4e1f9c565771">14 states</a>&nbsp;are now enforcing bans on abortion throughout pregnancy. Two more have such bans on hold because of court rulings. And another two have bans that take effect when cardiac activity can be detected, about six weeks into pregnancy — often before women know they’re pregnant.But abortion restrictions have also lost at the ballot box in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-abortion-amendment-election-2023-fe3e06747b616507d8ca21ea26485270">Ohio</a>, Kansas and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kentucky-abortion-3fa387a4cdc355d50a223f4788aa0ae8">Kentucky</a>. And total bans have produced high-profile causes for abortion rights supporters to rally around.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-ban-7d865cdfd75bdc6b2f4186f4d1e6e8bd">Kate Cox</a>, a Texas mother of two, sought an abortion after learning the baby she was carrying had a fatal genetic condition. Her request for an exemption from Texas’ ban, one of the country’s strictest, was denied by the state Supreme Court, and she left Texas to seek an abortion elsewhere.Movement organizers now expect abortion rights to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-kamala-harris-abortion-c634452da5e103913982e1cc5a0cae78">a major Democratic rallying cry</a>&nbsp;in President Joe Biden's reelection campaign.“The pro-abortion forces, that's one of the major things they're going to run on,” said Susan Swift, president of Pro-Life Legal and a veteran anti-abortion activist. “That's one of the only things that seems to animate their base.”Biden campaign officials openly state that they plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-kamala-harris-abortion-c634452da5e103913982e1cc5a0cae78">make Biden synonymous</a>&nbsp;with the fight to preserve abortion rights.Vice President Kamala Harris has led the charge on the issue for the White House. She will hold the first event in Wisconsin on Monday, which would have been the 51st anniversary of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-roe-v-wade-33c08858dc8b0aa5f0450858b51a648a">Roe v. Wade</a>, the lawsuit that led to the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion.___

🎥 March for Life rallies against abortion with an eye toward the Nov. elections

Join 910KINA's Saturday Morning Show hosts Dave and Sam this Saturday from 9-11 a.m. on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.910kina.com/">910AM 107.5 FM.</a>

Hear highlights about community events, public affairs, and all things happening in Salina. Their approach is friendly, informative, and entertaining. To listen to past 910KINA Saturday Morning Shows head on over to the KINA podcast homepage&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/KINA&amp;embedOpened=true&amp;embedOpenedApp=song&amp;embedOpenedSong=910683and6831076845683KINA&amp;embedOpenedArtist=&amp;embedOpenedAlbum=">here.</a>

9:05 a.m. Vicki Price, Education Director, Child Advocacy and Parenting Services on Winter/Spring class schedule

9:30 a.m. Nona Miller, Education Director, Smoky Hill Museum to talk about Kansas Day Festivities

10:05 a.m.&nbsp; Miranda Krueger, Salina Area Technical College, Student Representative for Dental Hygiene Senior Class on Give Kids A Smile

10:30 a.m.&nbsp; Leslie Bishop, Executive Director Salina Downtown on Cocoa Crawl, Small Bingo, and other events in Downtown Salina. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691172591916.png" alt="Dave and Sam" />
 <figcaption>Dave and Sam</figcaption>
 </figure>Join 910KINA's Saturday Morning Show hosts Dave and Sam this Saturday from 9-11 a.m. on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.910kina.com/">910AM 107.5 FM.</a>Hear highlights about community events, public affairs, and all things happening in Salina. Their approach is friendly, informative, and entertaining. To listen to past 910KINA Saturday Morning Shows head on over to the KINA podcast homepage&nbsp;<a href="https://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/KINA&amp;embedOpened=true&amp;embedOpenedApp=song&amp;embedOpenedSong=910683and6831076845683KINA&amp;embedOpenedArtist=&amp;embedOpenedAlbum=">here.</a><h2>Saturday Morning Show Lineup for Jan. 20</h2>9:05 a.m. Vicki Price, Education Director, Child Advocacy and Parenting Services on Winter/Spring class schedule9:30 a.m. Nona Miller, Education Director, Smoky Hill Museum to talk about Kansas Day Festivities10:05 a.m.&nbsp; Miranda Krueger, Salina Area Technical College, Student Representative for Dental Hygiene Senior Class on Give Kids A Smile10:30 a.m.&nbsp; Leslie Bishop, Executive Director Salina Downtown on Cocoa Crawl, Small Bingo, and other events in Downtown Salina.

910 KINA Saturday Morning Show lineup

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“As far as injuries go, Cam Jones will not practice today, (Derrick) Nnadi won’t practice today. Everybody else will be out there. Skyy (Moore) will return to practice, (Kadarius) Toney will be out there, and (Justyn) Ross will be out there. (We) Look forward to the challenge of playing the Bills. We obviously know they’re a good football team, very well coached. (Bills Head Coach) Sean (McDermott) does a great job with them and (Interim Offensive Coordinator) Joe Brady has taken over the offensive side, and I believe our game was the first game that he did it and he's continued to do a nice job there with the offense, again. With that, time’s yours.”

Q: How have Drue Tranquill and Charles Omenihu helped your defense this year?

REID:&nbsp;“They both have played well for us and continue to play well for us, but obviously with (Nick) Bolton going down, Drue (Tranquill) stepped in to one of the leadership positions and the transmitter from the front to the back side and did a great job. Then with Charles (Omenihu) mixing him in there with that D-line I think has been a nice addition. Hat goes off to (General Manager) Brett (Veach) for a job that he did brining those guys in here, his insight was spot on.

Q: How has Mike Edwards helped your defense this year?

REID: “He’s a heck of a football player and really that’s what he is. You’re going to look at him and you’re not going to say that he’s the fastest guy, the biggest guy, strongest guy or any of that. He just knows how to play the game, he’s got great instincts, smart, smart kid. Tough.”

Q: Last time you guys played the Bills, Drue Tranquill did not play. How can he help the team now that he is back and can key in on Bills QB Josh Allen?

REID: “The more we have, the better, right? He can help us; I’m not saying that’s what we’re doing with him, but he can help us all the way through all the different looks.”

Q: This will be Patrick Mahomes’ first road playoff game. Does he know that stuff and does it motivate him?

REID: “I haven’t talked to him (Patrick Mahomes) about that, so it might be, might not. I know he’s looking forward to playing, he gets fired up for every game. That’s a great venue up there, you can’t get fired up for that, hard to get fired up, right (laughter)? He’s always ready and excited, but I don’t know if he’s heard all that, I don’t think he listens to much of that.”

Q: Patrick threw well despite the weather conditions last week. What is it about Patrick’s preparation approach in the postseason that helps him play some of his best football?

REID: “I’d tell you all the way around his preparation is phenomenal. His attitude is phenomenal; his compete is phenomenal, so you love all of that and we’re lucky to have him here, for the city and for the organization here. He’s a heck of a football player; he’s such a well-rounded good person. He’s great in the locker room, very hard for a guy like that to have the respect of the team and the organization and be able to kind of fall into both areas and be comfortable with both areas without getting labeled whatever, a ’schmooze’ right (laughter)? He handles both so well, it’s a great characteristic to have for him.”

Q: Patrick is not the fastest, but what makes him such an effective scrambler?

REID: “I’ve been around two guys like that, him and (PFHOF QB) Brett Favre. Neither one timed great on the clock, but people have a hard time getting to them, catching them and all that. I guess he has field speed. I’m not sure there’s such a thing, but he runs well on the field.”

Q: Was Kadarius Toney close to playing last week? What’s your optimism with him playing this week?

REID: “We’ll see, we’ll just see – with (Justyn) Ross (too), I’m just taking it day by day, see what they can do, and we’ll go from there. I’m hoping that they’re feeling better, that’s the main thing.”

Q: Rashee Rice mentioned that he has a better understanding of when to adjust the routes, how much have you seen him grow in that area?

REID: “Every week he’s gotten a little better. He’s got a great relationship with Pat (Mahomes) and they talk through things. MVS (Marquez Valdes-Scantling) has been phenomenal for him just sharing his knowledge and experience. He’s all ears. He wants to be great, and he’s willing to work at it. He’s willing to listen, which a lot of guys turn the veterans off, but he wants to absorb all of that and take it in.”

Q: Do you ever think how uncommon this is for a rookie with your offense and how you teach it?

REID: “Somebody hit me with that earlier in the season, just on (Former Chiefs WR) Deshaun Jackson and (Former Chiefs WR) Jeremy (Maclin) and the guys that have been rookies that have been productive. I’ve had a lot of rookies and if you can narrow down – (Former Eagles WR) Reggie Brown – if you can narrow it down to four guys, that’s a pretty tough thing to do I’d say.”

Q: Did you see Patrick have spatial awareness on film from college or did you have to work with him?

REID: “I’ll tell you, he’s got good feel, so he throws a fairly easy ball to catch, which means that he has awareness of depth for sure. Everything is not a fast ball; he’s got a feel for that, I’ll tell you. Great touch on things.”

Q: How have you seen Bills QB Josh Allen develop as you’ve faced him many times the past seasons?

REID: “Great competitor real good football player, again, has a knack for making plays when they need plays – not that he doesn’t the other times – when they need one, he’s willing to step up there. I think he’s a good kid and handles things the right way from what I’ve been told.”

Q: How hard is it to know when he is fake sliding and you can take a shot at him?

REID: “The quarterbacks have that down pretty good, all of them. You just have to be smart on the defensive side, you just have to be smart with it.”

Q: How difficult is it to prepare for a team that you’ve played so much?

REID: “We have. We’ve played them quite a few times. They’re well coached, good football team, so like you play in the AFC West, you kind of get to know guys. They just haven’t had the change up there, so it’s been the same thing with the little different wrinkles but the same people. They’ve had consistency with it, which means you’ve got to play good football on our side and they’ve got to do the same. You have to be disciplined with what you do. The guys have had reps at it.”

Q: Do you go back in the archives and see what may work or has worked and vice versa?

REID: “We look at everything, that’s what you do. They’re doing the same thing.”

Q: Regarding the redzone issues, are there simple fixes from last game or is it a broader issue?

REID: “There are some things we can do that we can give them that are better. It’s both, it’s probably more complicated than just the one thing, we all have a little piece of that. The thing is, you obviously want to score touchdowns and love (Harrison) Butker and he’s doing a phenomenal job, but as you go here, you want to make sure you get in the endzone (and) score touchdowns.

Q: What do you look for in the Assistant to the Head Coach position?

REID: “You’re doing a lot of the busy work as an administrative assistant. On the other side of it, you really get to see almost everything the head coach sees, and not that you’re making the decisions, but you at least have your eyes open to that. If you go right into being a position coach, you normally don’t always see all the behind the scenes, so it’s a good way to start.”

Q: Do you remember anything working with Sean McDermott?

REID: “Smart, tough, and works hard.”

Q:&nbsp;On playing his first road playoff game. Does that motivate you?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“It kind of just is what it is. Obviously, I’ve been lucky enough to play a lot of games at home at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Everything’s just kind of fell that way, but now we get the great opportunity to go on the road and play in a hostile environment – one that I haven’t been able to play with fans in the stands. Even though I know it’s going to be hostile and there are going to be people talking trash and everything like that, I’m excited for it because it’s one of the best environments in football and you want to do that when you grow up watching these games is play in the best environments and see what it’s like.”

Q:&nbsp;Can you put your finger on something specific for why you’ve been so efficient on the road?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think it’s just (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid. He preaches communication, and you have to have nonverbal communication whenever you’re playing on the road and we try to do a good job of that - of just being able to be on the same page, being able to execute at a high level and then not letting anything be too positive or too negative, just kind of staying even keeled and going about your business the right way. I think that’s important on the road because it seems like one bad play is even magnified more and a big play is magnified more, so just staying with the process is something that Coach Reid preaches and we do a great job of it.”

Q:&nbsp;You probably grew up in an era where former QBs Tom Brady and Peyton Manning were the big quarterback battle. Do you have any sense that you and Bills QB Josh Allen are now that big QB battle?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I mean we’ve played in a lot of big games. I think the great thing about the NFL now is there’s a lot of quarterbacks that are really good and not to say they weren’t back in the day, but it seems like every year a lot of these guys are in the playoffs playing in these big games on Sunday Night, Monday Night, whatever that is. So, I’m excited for the challenge. I grew up watching those game and remember how many memories I have from that. Hopefully we can play in these great games as well and give memories to the kids that come up behind us.”

Q:&nbsp;You’re statistically an underdog on Sunday. What do you think about going in as an underdog?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I mean, I go into every game with the same mindset and that’s to go out there and win. We understand that it’s going to be a great challenge. We understand that it’s going to be a hostile environment, and we’re playing a great football team that’s won I think seven games in a row I think -whatever it is. We know it’s going to be a great challenge for us, but our mindset is that we’re going to prepare ourselves throughout this week to go out there and win a football game and that never changes.”

Q:&nbsp;You’ve been leaning on Isiah Pacheco and giving him a lot of touches. How important is he to the offense right now?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, he’s a great football player. I think leaning into him, leaning into our offensive line and what they do best is extremely important to our team. And then how the defense is playing, giving them a rest and letting us kind of control that ball. I mean, it’s just stuff you have to do in order to win football games in this league. It’s not always going to be high flying, but we’re going to do whatever we can to win the football game at the end of the day. And if that’s running the ball, throwing the ball, whatever that is.”

Q:&nbsp;It seems like you and Bills QB Josh Allen have a good relationship off the field. How does that play into this week?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, no, I think everybody – you have friends, but whenever you, almost like when you compete against your friends you almost want to win even more because of it. (Bills QB) Josh (Allen) is a great dude. I respect the way he plays football and just the guy that he is, but it’s like when two guys that are ultracompetitive that are friends off the field go up against each other, we obviously both want to win because we know we see each other in the offseason, and you want to have a little bit of those bragging rights.”

Q:&nbsp;On the narrative of being the villain and the possibility to end the Bills’ season.

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“The Bills are a great challenge. I think everybody understands that. They’ve gotten my number a lot of times. We’ve been lucky enough to get them in the playoffs, but they beat us earlier this year, so we understand that we’re going to have to play our best football to win the game, especially at their place. But it’s not about ending someone’s season for us, it’s about just advancing. Trying to find a way to survive and advance and get to the next round. Whatever that takes this weekend, we’re going to try to do and try to go out there and win a football game.”

Q:&nbsp;What was going on in the red zone against Miami?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think it’s just execution. I always say it, but in the red zone everything gets so much more detailed and you have to execute at a higher level. Obviously, we were close, but we didn’t get in there. So, when we’re playing a game like this, we’ve got to find a way to turn those field goals into touchdowns in order to win. But at the same time, you have to rely on your defense to get stops – which they’ve been doing – and know that flow of the game. So that’s something that we obviously have emphasized these last few weeks, but I’m glad with how we’re moving the football but let’s find a way to punch them into the endzone at the end of drives.”

Q:&nbsp;It looks like that communication within the offense and getting the calls in has been cleaned up. Can you talk about that?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think it’s just – I think that coaches took it as a challenge. I think that players took it as a challenge to make sure we’re getting into and out of the huddle the right way, getting aligned the right way so we can go out there and be ourselves and play fast. I think that just goes with everybody. I mean everybody kind of came together. We talked about it, got all of us on the same page and these last few weeks, we’ve done a great job of getting in and out of the huddle and getting the play directed in the right way.”

Q:&nbsp;After the cold last week is there any weather that would intimidate this team?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I mean cold is cold, I don’t know. I haven’t played in Buffalo in January, but I know it’s a great environment. It’s not -30 (degrees) this week at least. I’m sure it will be -3 or -4, and it’s going to be windy and cold and we know it’s a great challenge. I don’t know if it beats the cold we played in this last week.”

Q:&nbsp;In the playoffs you tend to run more often. What goes into that?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think it’s just trying to compete, trying to win the game. Some of those moments where you might slide you go for it because you know it’s win or go home at the end of the day. I know you see (Bills QB) Josh (Allen) doing that same stuff as well when it gets to the playoffs. Sometimes you’ve got to risk it in order to try to win the game for your teammates. You’ve got to know when that right time is to slide and when that right time is to try to go get those extra yards. That’s something I’ve worked on my entire career.”

Q:&nbsp;Is there a particular playoff run play of yours that stands out?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Definitely the Titans one, that’s one of my favorite plays of all time. It went from a really good play to almost a terrible play because I almost fumbled and then back to a great play again. I was very tired, so I couldn’t even celebrate. That was definitely my favorite one. That one, or the Super Bowl obviously, the big run in the Super Bowl to get us in field goal range. Those two were probably my favorite two runs in the playoffs.”

Q:&nbsp;When you play a team twice in a year do you feel like the team that won or lost the first match up has an advantage?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I haven’t. We’ve played each other twice (this season) but it feels like we’ve played each other 100 times over the last like five years. It’s a little bit of doing the same stuff, doing different stuff you want to do what you’re best at, but you want to trick the defense a little bit. Same for them, both sides. At the end of the day, you change it up a little bit, go out there and try to do your best stuff. They know you, you know them, see who wins that day.”

Q:&nbsp;What happened to the helmet that broke? Did you keep it?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“They’re testing it right now, but I’m adamant on getting the helmet after. It’s definitely something that’s cool, (that) I’ll be able to keep for a long time. Like they said it did its job. I was perfectly fine after it. Obviously, they don’t want it to crack, but it did absorb the hit. Definitely something that I’ll keep, and I’ll try to get this helmet to fit a little bit better. We’re finding a place to store the extra helmet for the next game.”

Q:&nbsp;Can you talk about the development and growth of Rashee Rice?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think he just has a better understanding of the entire offense. He still is going to continue to get better and better and learn more and more. He’s willing to learn, he’s always behind those veteran guys, asking questions and getting in the extra work. He’s a great football player and he has all the physical ability and I think he has the mental attitude to go out there and get better and better every single week. Obviously we need him to be great right now but I think he’ll continue to get even better after the season and into the rest of his career because that’s the type of attitude that he has.”

Q:&nbsp;You’ve played the Bills so many times in the last few years, does it start to feel like a divisional matchup?

JONES:&nbsp;“There’s no secrets, I don’t think so. We’re familiar with the Bills and how dynamic their quarterback (Bills QB Josh Allen) is, such a competitor and the team. They’ve built a playoff team over the last few years. They’re playing exceptional from since we played them last year. Their game has improved throughout the rest of the season and into the playoffs. I think they are hitting their peaks and making strides with their team with where they’re at right now. Tough team.”

Q:&nbsp;What’s the biggest challenge of playing Bills QB Josh Allen?

JONES:&nbsp;“I mean he’s a warrior. You look at the plays he made last time we played them; he was going out of bounds and ended up throwing a 40-yarder running out of bounds off his back leg. He’s tough to bring down, a couple of times we had him wrapped up, and he still got rid of the ball. His competitiveness within his game, he can make any throw. He has a big arm. He also has talent around him, (Bills WR) Stefon Diggs, (Bills WR) Gabe Davis, (Bills RB James) Cook, who has become a vital part of their offense later on here. I think they have been playing really well together.”

Q:&nbsp;What has Charles Omenihu done to help improve your defensive line?

JONES:&nbsp;“I think he’s (Charles Omenihu) brought a lot of versatility to this defensive line. Being able to rush the passer, we can bring him inside, outside. He can play the three-tech. He can play the defensive end if we need him. He can also play rover. I think he brings another level of versatility to this D-line.”

Q:&nbsp;Did you learn anything in the last game about how to deal better with the cold?

JONES:&nbsp;“I think it’s more of a mental thing. You have to be mentally tough; we understand it’s going to be cold. We can’t fight the cold; we’re fighting individuals. I heard Buffalo will be 20 degrees, so I’m excited about that. It’ll be a little warmer than it was here in KC. Looking forward to it. It’s another opportunity to play.”

Chiefs Quotes: 1-17-24

A performance featuring rock guitar and a classical string quartet will open a diverse three-concert series presented by the Salina Symphony in collaboration with Theatre Salian and the Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts.

“Rock ‘n Roll Meets the String Quartet,” will feature guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Lipke, best known as the lead guitarist for the Led Zeppelin tribute band Get the Led Out. Lipke will collaborate with a string quartet of Salina Symphony musicians to perform an eclectic mix of rock and classical music ranging from Beethoven to The Beatles.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Stiefel Theatre, 151 S. Santa Fe. Tickets start at $39.

The second featured concert, “American Patriots,” is a theatrical song cycle conceived by singer and arts activist Samantha Rose Williams, who recently was featured as guest soprano for the Salina Symphony’s March 2023 concert “All You Need is Love.”

Williams, performing with soprano Annie Sherman, bass/baritone Robert Wesley Mason and eight instrumentalists from the Salina Symphony, will explore what it means to be American from the perspectives of Black Americans, Indigenous Americans, New Americans and White Working Class Americans.

The show includes newly commissioned songs that reflect the diversity of the nation with elements of classical, jazz, rock, opera and Broadway.

“American Patriots” will be performed at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Jan. 27 in the Sunflower Financial Theatre at Theatre Salina, 303 E. Iron. Tickets are $35.

The third featured show, “The Harmony Games,” is a concert for children conceived and composed by Salina Symphony conductor and music director Yaniv Segal and narrated by Maggie Spicer Brown, education director at Theatre Salina.

The show tells the story of four families who, after fighting for as long as anyone can remember, come together through the power of music. Young concertgoers will be introduced to the instruments that comprise the orchestra while also learning how music and math are connected.

“The Harmony Games” will be presented at 4 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Stiefel Theatre. Beginning at 3 p.m., those attending are welcome to participate in children’s activities and an instrument “petting zoo.” Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children/students.

Segal not only composed “The Harmony Games,” but wrote songs and arranged the orchestral accompaniment for the “American Patriots” show and will play violin in the string quartet for the “Rock ‘n Roll Meets the String Quartet” concert.

“I get to wear all my hats for this,” he said. “It’s going to be an awesome experience.”

Segal said he was introduced to musician Andrew Lipke by Stiefel Theatre executive director Jane Gates, who has booked Get the Led Out concerts at the facility multiple times.

“Andrew was here doing educational workshops, and Jane thought we’d hit it off,” Segal said. “I wanted to increase the spectrum of the things we’re performing, so that’s how this collaboration came about.”

Segal said Lipke has developed and worked with chamber orchestras in Philadelphia that have highlighted the influence of classical music and how string quartets specifically have influenced rock music.

Lipke will play electric and acoustic guitar with a string quartet composed of Segal and Salina Symphony concertmaster Denise Blehm on violin, Melanie Mann on viola and Dena Berquist on cello. They will perform music by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, as well as classical selections by Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn and Philip Glass and original music by Lipke.

“Some things we’ll do on our own, and some things we’ll do with Andrew,” Segal said. “We’ll demonstrate how many similarities there are in the different genres and styles of classical and rock, from Haydn, considered the father of the string quartet, to The Beatles, who used a string quartet in songs like ‘Eleanor Rigby.’

“We’re hoping our selections will be both eye opening and ear opening.”

Samantha Rose Williams began writing “American Patriots” in 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic and protests surrounding the racial-based George Floyd murder.

“I was taking in all that was happening – the protests, the tanks in the street – looking at everybody there from the police to the military to protesters, who all believed they were there for patriotic reasons,” she said. “I thought about where our country was, how divided we were, and I started asking people about themselves and why they were there.”

Expanding the scope of her interviews, Williams spoke to 50 people from throughout the nation (“all done by Zoom, since I couldn’t go anywhere during the pandemic,” she said), which she then wove into 19 people representing four specific “identities”: Black Americans, Indigenous Americans, New Americans and White Working Class Americans.

“Many of these were people who don’t often get interviewed,” she said. “I asked them how they defined the American dream and if their family has been able to achieve it; how they defined a patriot and if they considered themselves one; and what they thought about the state of our country now.”

Williams transcribed the interviews and began turning them into “conversations in song,” working with five diverse composers who composed music that reflected the diversity of her subjects and their unique perspectives in a methodology she called “intentional storytelling."

“I collaborated with marginalized communities, allowing them to present themselves in ways that felt authentic to them,” Williams said. “I told them we wouldn’t use anything from their interviews unless

they approved it. If I used portions of their interview, I didn’t change anything they said. I wanted them to feel they were part of this.”

Williams created a system of checks and balances that ensured interviewees were paid for their time, approved the final song selections and decided on their own level of credit or anonymity in the project. She also made certain to recruit ethnically diverse composers to create music that accurately reflected the interviewees’ unique experiences as Americans.

The result, she said, “asks us to entertain perspectives other than (our) own and to practice the crucial skill of listening across difference.”

“As the actors traverse race, ethnicity, gender and class to embody 19 Americans in their exploration of fundamental questions of American identity, we ask (audiences) to enter with curiosity, hold your judgments lightly and, just for an hour or so, listen to understand,” Williams said. “I hope audiences will be able to see the humanity in someone who sees differently than them.”

Segal, who wrote songs and did orchestral arrangements for the show, said reactions to previous performances have been “incredible and thought provoking.”

“We hope we’ve created a space where people can listen and think without judging,” he said.

Segal wrote “The Harmony Games” as a commissioned piece to introduce young students to the instruments in a string orchestra in a fun and interactive way.

“I conceived of four families on an island, who have been fighting for a long, long time,” he said. “Each family has to complete a piece of music, based on a theme, using string instruments and doing different layers at different speeds. I’m trying to show that the orchestra can be very versatile.”

In the end, the winning family realizes how unproductive it is to continue fighting and decides to bring all the families together “to create an orchestra,” Segal said.

“I’m really happy how the piece captures the attention and imagination of children of all ages,” he said.

Additionally, the concert will feature music from Disney’s popular “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, as well as pre-concert activities that include games and an interactive “petting zoo” of instruments of the orchestra.

“We intend this to be a real hands-on experience,” Segal said.

Tickets for “Rock ‘n Roll Meets the String Quartet” and “The Harmony Games” are available at the Stiefel Theatre box office or by calling (785) 827-1998. Tickets for “American Patriots” are available through the Salina Symphony office on the second floor of the Stiefel Theatre or by calling (785) 823-8309. Tickets for all shows will be available at the door. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.salinasymphony.org">www.salinasymphony.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705510325249.jpeg" alt="Yaniv Segal" />
 <figcaption>Yaniv Segal</figcaption>
 </figure>By GARY DEMUTH A performance featuring rock guitar and a classical string quartet will open a diverse three-concert series presented by the Salina Symphony in collaboration with Theatre Salian and the Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts.“Rock ‘n Roll Meets the String Quartet,” will feature guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Lipke, best known as the lead guitarist for the Led Zeppelin tribute band Get the Led Out. Lipke will collaborate with a string quartet of Salina Symphony musicians to perform an eclectic mix of rock and classical music ranging from Beethoven to The Beatles.The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Stiefel Theatre, 151 S. Santa Fe. Tickets start at $39.The second featured concert, “American Patriots,” is a theatrical song cycle conceived by singer and arts activist Samantha Rose Williams, who recently was featured as guest soprano for the Salina Symphony’s March 2023 concert “All You Need is Love.”Williams, performing with soprano Annie Sherman, bass/baritone Robert Wesley Mason and eight instrumentalists from the Salina Symphony, will explore what it means to be American from the perspectives of Black Americans, Indigenous Americans, New Americans and White Working Class Americans.The show includes newly commissioned songs that reflect the diversity of the nation with elements of classical, jazz, rock, opera and Broadway.“American Patriots” will be performed at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Jan. 27 in the Sunflower Financial Theatre at Theatre Salina, 303 E. Iron. Tickets are $35.The third featured show, “The Harmony Games,” is a concert for children conceived and composed by Salina Symphony conductor and music director Yaniv Segal and narrated by Maggie Spicer Brown, education director at Theatre Salina.The show tells the story of four families who, after fighting for as long as anyone can remember, come together through the power of music. Young concertgoers will be introduced to the instruments that comprise the orchestra while also learning how music and math are connected.“The Harmony Games” will be presented at 4 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Stiefel Theatre. Beginning at 3 p.m., those attending are welcome to participate in children’s activities and an instrument “petting zoo.” Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children/students.Segal not only composed “The Harmony Games,” but wrote songs and arranged the orchestral accompaniment for the “American Patriots” show and will play violin in the string quartet for the “Rock ‘n Roll Meets the String Quartet” concert.“I get to wear all my hats for this,” he said. “It’s going to be an awesome experience.”<h2>Rock and Strings</h2>Segal said he was introduced to musician Andrew Lipke by Stiefel Theatre executive director Jane Gates, who has booked Get the Led Out concerts at the facility multiple times.“Andrew was here doing educational workshops, and Jane thought we’d hit it off,” Segal said. “I wanted to increase the spectrum of the things we’re performing, so that’s how this collaboration came about.”Segal said Lipke has developed and worked with chamber orchestras in Philadelphia that have highlighted the influence of classical music and how string quartets specifically have influenced rock music.Lipke will play electric and acoustic guitar with a string quartet composed of Segal and Salina Symphony concertmaster Denise Blehm on violin, Melanie Mann on viola and Dena Berquist on cello. They will perform music by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, as well as classical selections by Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn and Philip Glass and original music by Lipke.“Some things we’ll do on our own, and some things we’ll do with Andrew,” Segal said. “We’ll demonstrate how many similarities there are in the different genres and styles of classical and rock, from Haydn, considered the father of the string quartet, to The Beatles, who used a string quartet in songs like ‘Eleanor Rigby.’“We’re hoping our selections will be both eye opening and ear opening.”<h2>American Patriots</h2>Samantha Rose Williams began writing “American Patriots” in 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic and protests surrounding the racial-based George Floyd murder.“I was taking in all that was happening – the protests, the tanks in the street – looking at everybody there from the police to the military to protesters, who all believed they were there for patriotic reasons,” she said. “I thought about where our country was, how divided we were, and I started asking people about themselves and why they were there.”Expanding the scope of her interviews, Williams spoke to 50 people from throughout the nation (“all done by Zoom, since I couldn’t go anywhere during the pandemic,” she said), which she then wove into 19 people representing four specific “identities”: Black Americans, Indigenous Americans, New Americans and White Working Class Americans.“Many of these were people who don’t often get interviewed,” she said. “I asked them how they defined the American dream and if their family has been able to achieve it; how they defined a patriot and if they considered themselves one; and what they thought about the state of our country now.”Williams transcribed the interviews and began turning them into “conversations in song,” working with five diverse composers who composed music that reflected the diversity of her subjects and their unique perspectives in a methodology she called “intentional storytelling."“I collaborated with marginalized communities, allowing them to present themselves in ways that felt authentic to them,” Williams said. “I told them we wouldn’t use anything from their interviews unlessthey approved it. If I used portions of their interview, I didn’t change anything they said. I wanted them to feel they were part of this.”Williams created a system of checks and balances that ensured interviewees were paid for their time, approved the final song selections and decided on their own level of credit or anonymity in the project. She also made certain to recruit ethnically diverse composers to create music that accurately reflected the interviewees’ unique experiences as Americans.The result, she said, “asks us to entertain perspectives other than (our) own and to practice the crucial skill of listening across difference.”“As the actors traverse race, ethnicity, gender and class to embody 19 Americans in their exploration of fundamental questions of American identity, we ask (audiences) to enter with curiosity, hold your judgments lightly and, just for an hour or so, listen to understand,” Williams said. “I hope audiences will be able to see the humanity in someone who sees differently than them.”Segal, who wrote songs and did orchestral arrangements for the show, said reactions to previous performances have been “incredible and thought provoking.”“We hope we’ve created a space where people can listen and think without judging,” he said.<h2>Harmony Games</h2>Segal wrote “The Harmony Games” as a commissioned piece to introduce young students to the instruments in a string orchestra in a fun and interactive way.“I conceived of four families on an island, who have been fighting for a long, long time,” he said. “Each family has to complete a piece of music, based on a theme, using string instruments and doing different layers at different speeds. I’m trying to show that the orchestra can be very versatile.”In the end, the winning family realizes how unproductive it is to continue fighting and decides to bring all the families together “to create an orchestra,” Segal said.“I’m really happy how the piece captures the attention and imagination of children of all ages,” he said.Additionally, the concert will feature music from Disney’s popular “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, as well as pre-concert activities that include games and an interactive “petting zoo” of instruments of the orchestra.“We intend this to be a real hands-on experience,” Segal said.Tickets for “Rock ‘n Roll Meets the String Quartet” and “The Harmony Games” are available at the Stiefel Theatre box office or by calling (785) 827-1998. Tickets for “American Patriots” are available through the Salina Symphony office on the second floor of the Stiefel Theatre or by calling (785) 823-8309. Tickets for all shows will be available at the door. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.salinasymphony.org">www.salinasymphony.org</a>.

Segal to 'wear all hats' in Salina Symphony’s diverse three-concert Jan. series

The Mountain Goats music will fill the Salina Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts in April with show tunes, folk songs and storytelling.

The band will perform at 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 19. Tickets for the concert start at $49 and go on sale at 10 a.m., Friday, Jan. 19. To buy tickets at the Stiefel box office, please stop by noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or call 785-827-1998. You also can purchase tickets online through the Stiefel Theatre website:&nbsp;<a href="http://stiefeltheatre.org/">stiefeltheatre.org</a>

Jenny from Thebes began its life as many albums by the Mountain Goats do, with John Darnielle playing the piano until a lyric emerged. That lyric, “Jenny was a warrior / Jenny was a thief / Jenny hit the corner clinic begging for relief,” became “Jenny III,” a song which laid down a challenge he’d never taken up before: writing a sequel to one of his most beloved albums.

The Mountain Goats’ catalog is thick with recurring characters—Jenny, who originally appears in the All Hail West Texas track bearing her name, as well as in “Straight Six” from Jam Eater Blues and Transcendental Youth side two jam “Night Light,” is one of these, someone who enters a song unexpectedly, pricking up the ears of fans who are keen on continuing the various narrative threads running through the Mountain Goats’ discography before vanishing into the mist. In these songs, Jenny is largely defined by her absence, and she is given that definition by other characters. She is running from something. These features are beguiling, both to the characters who’ve told her story so far and to the listener. They invite certain questions: Who is Jenny, really? What is she running from? Well, she’s a warrior and a thief, and, this being an album by the Mountain Goats, it’s a safe bet whatever she’s fleeing is something bad. Something catastrophically bad.

Jenny from Thebes is the story of Jenny, her southwestern ranch style house, the people for whom that house is a place of safety, and the west Texas town that is uncomfortable with its existence. It is a story about the individual and society, about safety and shelter and those who choose to provide care when nobody else will.

This is what a follow-up to All Hail West Texas entails. But if you think about the Mountain Goats as they were in 2001, when Darnielle wrote and recorded that album on his own, mostly into his Panasonic RX-FT500 boombox, and how they are now as the recording and touring outfit of Darnielle, Peter Hughes, Matt Douglas, and Jon Wurster, you may find yourself asking how. That occurred to Darnielle, too.

“If we’re going to do a sequel to a record that was recorded almost entirely on a boombox,” he asks, “why not do the opposite and make it as big as possible?” 

Decamping to Tulsa, Oklahoma’s legendary The Church Studio with Grammy-winning producer/engineer Trina Shoemaker (Sheryl Crow’s The Globe Sessions), that is exactly what the Mountain Goats did. Jenny from Thebes is a lush collection of show tunes, pushing Darnielle as a vocalist and the Mountain Goats as a band, broadening their sonic palette once again by leaning into influences like Godspell, Jim Steinman, and The Cars. The resulting album cuts a path that is simultaneously full of allusions longtime Mountain Goats fans will spin entire mythologies from while also being their most inviting record for those who’ve yet to be converted to the cause.

Lifted by Matt Douglas’ horn and string arrangements, the dreamy guitar of Bully leader (and Bleed Out producer) Alicia Bognanno, and backing vocals from Kathy Valentine of The Go-Go’s (“Only One Way,” “Same as Cash,” “Going to Dallas”) and Matt Nathanson (“Fresh Tattoo”), Jenny from Thebes is a widescreen musical in scope, a melodrama of richly detailed characters and sweeping emotions.

The west Texas the Mountain Goats conjure for Jenny is huge and already crumbling to the ground when we meet her in lead single “Clean Slate,” where a new arrival to the safehouse finds it nearly full, his host beyond exhaustion. Her burdens are heavy, and the measures they cause her to take have consequences that scale well beyond anything she could have anticipated when she decided to open her home to others. Such gestures are noble and doomed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705440975750.jpeg" alt="The Mountain Goats. Photo courtesy Salina Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts" />
 <figcaption>The Mountain Goats. Photo courtesy Salina Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTThe Mountain Goats music will fill the Salina Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts in April with show tunes, folk songs and storytelling.The band will perform at 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 19. Tickets for the concert start at $49 and go on sale at 10 a.m., Friday, Jan. 19. To buy tickets at the Stiefel box office, please stop by noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or call 785-827-1998. You also can purchase tickets online through the Stiefel Theatre website:&nbsp;<a href="http://stiefeltheatre.org/">stiefeltheatre.org</a>Jenny from Thebes began its life as many albums by the Mountain Goats do, with John Darnielle playing the piano until a lyric emerged. That lyric, “Jenny was a warrior / Jenny was a thief / Jenny hit the corner clinic begging for relief,” became “Jenny III,” a song which laid down a challenge he’d never taken up before: writing a sequel to one of his most beloved albums.The Mountain Goats’ catalog is thick with recurring characters—Jenny, who originally appears in the All Hail West Texas track bearing her name, as well as in “Straight Six” from Jam Eater Blues and Transcendental Youth side two jam “Night Light,” is one of these, someone who enters a song unexpectedly, pricking up the ears of fans who are keen on continuing the various narrative threads running through the Mountain Goats’ discography before vanishing into the mist. In these songs, Jenny is largely defined by her absence, and she is given that definition by other characters. She is running from something. These features are beguiling, both to the characters who’ve told her story so far and to the listener. They invite certain questions: Who is Jenny, really? What is she running from? Well, she’s a warrior and a thief, and, this being an album by the Mountain Goats, it’s a safe bet whatever she’s fleeing is something bad. Something catastrophically bad.Jenny from Thebes is the story of Jenny, her southwestern ranch style house, the people for whom that house is a place of safety, and the west Texas town that is uncomfortable with its existence. It is a story about the individual and society, about safety and shelter and those who choose to provide care when nobody else will.This is what a follow-up to All Hail West Texas entails. But if you think about the Mountain Goats as they were in 2001, when Darnielle wrote and recorded that album on his own, mostly into his Panasonic RX-FT500 boombox, and how they are now as the recording and touring outfit of Darnielle, Peter Hughes, Matt Douglas, and Jon Wurster, you may find yourself asking how. That occurred to Darnielle, too.“If we’re going to do a sequel to a record that was recorded almost entirely on a boombox,” he asks, “why not do the opposite and make it as big as possible?” Decamping to Tulsa, Oklahoma’s legendary The Church Studio with Grammy-winning producer/engineer Trina Shoemaker (Sheryl Crow’s The Globe Sessions), that is exactly what the Mountain Goats did. Jenny from Thebes is a lush collection of show tunes, pushing Darnielle as a vocalist and the Mountain Goats as a band, broadening their sonic palette once again by leaning into influences like Godspell, Jim Steinman, and The Cars. The resulting album cuts a path that is simultaneously full of allusions longtime Mountain Goats fans will spin entire mythologies from while also being their most inviting record for those who’ve yet to be converted to the cause.Lifted by Matt Douglas’ horn and string arrangements, the dreamy guitar of Bully leader (and Bleed Out producer) Alicia Bognanno, and backing vocals from Kathy Valentine of The Go-Go’s (“Only One Way,” “Same as Cash,” “Going to Dallas”) and Matt Nathanson (“Fresh Tattoo”), Jenny from Thebes is a widescreen musical in scope, a melodrama of richly detailed characters and sweeping emotions.The west Texas the Mountain Goats conjure for Jenny is huge and already crumbling to the ground when we meet her in lead single “Clean Slate,” where a new arrival to the safehouse finds it nearly full, his host beyond exhaustion. Her burdens are heavy, and the measures they cause her to take have consequences that scale well beyond anything she could have anticipated when she decided to open her home to others. Such gestures are noble and doomed.

The Mountain Goats visiting Stiefel Theatre in April

Kansas Wesleyan Coaches&nbsp;Show - 6pm&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)

SES boys and girls at Sterling Tournament (postponed to Thursday)

Chiefs Kingdom Show&nbsp;- 8 PM (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)

Kansas Wesleyan University Basketball at Sterling College - (Audio on 910AM/107.5FM and 910KINA.com) - Pregame 5:30 - Women's tip 6:00 - Men's tip 8:00

Southeast of Saline boys basketball vs. Lyons - (Audio on 910AM/107.5FM and 910KINA.com, video on Salina Post) - Pregame 5:30 - Tip-off 6:00

Southeast of Saline girls basketball vs. Lyons - (Audio on 910AM/107.5FM and 910KINA.com, video on Salina Post) - Pregame 7:00 - Tip-off 7:30

Sterling Tournament Games (TBD) Salina Invitational Games (TBD)

KINA Scoreboard Show&nbsp; - 10 pm (Audio on 910AM/107.5FM and 910KINA.com)

Kansas Wesleyan University Basketball vs. Oklahoma Wesleyan - (Audio on 910AM/107.5FM and 910KINA.com) - Pregame 5:30 - Women's tip 6:00 - Men's tip 8:00

MRN Nascar Live - 10pm (Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KINA.COM</a>)

PRN The Pit Reporters - 11pm&nbsp; (Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KINA.COM</a>)

Kansas City Chiefs divisional round at Buffalo Bills - 5:30 pm (Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KINA.COM</a>)

MondayKansas Wesleyan Coaches&nbsp;Show - 6pm&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)TuesdaySES boys and girls at Sterling Tournament (postponed to Thursday)Chiefs Kingdom Show&nbsp;- 8 PM (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)WednesdayKansas Wesleyan University Basketball at Sterling College - (Audio on 910AM/107.5FM and 910KINA.com) - Pregame 5:30 - Women's tip 6:00 - Men's tip 8:00ThursdaySoutheast of Saline boys basketball vs. Lyons - (Audio on 910AM/107.5FM and 910KINA.com, video on Salina Post) - Pregame 5:30 - Tip-off 6:00Southeast of Saline girls basketball vs. Lyons - (Audio on 910AM/107.5FM and 910KINA.com, video on Salina Post) - Pregame 7:00 - Tip-off 7:30 Salina Invitational Games (TBD)FridaySterling Tournament Games (TBD) Salina Invitational Games (TBD)KINA Scoreboard Show&nbsp; - 10 pm (Audio on 910AM/107.5FM and 910KINA.com)Saturday&nbsp;&nbsp;Sterling Tournament Games (TBD) Salina Invitational Games (TBD)Kansas Wesleyan University Basketball vs. Oklahoma Wesleyan - (Audio on 910AM/107.5FM and 910KINA.com) - Pregame 5:30 - Women's tip 6:00 - Men's tip 8:00MRN Nascar Live - 10pm (Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KINA.COM</a>)PRN The Pit Reporters - 11pm&nbsp; (Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KINA.COM</a>)SundayKansas City Chiefs divisional round at Buffalo Bills - 5:30 pm (Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KINA.COM</a>)

KINA Weekly Sports Schedule

By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina Post

Chorus, dance and meaningful speeches filled St. John's Missionary Baptist Church, SJMBC, Monday afternoon, celebrating the life and legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and how to continue his work today.

Toward the end of the celebration, the keynote speaker and SJMBC Youth Choir Director, Ralita Cheeks, informed the audience of the meaning behind diversity and encouraged them to use it in everyday life.

"I am proposing that we take real big concepts like diversity, and we apply that — I have a dream that one day my little children will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character," Cheeks said. "You may not look like me, you may not think like me, but you say you want to come and work with me to create the blueprint? Well, I think it's going to be okay."

Cheeks provided more to this thought, with an analogy that a cake made from only one ingredient would crumble and barely resemble the recipe set before the baker.

She set up the analogy, stating that as she bakes, she enjoys setting out each ingredient before beginning, setting up the "blueprint" to follow.&nbsp;

"If I'm baking a cake, and I don't actually put any of that stuff [ingredients] into the bowl, I don't get anything that diversity had to offer," Cheeks said. "So listen, we're talking about diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and what I'm proposing is that we utilize these tools to create a new culture — so let's talk about building."

The "blueprint" refers to King's activism during the Civil Rights Movement, which Cheeks said still holds today.&nbsp;

The song, "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," began the celebration at noon, with the Salina Central High School, SCHS, Choir following after a few short words from Pastor Brandon Cheeks welcoming the audience.

After SCHS concluded their song "Free Spirit," Kansas Wesleyan University Student and youth speaker Keenan Hobbs gave insight into his generation's work from King's legacy.

Hobbs shared about his work with youth and the benefits of swapping life stories and sharing knowledge with everyone at the table.

"Sharing knowledge with the youth is the key to many aspects of change," Hobbs said. "We must create spaces where people feel safe to share their experiences, fears and hopes, making sure we listen with open arms and hearts. You can gain an understanding of each other, and you can learn from one another."

READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/9f8d25a7-f4b8-43b0-9e44-e22df03d881c">2024 Kansas Mission of Mercy Salina donates more than $400,000 in dental care</a>

One of the focuses during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration was youth and passing knowledge and experiences from previous generations to the next.

This idea presented itself through the event schedule — six of the seven presentations centered around youth expression and art through dance and song.

When Hobbs concluded his speech, the SJMBC Youth Choir took the stage and performed "Hang On," with lyrics encouraging the audience to persevere toward their goals.

The SJMBC Men of Praise youth performance group followed the choir, presenting an original dance for the audience.&nbsp;

Salina Central High School, SSHS, Choir performed the song "New Dawn" next, with the SJMBC Angels for Christ dancing group concluding the youth presentations.

Cheeks then took to the stage to present her thoughts on King's legacy, work, and meaning for the new generations to the audience.&nbsp;

Outside of her work at SJMBC, Cheeks works as a school counselor at SCHS and has worked in social justice and activism.

"We like to affirm our students and encourage them to push past what they can see. So instantly, when I say 'diversity,' a lot of you, not all of you probably, saw races and ethnicities in your mind. As a school counselor, I want to tell you, 'Yes, and,'" Cheeks said. "Because when I talk about diversity, it's not just about races and ethnicities, I'm talking about gender, about able-bodied. I'm talking about bodies that need assistance. I'm talking about your learners who excel and those who need some assistance — that's diversity."

She continued that without including everyone in decision-making, businesses and community spaces — many will miss the critical experiences and knowledge those from various backgrounds have to offer.

"Call to action is that as we are trying to create new cultue, can we please try appreciating diversity, utilizing equity, puposefully include people," Cheeks said. "If somebody proposes an idea, let's really look to see what that idea might look like. Include them in the process so that we can create a sense of belonging."

She concluded her presentation with a quote from King.

"I have a dream that one day every valley will be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low. The rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight," Cheeks quoted King. "And the glory of God will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705373330628.jpeg" alt="St. John's Missionary Baptist Church Angels for Christ dance group performs "Praise Dance" during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>St. John's Missionary Baptist Church Angels for Christ dance group performs "Praise Dance" during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostChorus, dance and meaningful speeches filled St. John's Missionary Baptist Church, SJMBC, Monday afternoon, celebrating the life and legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and how to continue his work today.Toward the end of the celebration, the keynote speaker and SJMBC Youth Choir Director, Ralita Cheeks, informed the audience of the meaning behind diversity and encouraged them to use it in everyday life."I am proposing that we take real big concepts like diversity, and we apply that — I have a dream that one day my little children will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character," Cheeks said. "You may not look like me, you may not think like me, but you say you want to come and work with me to create the blueprint? Well, I think it's going to be okay."Cheeks provided more to this thought, with an analogy that a cake made from only one ingredient would crumble and barely resemble the recipe set before the baker.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705373148325.jpeg" alt="St. John's Missionary Baptist Church Youth Choir Director Ralita Cheeks presents her keynote address during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>St. John's Missionary Baptist Church Youth Choir Director Ralita Cheeks presents her keynote address during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>She set up the analogy, stating that as she bakes, she enjoys setting out each ingredient before beginning, setting up the "blueprint" to follow.&nbsp;"If I'm baking a cake, and I don't actually put any of that stuff [ingredients] into the bowl, I don't get anything that diversity had to offer," Cheeks said. "So listen, we're talking about diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and what I'm proposing is that we utilize these tools to create a new culture — so let's talk about building."The "blueprint" refers to King's activism during the Civil Rights Movement, which Cheeks said still holds today.&nbsp;<h2>Changing the culture from King's legacy</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705373432812.jpeg" alt="St. John's Missionary Baptist Church Youth Choir performs "Hang On" during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>St. John's Missionary Baptist Church Youth Choir performs "Hang On" during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>The song, "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," began the celebration at noon, with the Salina Central High School, SCHS, Choir following after a few short words from Pastor Brandon Cheeks welcoming the audience.After SCHS concluded their song "Free Spirit," Kansas Wesleyan University Student and youth speaker Keenan Hobbs gave insight into his generation's work from King's legacy.Hobbs shared about his work with youth and the benefits of swapping life stories and sharing knowledge with everyone at the table."Sharing knowledge with the youth is the key to many aspects of change," Hobbs said. "We must create spaces where people feel safe to share their experiences, fears and hopes, making sure we listen with open arms and hearts. You can gain an understanding of each other, and you can learn from one another."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705373509447.jpeg" alt="Kansas Wesleyan University youth speaker Keenan Hobbs shares his experiences working with the modern generation during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Wesleyan University youth speaker Keenan Hobbs shares his experiences working with the modern generation during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/9f8d25a7-f4b8-43b0-9e44-e22df03d881c">2024 Kansas Mission of Mercy Salina donates more than $400,000 in dental care</a>One of the focuses during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration was youth and passing knowledge and experiences from previous generations to the next.This idea presented itself through the event schedule — six of the seven presentations centered around youth expression and art through dance and song.When Hobbs concluded his speech, the SJMBC Youth Choir took the stage and performed "Hang On," with lyrics encouraging the audience to persevere toward their goals.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705373584797.jpeg" alt="St. John's Missionary Baptist Church Men of Praise dance group performs an original dance during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>St. John's Missionary Baptist Church Men of Praise dance group performs an original dance during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>The SJMBC Men of Praise youth performance group followed the choir, presenting an original dance for the audience.&nbsp;Salina Central High School, SSHS, Choir performed the song "New Dawn" next, with the SJMBC Angels for Christ dancing group concluding the youth presentations.Cheeks then took to the stage to present her thoughts on King's legacy, work, and meaning for the new generations to the audience.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705374115231.jpeg" alt="Performers and members of the audience sing "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>Performers and members of the audience sing "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>Outside of her work at SJMBC, Cheeks works as a school counselor at SCHS and has worked in social justice and activism."We like to affirm our students and encourage them to push past what they can see. So instantly, when I say 'diversity,' a lot of you, not all of you probably, saw races and ethnicities in your mind. As a school counselor, I want to tell you, 'Yes, and,'" Cheeks said. "Because when I talk about diversity, it's not just about races and ethnicities, I'm talking about gender, about able-bodied. I'm talking about bodies that need assistance. I'm talking about your learners who excel and those who need some assistance — that's diversity."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705373662831.jpeg" alt="St. John's Missionary Baptist Church Youth Choir Director and local school counselor leads the SJMBC Youth Choir during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>St. John's Missionary Baptist Church Youth Choir Director and local school counselor leads the SJMBC Youth Choir during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>She continued that without including everyone in decision-making, businesses and community spaces — many will miss the critical experiences and knowledge those from various backgrounds have to offer."Call to action is that as we are trying to create new cultue, can we please try appreciating diversity, utilizing equity, puposefully include people," Cheeks said. "If somebody proposes an idea, let's really look to see what that idea might look like. Include them in the process so that we can create a sense of belonging."She concluded her presentation with a quote from King."I have a dream that one day every valley will be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low. The rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight," Cheeks quoted King. "And the glory of God will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705373745000.jpeg" alt="St. John's Missionary Baptist Church leaders join arms with each other and members of the audience singing the closing song, "We Shall Overcome," during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier" />
 <figcaption>St. John's Missionary Baptist Church leaders join arms with each other and members of the audience singing the closing song, "We Shall Overcome," during the "Changing the Culture" Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration 2024 on Monday, Jan. 15, at SJMBC in Salina. Photo by Olivia Bergmeier</figcaption>
 </figure>

‘Changing the Culture’ provides platform for youth experience at 2024 MLK Day Celebration

By CLAY WIRESTONE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/15/a-kansas-legislator-stands-against-trump-and-jan-6-violence-will-his-fellow-republicans-listen/">Kansas Reflector</a>

It shouldn’t take courage to do what Rep.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/members/rep_howe_steven_1/">Steven Howe</a>, R-Salina, did earlier this month.

Howe wrote a column about former President Donald Trump, the Jan. 6 insurrection and election denialism. He asked his fellow Republicans,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://salinapost.com/posts/33c904d2-daa4-4be1-9579-7144c08488a5">in plain language</a>, to take a different path while they still have time. With a full primary schedule ahead of us — and the Kansas presidential primary&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sos.ks.gov/elections/presidential-preference-primary.html">set for March 19</a>&nbsp;— the party could choose to look forward rather than backward, focus on attracting new voters rather than exacting revenge, and work together with Democrats for the good of our country.

Sure, I can hear you all out there saying,&nbsp;fat chance of that ever happening.

Yet Howe speaks with remarkable sincerity. As long as the GOP includes folks like him, we can’t abandon hope.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705337212570.jpeg" alt="Rep. Steven Howe, R-Salina, wrote an op-ed about former president Donald Trump, the Jan. 6 insurrection and election denialism. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Steven Howe, R-Salina, wrote an op-ed about former president Donald Trump, the Jan. 6 insurrection and election denialism. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CLAY WIRESTONE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/15/a-kansas-legislator-stands-against-trump-and-jan-6-violence-will-his-fellow-republicans-listen/">Kansas Reflector</a>It shouldn’t take courage to do what Rep.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/members/rep_howe_steven_1/">Steven Howe</a>, R-Salina, did earlier this month.But it did.Howe wrote a column about former President Donald Trump, the Jan. 6 insurrection and election denialism. He asked his fellow Republicans,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://salinapost.com/posts/33c904d2-daa4-4be1-9579-7144c08488a5">in plain language</a>, to take a different path while they still have time. With a full primary schedule ahead of us — and the Kansas presidential primary&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sos.ks.gov/elections/presidential-preference-primary.html">set for March 19</a>&nbsp;— the party could choose to look forward rather than backward, focus on attracting new voters rather than exacting revenge, and work together with Democrats for the good of our country.Sure, I can hear you all out there saying,&nbsp;fat chance of that ever happening.Yet Howe speaks with remarkable sincerity. As long as the GOP includes folks like him, we can’t abandon hope.“For our republic to survive, it needs the peaceful transfer of power,” Howe told me during this week’s Kansas Reflector podcast. “And that is a bedrock foundational issue that has allowed us to survive as a democratic republic. And I feel like that is not something you toy with.”Opinion writers and political pundits have spilled a lot of ink in recent years&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/reactions-menendez-trump-indictments-offer-partisan-case-study-rcna119689">about party asymmetry</a>. In other words, Democrats and Republicans don’t always behave in the same way. Democrats encompass a wide variety of warring factions, while Republicans look for order imposed from above. This can be overstated, but you certainly don’t have to look far before finding Democrats&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/01/12/david-axelrod-obama-biden-2024-00135194">bad-mouthing</a>&nbsp;President Joe Biden or his reelection campaign.Finding Republicans willing to speak out against Trump — a twice-impeached former president who lost reelection and was subsequently indicted on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/trump-charges-jan-6-classified-documents/">91 felony counts</a>&nbsp;— takes more effort.Yes, Howe is conservative. Yes, his political beliefs and ideology likely differ from mine. He also respects reality.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705337084588.jpeg" alt="Thousands of President Donald Trump’s supporters storm the U.S. Capitol building following a “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. The protesters stormed the historic building, breaking windows and clashing with police. Trump supporters had gathered in the nation’s capital to protest the ratification of President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory over Trump in the 2020 election. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)" />
 <figcaption>Thousands of President Donald Trump’s supporters storm the U.S. Capitol building following a “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. The protesters stormed the historic building, breaking windows and clashing with police. Trump supporters had gathered in the nation’s capital to protest the ratification of President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory over Trump in the 2020 election. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)</figcaption>
 </figure>“After I wrote this, I received a message from a neighbor, or someone in the neighborhood, and someone that I’ve known for a while,” Howe said. “And they said they still believe the election was stolen, three years since Jan. 6 has happened. And I don’t know if I can change the minds of fellow Republicans that still believe that, because people will believe what they want to believe. And I’m only one person, and that I’m trying to shine the light on some things here for our fellow Republicans to consider.”He added: “I think Republicans need to know that there is a Republican at the state level that isn’t going to support the former president.”The most recent polling data&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-primary-r/2024/iowa/">aggregated by FiveThirtyEight.com</a>&nbsp;suggests that even in Iowa, only a smidge more than 50% of Republicans would support the former president in the caucus. But as happened in 2016, an array of other candidates split the opposition vote.As we’ve seen repeatedly in Kansas, reliable Republican voters seldom feel comfortable straying from their party when the general election comes around. That means that the choice of voters in primaries and caucuses — even if they represent a fraction of a fraction — carry outsized weight. Kansas political operatives have used this fact over the years to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2012/08/the-great-kansas-republican-purge-of-2012.html">purge the Kansas Legislature</a>&nbsp;of moderate voices.All this empowers an ideologue like Trump.And it leaves normal people&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/12/19/kansans-have-picked-a-less-awful-license-plate-just-like-politics-we-deserved-better-choices/">out in the cold</a>, unrepresented by their party.“I’ve received quite a few encouraging notes from constituents, people that I’ve never heard from before, or maybe I’ve never met in person, but have sent me notes by email, some phone calls,” Howe said. “And people were encouraged by me coming forward and in writing the piece. And I think there’s more Republicans still out there that perhaps don’t want to speak publicly. They don’t want to get the backlash or the retribution that the former president has talked about if he’s reelected.”The representative craves, as do I, a return to a different kind of political discourse. As Kansas Reflector’s opinion editor, I would love to write more often about truly progressive topics. Throughout the past three years&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/12/22/as-bomb-cyclone-sends-kansas-into-deep-freeze-lets-answer-some-reader-questions/">I have instead</a>&nbsp;written repeatedly about basic facts. Science is real. Vaccines work. Widespread election fraud doesn’t happen.Both Republicans and Democrats used to agree, if nothing else,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/our-shared-reality-is-fraying-103065">on a shared basis</a>&nbsp;of real-world experience.Not so much today.“To continue as a civil society, we need to allow each other space to be heard, and to listen,” Howe said. “And just because someone disagrees with your opinion, on a policy matter, or something like that, doesn’t mean they’re a bad person. And so I think a lot of times these days, people take things so personally, or they make it personal, when it doesn’t have to be. And I think that’s the way we move forward is being civil, allowing for discourse, especially discourse from the other side. And we can find common ground.”I sure hope so. But we all have to make it through the next act of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/01/14/donald-trump-says-its-worth-it-to-vote-in-iowa-caucus/72226921007/">Donald Trump show</a>&nbsp;first.Read Rep. Steven Howe’s full column&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://salinapost.com/posts/33c904d2-daa4-4be1-9579-7144c08488a5">in the Salina Post</a>.Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/submit-opinion/">here</a>.