Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, as far as the injuries go, there’s really nobody to mention. Everybody will practice today. (We) look forward to the challenge of playing the Bills, (they’re) a good football team, as we know. (Bills Head Coach) Sean (McDermott) does a great job, as do his coaches, and they’ve got good players, so we’ve got to have a good week of preparation there. With that, the time’s yours.”

Q: DeAndre Hopkins, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Hollywood Brown didn’t record a catch against the Texans. How are you going to try to get them more involved this week?

REID:&nbsp;“That’s the way it worked out. We want to use all of them so they’re all good players – there’s just one ball so it happened to go the other direction but not for any reason that it didn’t come their way. They’re all part of it.”

Q: On the difficulty of trying to find a plan that works when battling injuries throughout the season.

REID:&nbsp;“The last few weeks have been great. Everybody’s been up and ready to go so (it) hasn’t been a problem that way. They’re all getting in (and) having a chance to play (but) as far as the pass game goes, it just depends on where the ball is headed. We have full trust in all (of them) and they’re all really good players.”

Q: You said that you wanted to be better on third down against the Bills than you did last time. What are the challenges of doing that successfully against them and Bills QB Josh Allen?

REID:&nbsp;“They do a good job offensively on third down (and) likewise on defense but their third down offense is – first of all, their offense is very good, just in general, so it’s not just third downs, but it’s a big challenge. You have the flexibility of the quarterback (Bills QB Josh Allen) being able to throw and run (and) you have good receivers. They’re a powerful, strong offense.”

Q: On the Bills ability to force turnovers.

REID:&nbsp;“They do a great job with that. They’re one of the top teams in the league at that (forcing turnovers), year after year. (Bills Head Coach) Sean (McDermott) does a nice job with that. I mean, he’s got a great background with all that stuff, so he does a heck of a job – and (Bills Defensive Coordinator) Bobby (Babich).”

Q: How have you seen Xavier Worthy elevate into an almost second-year player?

REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Xavier Worthy) gotten better every week. He’s more familiar, Pat’s (Patrick Mahomes) more familiar with him, he’s more familiar with the offense and then what Pat expects from him. (Wide Receivers Coach) Connor’s (Embree) done a nice job of spending time with him to make sure that he has all the different types of looks. The main thing is he’s wired the way where he wants to be good and that’s a big part of it. He just wants to know and (not) let his ego get in the way or anything like that. He has good teachers in there, you’re in a (wide receiver) room with 8 (DeAndre Hopkins) and 9 (JuJu Smith-Schuster) and 84 (Justin Watson). I mean, those guys have all played a lot of football and they’re willing to share and so it’s a heck of a room to be in.”

Q: What’s the biggest advantage of having so many players who have been in these big moments?

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, it normally doesn’t hurt for sure. I don’t know how you weigh out the advantage of it, but I feel like we play these guys all the time (laughter). They (the Bills) know us, we know them but I’m glad – to answer your question, I’m glad we have all those guys, and you’ll need all of them.”

Q: Does your past with the Bills and Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott even register with you going into the game?

REID:&nbsp;“No, other than you kind of look at the tape. He’s (Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott) looking at our games against them and we’re looking at our games against them. You see all that (and) you kind of get an idea that we’ve played each other quite a little bit.”

Q: Is there an added layer to the game since you and Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott both know each other like you do?

REID:&nbsp;“Oh I’m sure, yeah. You’re going to always give each other a different look. It’s like (Bills Defensive Coordinator) Bobby (Babich) either, he does a heck of a job with it, too. As (Offensive Coordinator) Matt (Nagy) does and (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) Spags. The coordinators are the ones putting things together and making it go and then (Bills Head Coach) Sean (McDermott) and I get to stand and watch there.”

REID:&nbsp;“We’ll probably put him (Mecole Hardman) back on IR there.”

Q: What is the benefit of having Kareem Hunt on short yardage situations?

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, he’s (Kareem Hunt) a good player. I don’t want to just narrow him down to the short yardage part. To answer your question, I think he does a heck of job with it. He’s got a knack for that, he’s a big kid and (he’s) strong. I appreciate his willingness to get in there and go on that stuff and they’re normally real small cracks that’s he’s working through so sometimes you see him go through sideways. Not a lot of guys can do that with power like he does.”

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Quotes

Q:&nbsp;How would you describe the intensity of a Chiefs-Bills game?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think it’s just two really good football teams going up against each other. They (the Bills) have great players at every level on both sides of the ball, and they’re well-coached. When you play great football teams like that, it kind of usually ends with kind of that split-type of deal there. We’ve been able to beat them in the playoffs, and they’ve gotten us in the regular season but if you look at the games, every game’s close, so it just comes down to a play here or there that kind of usually makes the impact on the outcome.”

Q:&nbsp;How much do you appreciate the chess match between you guys after playing them so many times?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think when you look at the great rivalries of the NFL, it comes with this. It comes with playing each other every year in the regular season, it comes with playing in the playoffs. You have to combat, you have to look at your weaknesses and try to make those strengths and then your strengths, make them even better because you know that they’re going to go out there and try to take away those things. It’s a great football team, like I said, great players, well-coached, and we know it’s going to take our best in order to find a way to get a win.”

Q:&nbsp;What does a matchup with a quarterback of Bills QB Josh Allen’s caliber do in your own mind as you prepare for the game?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think you just have to know you’re going to have to play your best football. I mean, I’ve played against (Bills QB) Josh (Allen) enough times to know that he’s going to come out there and play great football, especially in those big moments. For me, I have to play my best football whenever I get the opportunity to and try to put our team in the best position to succeed. If that’s limiting turnovers, if that’s changing the field position – whatever that is, you have to find a way that day to win. When you go up against a great quarterback, it takes your best as well.”

Q:&nbsp;What did you see in the film of the Divisional Round that helped Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy get open?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think I said it after the game a little bit. I think just the – I mean, there was attention paid to them (Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeAndre Hopkins) and they made sure to put a shell over the top of those guys and that allowed the middle of the field to be open for Travis (Kelce). That’s kind of the – how you have to do in this league is whenever certain matchups are working for you, you go to those. Then, you still want to have that option though and I think we’ll try to be better this week of giving them more and more opportunities downfield, but I think even in the one where we didn’t complete it, the one down the field, it kind of scared them (the Texans) out of – I mean, the next play Travis hits one over the middle and makes a big play happen. That’s kind of the versatility of the offense and just finding that day and what’s working best.”

Q:&nbsp;What is it about Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defense that makes it so hard to go against?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think – I mean, you see it when we play. It’s just everything looks so similar but then he (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) has so many different varieties of coverages and blitzes and different things that he can do. You can never get a feel for what he’s going to call because he’ll just throw in random coverages and stuff like that every single series it seems like. It’s hard to prepare for, it’s hard to go up against. Like I said, I’m glad I don’t have to do it during the regular season, but it prepares me for the season because I have to – kind of the mastermind that I go up against all training camp.”

Q:&nbsp;What do you think is the X-factor of being able to host the AFC Championship at home?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“First off, I think GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium is just a special place. I mean, you get a feeling when you step in the stadium, and you know the history and the greatness that has been played at this football stadium. I think that kind of feeds the football team. Then, the crowd is great at being quiet when we’re on offense (and) being extremely loud whenever our defense is out there, and you feel that passion that the fans have. It’s true, it’s real and they want us to go out there and be the best that we can possibly be and so we want to go out there and put up our best fight every single time we’re on that field.”

Q:&nbsp;Was the Bills game this season a learning point for you?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“No, I just kind of continue to play football. I mean, if you look at the beginning of the year, I had some interceptions. I just had to try to clean those up as best as I can, but I’m going to still take chances, I’m going to give guys the chances to make plays and guys have been making plays. In that game, the early interception I felt like hurt the team just with the momentum of the game, especially being at their home stadium, but the guy was open, I just have to set my feet and make the throw. Then, the last one is – I’m going to go down fighting at the end of every game and I was trying to make a throw on a fourth-down play and the guy made a great play. I just go out there and play. I don’t worry about that stuff. I try to just put our team in the best positions to succeed, and if that’s taking a chance and giving a guy a chance to make a play, I’ll do that, and if that’s taking care of the football and letting our defense go out there and get a stop to put us in a better position, I’ll do that.”

Q: What has been the key to developing Xavier Worthy and your relationship?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think just repetition and then just seeing how he (Xavier Worthy) works every single day. He’s a guy that works extremely hard (and) practices extremely hard. The more and more chances and opportunities I’ve given him, he’s kind of taken them and ran with them. Just like the one (play) down the sideline early in the game, just putting the ball up there – one on one match up and letting him make a play. I’m excited for how he’s progressed throughout the season and hopefully we can progress for a few more games then – that will be a taking off point going into next year.”

Q: What are the differences between scrambling in the regular season versus the postseason?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think just – you just know that in the regular season, I don’t want to say you’re not trying to get injured but you’re trying to protect yourself knowing that it’s a long season. Whereas when you’re in the playoffs you might take a few more chances here and there to try and get those first downs (and) get those big runs and big moments. You want to protect yourself as well but at the same time you might try and run for a few extra yards to get that first down knowing that it’s such a big possession – every possession is a huge possession in the playoffs. I have some athletic ability, so I like to run sometimes in the playoffs, but I’ll try to protect myself as well.”

Q: Do you feel like you get special treatment by NFL referees?&nbsp;

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I don’t feel that way. I just try to play football at the end of the day. The referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and as proper as they possibly can – and all you can do is go out there and play the game that you love as hard as you can and live with the results. For me it’s to go out there, play hard, try and do whatever I can to win the football game and then live with the results based off my effort and the way that we played the game – that’s what we preach here in Kansas City.”

Q: As a veteran do you get the benefit of the doubt with referees, or do you feel it has been the same over time?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I haven’t felt any different. We get new referees every year and you get new circumstances – you can never really tell because every play is different and that’s what makes the NFL so special. I feel like I’ve just continued to play the game, and I just try to win and whatever happens kind of happens.”

Q: Have you learned anything new about Travis Kelce throughout this season?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“No, not necessarily. I’ve always known how great of a leader he (Travis Kelce) is. I preach it every year and the way that he works every single day. It makes my job easier as another leader on the team – I knew he was going to do what he did in the playoffs – because every time the moment gets bigger, he plays better and he will do whatever it takes to win and that’s the type of guy’s you want on your football team and I’m glad he’s on mine.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you have any thoughts on the possibility of Travis Kelce retiring?

MAHOMES: “I haven’t, I mean that’s stuff you worry about in the offseason. Regardless I just appreciate every time I’m on the football field with him (Travis Kelce) and that started whenever I first got here – I knew how blessed I was to have that guy on my team. Every opportunity I get to step on that football field I appreciate it and hopefully that’s a lot more years, but I’ll appreciate every time I do.”

Q: What kind of issues does the Bills LB Von Miller still present?

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesJanuary 22, 2025OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, as far as the injuries go, there’s really nobody to mention. Everybody will practice today. (We) look forward to the challenge of playing the Bills, (they’re) a good football team, as we know. (Bills Head Coach) Sean (McDermott) does a great job, as do his coaches, and they’ve got good players, so we’ve got to have a good week of preparation there. With that, the time’s yours.”Q: DeAndre Hopkins, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Hollywood Brown didn’t record a catch against the Texans. How are you going to try to get them more involved this week?REID:&nbsp;“That’s the way it worked out. We want to use all of them so they’re all good players – there’s just one ball so it happened to go the other direction but not for any reason that it didn’t come their way. They’re all part of it.”Q: On the difficulty of trying to find a plan that works when battling injuries throughout the season.REID:&nbsp;“The last few weeks have been great. Everybody’s been up and ready to go so (it) hasn’t been a problem that way. They’re all getting in (and) having a chance to play (but) as far as the pass game goes, it just depends on where the ball is headed. We have full trust in all (of them) and they’re all really good players.”Q: You said that you wanted to be better on third down against the Bills than you did last time. What are the challenges of doing that successfully against them and Bills QB Josh Allen?REID:&nbsp;“They do a good job offensively on third down (and) likewise on defense but their third down offense is – first of all, their offense is very good, just in general, so it’s not just third downs, but it’s a big challenge. You have the flexibility of the quarterback (Bills QB Josh Allen) being able to throw and run (and) you have good receivers. They’re a powerful, strong offense.”Q: On the Bills ability to force turnovers.REID:&nbsp;“They do a great job with that. They’re one of the top teams in the league at that (forcing turnovers), year after year. (Bills Head Coach) Sean (McDermott) does a nice job with that. I mean, he’s got a great background with all that stuff, so he does a heck of a job – and (Bills Defensive Coordinator) Bobby (Babich).”Q: How have you seen Xavier Worthy elevate into an almost second-year player?REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Xavier Worthy) gotten better every week. He’s more familiar, Pat’s (Patrick Mahomes) more familiar with him, he’s more familiar with the offense and then what Pat expects from him. (Wide Receivers Coach) Connor’s (Embree) done a nice job of spending time with him to make sure that he has all the different types of looks. The main thing is he’s wired the way where he wants to be good and that’s a big part of it. He just wants to know and (not) let his ego get in the way or anything like that. He has good teachers in there, you’re in a (wide receiver) room with 8 (DeAndre Hopkins) and 9 (JuJu Smith-Schuster) and 84 (Justin Watson). I mean, those guys have all played a lot of football and they’re willing to share and so it’s a heck of a room to be in.”Q: What’s the biggest advantage of having so many players who have been in these big moments?REID:&nbsp;“Listen, it normally doesn’t hurt for sure. I don’t know how you weigh out the advantage of it, but I feel like we play these guys all the time (laughter). They (the Bills) know us, we know them but I’m glad – to answer your question, I’m glad we have all those guys, and you’ll need all of them.”Q: Does your past with the Bills and Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott even register with you going into the game?REID:&nbsp;“No, other than you kind of look at the tape. He’s (Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott) looking at our games against them and we’re looking at our games against them. You see all that (and) you kind of get an idea that we’ve played each other quite a little bit.”Q: Is there an added layer to the game since you and Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott both know each other like you do?REID:&nbsp;“Oh I’m sure, yeah. You’re going to always give each other a different look. It’s like (Bills Defensive Coordinator) Bobby (Babich) either, he does a heck of a job with it, too. As (Offensive Coordinator) Matt (Nagy) does and (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) Spags. The coordinators are the ones putting things together and making it go and then (Bills Head Coach) Sean (McDermott) and I get to stand and watch there.”Q: On Mecole Hardman’s status.REID:&nbsp;“We’ll probably put him (Mecole Hardman) back on IR there.”Q: What is the benefit of having Kareem Hunt on short yardage situations?REID:&nbsp;“Listen, he’s (Kareem Hunt) a good player. I don’t want to just narrow him down to the short yardage part. To answer your question, I think he does a heck of job with it. He’s got a knack for that, he’s a big kid and (he’s) strong. I appreciate his willingness to get in there and go on that stuff and they’re normally real small cracks that’s he’s working through so sometimes you see him go through sideways. Not a lot of guys can do that with power like he does.”Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes QuotesJanuary 22, 2025QB PATRICK MAHOMESQ:&nbsp;How would you describe the intensity of a Chiefs-Bills game?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think it’s just two really good football teams going up against each other. They (the Bills) have great players at every level on both sides of the ball, and they’re well-coached. When you play great football teams like that, it kind of usually ends with kind of that split-type of deal there. We’ve been able to beat them in the playoffs, and they’ve gotten us in the regular season but if you look at the games, every game’s close, so it just comes down to a play here or there that kind of usually makes the impact on the outcome.”Q:&nbsp;How much do you appreciate the chess match between you guys after playing them so many times?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think when you look at the great rivalries of the NFL, it comes with this. It comes with playing each other every year in the regular season, it comes with playing in the playoffs. You have to combat, you have to look at your weaknesses and try to make those strengths and then your strengths, make them even better because you know that they’re going to go out there and try to take away those things. It’s a great football team, like I said, great players, well-coached, and we know it’s going to take our best in order to find a way to get a win.”Q:&nbsp;What does a matchup with a quarterback of Bills QB Josh Allen’s caliber do in your own mind as you prepare for the game?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think you just have to know you’re going to have to play your best football. I mean, I’ve played against (Bills QB) Josh (Allen) enough times to know that he’s going to come out there and play great football, especially in those big moments. For me, I have to play my best football whenever I get the opportunity to and try to put our team in the best position to succeed. If that’s limiting turnovers, if that’s changing the field position – whatever that is, you have to find a way that day to win. When you go up against a great quarterback, it takes your best as well.”Q:&nbsp;What did you see in the film of the Divisional Round that helped Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy get open?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think I said it after the game a little bit. I think just the – I mean, there was attention paid to them (Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeAndre Hopkins) and they made sure to put a shell over the top of those guys and that allowed the middle of the field to be open for Travis (Kelce). That’s kind of the – how you have to do in this league is whenever certain matchups are working for you, you go to those. Then, you still want to have that option though and I think we’ll try to be better this week of giving them more and more opportunities downfield, but I think even in the one where we didn’t complete it, the one down the field, it kind of scared them (the Texans) out of – I mean, the next play Travis hits one over the middle and makes a big play happen. That’s kind of the versatility of the offense and just finding that day and what’s working best.”Q:&nbsp;What is it about Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defense that makes it so hard to go against?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think – I mean, you see it when we play. It’s just everything looks so similar but then he (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) has so many different varieties of coverages and blitzes and different things that he can do. You can never get a feel for what he’s going to call because he’ll just throw in random coverages and stuff like that every single series it seems like. It’s hard to prepare for, it’s hard to go up against. Like I said, I’m glad I don’t have to do it during the regular season, but it prepares me for the season because I have to – kind of the mastermind that I go up against all training camp.”Q:&nbsp;What do you think is the X-factor of being able to host the AFC Championship at home?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“First off, I think GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium is just a special place. I mean, you get a feeling when you step in the stadium, and you know the history and the greatness that has been played at this football stadium. I think that kind of feeds the football team. Then, the crowd is great at being quiet when we’re on offense (and) being extremely loud whenever our defense is out there, and you feel that passion that the fans have. It’s true, it’s real and they want us to go out there and be the best that we can possibly be and so we want to go out there and put up our best fight every single time we’re on that field.”Q:&nbsp;Was the Bills game this season a learning point for you?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“No, I just kind of continue to play football. I mean, if you look at the beginning of the year, I had some interceptions. I just had to try to clean those up as best as I can, but I’m going to still take chances, I’m going to give guys the chances to make plays and guys have been making plays. In that game, the early interception I felt like hurt the team just with the momentum of the game, especially being at their home stadium, but the guy was open, I just have to set my feet and make the throw. Then, the last one is – I’m going to go down fighting at the end of every game and I was trying to make a throw on a fourth-down play and the guy made a great play. I just go out there and play. I don’t worry about that stuff. I try to just put our team in the best positions to succeed, and if that’s taking a chance and giving a guy a chance to make a play, I’ll do that, and if that’s taking care of the football and letting our defense go out there and get a stop to put us in a better position, I’ll do that.”Q: What has been the key to developing Xavier Worthy and your relationship?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think just repetition and then just seeing how he (Xavier Worthy) works every single day. He’s a guy that works extremely hard (and) practices extremely hard. The more and more chances and opportunities I’ve given him, he’s kind of taken them and ran with them. Just like the one (play) down the sideline early in the game, just putting the ball up there – one on one match up and letting him make a play. I’m excited for how he’s progressed throughout the season and hopefully we can progress for a few more games then – that will be a taking off point going into next year.”Q: What are the differences between scrambling in the regular season versus the postseason?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think just – you just know that in the regular season, I don’t want to say you’re not trying to get injured but you’re trying to protect yourself knowing that it’s a long season. Whereas when you’re in the playoffs you might take a few more chances here and there to try and get those first downs (and) get those big runs and big moments. You want to protect yourself as well but at the same time you might try and run for a few extra yards to get that first down knowing that it’s such a big possession – every possession is a huge possession in the playoffs. I have some athletic ability, so I like to run sometimes in the playoffs, but I’ll try to protect myself as well.”Q: Do you feel like you get special treatment by NFL referees?&nbsp;MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I don’t feel that way. I just try to play football at the end of the day. The referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and as proper as they possibly can – and all you can do is go out there and play the game that you love as hard as you can and live with the results. For me it’s to go out there, play hard, try and do whatever I can to win the football game and then live with the results based off my effort and the way that we played the game – that’s what we preach here in Kansas City.”Q: As a veteran do you get the benefit of the doubt with referees, or do you feel it has been the same over time?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I haven’t felt any different. We get new referees every year and you get new circumstances – you can never really tell because every play is different and that’s what makes the NFL so special. I feel like I’ve just continued to play the game, and I just try to win and whatever happens kind of happens.”Q: Have you learned anything new about Travis Kelce throughout this season?MAHOMES:&nbsp;“No, not necessarily. I’ve always known how great of a leader he (Travis Kelce) is. I preach it every year and the way that he works every single day. It makes my job easier as another leader on the team – I knew he was going to do what he did in the playoffs – because every time the moment gets bigger, he plays better and he will do whatever it takes to win and that’s the type of guy’s you want on your football team and I’m glad he’s on mine.”Q:&nbsp;Do you have any thoughts on the possibility of Travis Kelce retiring?MAHOMES: “I haven’t, I mean that’s stuff you worry about in the offseason. Regardless I just appreciate every time I’m on the football field with him (Travis Kelce) and that started whenever I first got here – I knew how blessed I was to have that guy on my team. Every opportunity I get to step on that football field I appreciate it and hopefully that’s a lot more years, but I’ll appreciate every time I do.”Q: What kind of issues does the Bills LB Von Miller still present?

Chiefs Quotes: 1-22-25

Lawana Kohman, age 97, went to be with her Lord on January 15th. She was born in 1927 to Alva and Leora (Myers) Webb of Barnard, the first baby born in the new Lincoln Hospital.

After graduating from Beverly Rural High School in 1945, she attended summer classes at Kansas Wesleyan, Salina, for her teaching certification. Lawana taught for two years at Pleasant Valley, a rural school south of Lincoln. In December 1949, she completed a Christian Education degree from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. In 1952, she graduated from Fort Hays State with a bachelor's degree in English. She received her master's degree in English and speech from Kansas State University in 1959.

Lawana was a woman of faith. In the seventh grade, she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior after listening to a service on the radio. Her mother helped her understand what Jesus had provided for her. She taught vacation Bible school

and Sunday school classes and continued involvement through the years with Scripture memory camps, women's Bible studies, sharing scriptures, and praying for friends and family.

Lawana loved teaching and laid a foundation in English, Communications, and life for several generations of students who attended her classes. She taught at Sheridan Community High School, Hoxie, for five years and then at Lincoln High School for three years.

On Sept. 2, 1960, Lawana and Paul Kohman of Hope were married at First Baptist Church in Barnard. Mark was born in 1962, and Monte in 1964.

Five years later, Lawana taught seventh graders at Hope, and the following year, she began teaching English, speech, and journalism classes at Hope High School. She also served as a forensics sponsor, class sponsor, and adviser for the school newspaper.

She retired in 1992 after 24 years of teaching at Hope. She then taught public speaking one evening a week for 21 years in Hope and Herington for Cloud County Community College. She stopped teaching at the age of 86 when Paul needed her care.

Lawana was also a cheerleader, supporter, and friend in the communities where she taught. She loved her sports, especially during the years Mark and Monte played. Even after retiring, you would find her in the stands cheering on the Hope teams. During the years, she also loved attending alumni reunions in Hoxie, Lincoln, and Hope, where she had a chance to reconnect with the students she taught. She leaves behind a legacy of students who were impacted by the life of Mrs. Kohman (Miss Webb).

Lawana was also a master gardener and a fantastic cook. She would make delicious meals for family and friends. Some students still remember the kolaches she would make for them.

Preceding Lawana in death were her husband, Paul Kohman; her parents, Alva and Leora Webb; and sisters, Sandra Webb and Waloka Nelson.

Surviving are her two sons, Mark and his wife Wendy of Colorado Springs, CO, and Monte and his wife Marianne, who live on the family farm after Paul and Lawana moved to Hope; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; and sister Thayla Adams of Florida.

Visitation will be from 5:00 - 8:00 PM on Friday, February 7, 2025, at First Baptist Church, Herington. Memorial Services will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at First Baptist Church, Herington. Lawana had decided to have her body donated to the University of Kansas Medical Center. Memorials may be given in memory of Lawana to the “Hope Community Education Endowment Association” (Checks can be sent to Monte Kohman, 1154 300th Ave, Hope, KS 67451)

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737472822741.png" alt="Lawana Kohman" />
 <figcaption>Lawana Kohman</figcaption>
 </figure>Lawana Kohman, age 97, went to be with her Lord on January 15th. She was born in 1927 to Alva and Leora (Myers) Webb of Barnard, the first baby born in the new Lincoln Hospital.After graduating from Beverly Rural High School in 1945, she attended summer classes at Kansas Wesleyan, Salina, for her teaching certification. Lawana taught for two years at Pleasant Valley, a rural school south of Lincoln. In December 1949, she completed a Christian Education degree from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. In 1952, she graduated from Fort Hays State with a bachelor's degree in English. She received her master's degree in English and speech from Kansas State University in 1959.Lawana was a woman of faith. In the seventh grade, she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior after listening to a service on the radio. Her mother helped her understand what Jesus had provided for her. She taught vacation Bible schooland Sunday school classes and continued involvement through the years with Scripture memory camps, women's Bible studies, sharing scriptures, and praying for friends and family.Lawana loved teaching and laid a foundation in English, Communications, and life for several generations of students who attended her classes. She taught at Sheridan Community High School, Hoxie, for five years and then at Lincoln High School for three years.On Sept. 2, 1960, Lawana and Paul Kohman of Hope were married at First Baptist Church in Barnard. Mark was born in 1962, and Monte in 1964.Five years later, Lawana taught seventh graders at Hope, and the following year, she began teaching English, speech, and journalism classes at Hope High School. She also served as a forensics sponsor, class sponsor, and adviser for the school newspaper.She retired in 1992 after 24 years of teaching at Hope. She then taught public speaking one evening a week for 21 years in Hope and Herington for Cloud County Community College. She stopped teaching at the age of 86 when Paul needed her care.Lawana was also a cheerleader, supporter, and friend in the communities where she taught. She loved her sports, especially during the years Mark and Monte played. Even after retiring, you would find her in the stands cheering on the Hope teams. During the years, she also loved attending alumni reunions in Hoxie, Lincoln, and Hope, where she had a chance to reconnect with the students she taught. She leaves behind a legacy of students who were impacted by the life of Mrs. Kohman (Miss Webb).Lawana was also a master gardener and a fantastic cook. She would make delicious meals for family and friends. Some students still remember the kolaches she would make for them.Preceding Lawana in death were her husband, Paul Kohman; her parents, Alva and Leora Webb; and sisters, Sandra Webb and Waloka Nelson.Surviving are her two sons, Mark and his wife Wendy of Colorado Springs, CO, and Monte and his wife Marianne, who live on the family farm after Paul and Lawana moved to Hope; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; and sister Thayla Adams of Florida.Visitation will be from 5:00 - 8:00 PM on Friday, February 7, 2025, at First Baptist Church, Herington. Memorial Services will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at First Baptist Church, Herington. Lawana had decided to have her body donated to the University of Kansas Medical Center. Memorials may be given in memory of Lawana to the “Hope Community Education Endowment Association” (Checks can be sent to Monte Kohman, 1154 300th Ave, Hope, KS 67451)

Lawana Kohman

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Go ahead and fire away.”

Q: Have you ever been surprised by some of the things that Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo comes up with late in games?

REID:&nbsp;“I get to see them all week, so it’s not a surprise on game day. He (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) does a heck of a job of knowing when to use the different blitzes and that’s half the battle. It’s not how much you blitz, it’s just how you utilize the blitzes and when you utilize them, so he’s got a great feel for that.”

Q: How did Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo get the touch to know when to blitz? It’s been a while since you’ve had to do it but how tough is it to play against one of his defenses?

REID:&nbsp;“It’s obviously tough, he (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) gives you a lot of different looks (and Offensive Coordinator) Matt Nagy will tell you that when you talk to him. He more recently has gone against him. He’s tough to go against with the different combinations that he has. He does a heck of a job with it.”

REID:&nbsp;“I thought we did a good job with the execution. We’ve tried to stay aggressive on fourth down, within reason, throughout the season but that was the idea behind it. The execution of the play, I thought we blocked it well, which ends up being important. Then, the ability of Kareem (Hunt) to kind of bounce off of things and his lateral cutting ability there.”

Q: How have you seen Kareem Hunt embrace short yardage situations as a whole?

REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Kareem Hunt) done a nice job for us. Kareem is a big kid, and he’s got a good low center of gravity, and he’s got great vision and lateral cutting ability so that fits in well with your short yardage game. Usually Sam (McDowell), there’s not a lot of space in there, normally and so for you to be able to squeeze through those tight holes – he does a good job, but he has a knack of being able to kind of cut his body in half sideways – by going sideways and still moving forward.”

Q: What do you think your defense may have learned from the first game that can be applicable for Sunday’s rematch?

REID:&nbsp;“One of the things (that) we’ll keep working on is you’ve got to be able to – you’ve got to get off the field on third down. We keep stressing that – (Defensive Coordinator) Steve (Spagnuolo) does and so we have to be able to take care of those third downs, especially when you work so hard to put yourself in a good position. They do a – listen, the Bills do a heck of a job with that. They’re a really good football team, offensively.”

Q:&nbsp;How did Jaylen Watson come out of the game injury-wise and how will you increase his involvement as you go here?

REID:&nbsp;“He (Jaylen Watson) actually came out feeling good, Pete (Sweeney). I mean, it was a – that’s one of the positives that you come out with Jaylen. He was fresh from the injury and you hope that he can not have the swelling that was taking place before and still functioning at a relatively high speed during the game. You know, I thought he did that, I thought he sustained when given that opportunity.”

Q:&nbsp;When you see Travis Kelce in the postseason, how much do you think his performance is based on the adrenaline and how much is based on the rest of the preparation?

REID:&nbsp;“That’s a good question, Vahe (Gregorian). I’m happy for him (Travis Kelce) with the seven catches and all that, but I think more of it is just we have a variety of guys around him. I mean, he’s – the opportunities that he’s had he’s done well with, and I don’t think it’s his play that has been reduced. When everybody asks about age – by age or physical ability or anything, I just think that you have a variety of guys that we’ve been able to use around him and when we didn’t, teams were ganging up on him. It’s a good problem now because guys are healthy, and we have choices out there and they can’t really just focus on him.”

Q:&nbsp;How does Travis Kelce’s energy resonate with the rest of the team?

REID:&nbsp;“It’s not only his (Travis Kelce) energy, it’s a positive – it’s that positive mindset that you can do anything and I think he does a great job with that and being able to show it to the guys that – listen, (when) we come together the right way, anything’s possible. That’s the thing I appreciate (about) him the most. I also appreciate that, at his age, he goes out there every day and practices hard and that just – and if you try to take him out, he gets mad at you. I think that’s – I’d say that’s a special thing for an older player.”

Q:&nbsp;Is there a possibility that Mecole Hardman will end the season on IR, or would you like to get him activated this week?

REID:&nbsp;“We’ll see how that goes here. Just – I haven’t made any decisions on that yet, Matt (Derrick) but he’s (Mecole Hardman) worked hard to try to get himself back and get going, but we’ll see how all that works out.”

Q: On the offensive line’s performance.

REID:&nbsp;“First, I’d give credit to the Texans. That defense is a good defense, real good defense and that defensive line is a big challenge. As it will be this week, this defensive line, likewise, is a big a challenge. I thought our guys held up well against them, and we did some good things in the run game and did some good things in our play-pass game and we were decent on third downs. I think all around it was good against who we were playing against.”

Q: How have you seen Kareem Hunt grow since he was a rookie? How excited for him are you to get this opportunity?

REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Kareem Hunt) able to speak up now because he’s been there because he’s got that senior leadership thing going. As much as an energy giver as we were just talking about – Trav (Travis Kelce is) –Kareem does the same thing. He brings it (in) a little different way, but he brings it – that toughness, that want to. You get him and (Isiah) Pacheco out there and there’s a whole lot of energy coming off of those two and that’s appreciated. That’s probably where I’d tell you he doesn’t feel like the young guy on the team anymore. He’s the veteran guy. He knows guys will listen to him. He can help set a tempo, all those things, Nick (Jacobs), that comes with being a veteran.”

Q: What does it mean to you as a coach to give the new guys on the team this moment to play in the AFC Championship?

REID:&nbsp;“That’s kind of a neat deal. DeAndre (Hopkins), I mean he’s been doing it (for) 12 years and so I said, ‘Hey you’ve never been to this one have you?’ He said, ‘No.’ You know and against a good – we’re able to go against a real good team here. So that competition level will be at its highest point, and that’s why we’re all in this thing. So, for him to have that opportunity to experience that part – as great as he is, to even being able to take it up one more notch is something that will be new for him. I think that’s a great thing. For the young guys, it’ll be a good experience for them going forward. They can learn from it and we’ll tell them what it’s all about, the players will tell them what it’s all about, but until you get out there and feel that energy, you really don’t know. It’ll be good for them to get through it.”

Q: Is there anything that specifically stands out about this round of playoffs compared to the others?

REID:&nbsp;“Well, the fact that we’re at home is a real positive, I think. We’ve got to play well, whether we’re favored or not favored, I don’t know. I’m pretty sure they’ll probably be favored but that’s alright, we do our thing as we go into this and we don’t worry about all of that. It’s a high level of football, and you’ve got to handle it that way. You get to test yourself at close to the highest level – besides the Super Bowl, this is the highest level so that’s kind of what it’s all about for coaches and players.”

Q: On the impressive pass rush in Saturday’s game.

REID:&nbsp;“Spags (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) has done a good job, we talked about that, but the players also have to step up – that’s what the guys have done a nice job with, I’m so proud of them for that. (Defensive Line Coach) Joe Cullen does a heck of a job with the defensive line and George (Karlaftis) had a big day – just being as relentless as he is and how much work he puts into the game and making sure he’s physically right and so on. It’s a real tribute to him and his effort. Then Charles (Omenihu) – it’s been great to have Charles in there, I don’t think you’re missing a point there at all, he’s a good passer, he’s a good football player, so that helps a lot to have him in there. Chris Jones likewise. Mike (Danna), who doesn’t get any of the glory, he’s a good football player too, so he kind of does the dirty work and doesn’t get much praise for it.”

Q:&nbsp;What are you doing when you don’t have the ball to keep everyone focused, sharp and ensure that the Texans aren’t icing your offense?

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesJanuary 20, 2025OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Go ahead and fire away.”Q: Have you ever been surprised by some of the things that Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo comes up with late in games?REID:&nbsp;“I get to see them all week, so it’s not a surprise on game day. He (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) does a heck of a job of knowing when to use the different blitzes and that’s half the battle. It’s not how much you blitz, it’s just how you utilize the blitzes and when you utilize them, so he’s got a great feel for that.”Q: How did Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo get the touch to know when to blitz? It’s been a while since you’ve had to do it but how tough is it to play against one of his defenses?REID:&nbsp;“It’s obviously tough, he (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) gives you a lot of different looks (and Offensive Coordinator) Matt Nagy will tell you that when you talk to him. He more recently has gone against him. He’s tough to go against with the different combinations that he has. He does a heck of a job with it.”Q: On the fourth-and-one play.REID:&nbsp;“I thought we did a good job with the execution. We’ve tried to stay aggressive on fourth down, within reason, throughout the season but that was the idea behind it. The execution of the play, I thought we blocked it well, which ends up being important. Then, the ability of Kareem (Hunt) to kind of bounce off of things and his lateral cutting ability there.”Q: How have you seen Kareem Hunt embrace short yardage situations as a whole?REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Kareem Hunt) done a nice job for us. Kareem is a big kid, and he’s got a good low center of gravity, and he’s got great vision and lateral cutting ability so that fits in well with your short yardage game. Usually Sam (McDowell), there’s not a lot of space in there, normally and so for you to be able to squeeze through those tight holes – he does a good job, but he has a knack of being able to kind of cut his body in half sideways – by going sideways and still moving forward.”Q: What do you think your defense may have learned from the first game that can be applicable for Sunday’s rematch?REID:&nbsp;“One of the things (that) we’ll keep working on is you’ve got to be able to – you’ve got to get off the field on third down. We keep stressing that – (Defensive Coordinator) Steve (Spagnuolo) does and so we have to be able to take care of those third downs, especially when you work so hard to put yourself in a good position. They do a – listen, the Bills do a heck of a job with that. They’re a really good football team, offensively.”Q:&nbsp;How did Jaylen Watson come out of the game injury-wise and how will you increase his involvement as you go here?REID:&nbsp;“He (Jaylen Watson) actually came out feeling good, Pete (Sweeney). I mean, it was a – that’s one of the positives that you come out with Jaylen. He was fresh from the injury and you hope that he can not have the swelling that was taking place before and still functioning at a relatively high speed during the game. You know, I thought he did that, I thought he sustained when given that opportunity.”Q:&nbsp;When you see Travis Kelce in the postseason, how much do you think his performance is based on the adrenaline and how much is based on the rest of the preparation?REID:&nbsp;“That’s a good question, Vahe (Gregorian). I’m happy for him (Travis Kelce) with the seven catches and all that, but I think more of it is just we have a variety of guys around him. I mean, he’s – the opportunities that he’s had he’s done well with, and I don’t think it’s his play that has been reduced. When everybody asks about age – by age or physical ability or anything, I just think that you have a variety of guys that we’ve been able to use around him and when we didn’t, teams were ganging up on him. It’s a good problem now because guys are healthy, and we have choices out there and they can’t really just focus on him.”Q:&nbsp;How does Travis Kelce’s energy resonate with the rest of the team?REID:&nbsp;“It’s not only his (Travis Kelce) energy, it’s a positive – it’s that positive mindset that you can do anything and I think he does a great job with that and being able to show it to the guys that – listen, (when) we come together the right way, anything’s possible. That’s the thing I appreciate (about) him the most. I also appreciate that, at his age, he goes out there every day and practices hard and that just – and if you try to take him out, he gets mad at you. I think that’s – I’d say that’s a special thing for an older player.”Q:&nbsp;Is there a possibility that Mecole Hardman will end the season on IR, or would you like to get him activated this week?REID:&nbsp;“We’ll see how that goes here. Just – I haven’t made any decisions on that yet, Matt (Derrick) but he’s (Mecole Hardman) worked hard to try to get himself back and get going, but we’ll see how all that works out.”Q: On the offensive line’s performance.REID:&nbsp;“First, I’d give credit to the Texans. That defense is a good defense, real good defense and that defensive line is a big challenge. As it will be this week, this defensive line, likewise, is a big a challenge. I thought our guys held up well against them, and we did some good things in the run game and did some good things in our play-pass game and we were decent on third downs. I think all around it was good against who we were playing against.”Q: How have you seen Kareem Hunt grow since he was a rookie? How excited for him are you to get this opportunity?REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Kareem Hunt) able to speak up now because he’s been there because he’s got that senior leadership thing going. As much as an energy giver as we were just talking about – Trav (Travis Kelce is) –Kareem does the same thing. He brings it (in) a little different way, but he brings it – that toughness, that want to. You get him and (Isiah) Pacheco out there and there’s a whole lot of energy coming off of those two and that’s appreciated. That’s probably where I’d tell you he doesn’t feel like the young guy on the team anymore. He’s the veteran guy. He knows guys will listen to him. He can help set a tempo, all those things, Nick (Jacobs), that comes with being a veteran.”Q: What does it mean to you as a coach to give the new guys on the team this moment to play in the AFC Championship?REID:&nbsp;“That’s kind of a neat deal. DeAndre (Hopkins), I mean he’s been doing it (for) 12 years and so I said, ‘Hey you’ve never been to this one have you?’ He said, ‘No.’ You know and against a good – we’re able to go against a real good team here. So that competition level will be at its highest point, and that’s why we’re all in this thing. So, for him to have that opportunity to experience that part – as great as he is, to even being able to take it up one more notch is something that will be new for him. I think that’s a great thing. For the young guys, it’ll be a good experience for them going forward. They can learn from it and we’ll tell them what it’s all about, the players will tell them what it’s all about, but until you get out there and feel that energy, you really don’t know. It’ll be good for them to get through it.”Q: Is there anything that specifically stands out about this round of playoffs compared to the others?REID:&nbsp;“Well, the fact that we’re at home is a real positive, I think. We’ve got to play well, whether we’re favored or not favored, I don’t know. I’m pretty sure they’ll probably be favored but that’s alright, we do our thing as we go into this and we don’t worry about all of that. It’s a high level of football, and you’ve got to handle it that way. You get to test yourself at close to the highest level – besides the Super Bowl, this is the highest level so that’s kind of what it’s all about for coaches and players.”Q: On the impressive pass rush in Saturday’s game.REID:&nbsp;“Spags (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) has done a good job, we talked about that, but the players also have to step up – that’s what the guys have done a nice job with, I’m so proud of them for that. (Defensive Line Coach) Joe Cullen does a heck of a job with the defensive line and George (Karlaftis) had a big day – just being as relentless as he is and how much work he puts into the game and making sure he’s physically right and so on. It’s a real tribute to him and his effort. Then Charles (Omenihu) – it’s been great to have Charles in there, I don’t think you’re missing a point there at all, he’s a good passer, he’s a good football player, so that helps a lot to have him in there. Chris Jones likewise. Mike (Danna), who doesn’t get any of the glory, he’s a good football player too, so he kind of does the dirty work and doesn’t get much praise for it.”Q:&nbsp;What are you doing when you don’t have the ball to keep everyone focused, sharp and ensure that the Texans aren’t icing your offense?

Chiefs Quotes: 12-20-24

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Join Eagle Media Salina News Director Nate King as he talks with local and regional government officials, first responders, non-profit leaders and unique individuals with fascinating stories from north central Kansas and beyond. Learn about how organizations in your neighborhood leverage their partnerships to create a more interconnected community.

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<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680807146992.png" alt="Salina Post News Director and host of "King in the Community," Nate King." />
 <figcaption>Salina Post News Director and host of "King in the Community," Nate King.</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTLooking for a new podcast to keep you informed and connected within your local community? Look no further than Eagle Media's latest podcast, "King in the Community."&nbsp;Join Eagle Media Salina News Director Nate King as he talks with local and regional government officials, first responders, non-profit leaders and unique individuals with fascinating stories from north central Kansas and beyond. Learn about how organizations in your neighborhood leverage their partnerships to create a more interconnected community.Available on all your favorite platforms, including&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/king-in-the-community/id1687185014">Apple podcasts,</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kinginthecommunity.podbean.com/">Podbean</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1ZeCj4TK3kaOZEvgQaDlio">&nbsp;Spotify</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c78f2e2e-c714-4aaf-ad4c-4864a4038889">Amazon Audible</a>, TuneIn + Alexa,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/king-in-the-community-5324914">Podchaser,</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.boomplaymusic.com/podcasts/62430">Boomplay</a>.&nbsp;<div><iframe title="King in the Community" allowtransparency="true" height="315" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=skmut-558a99-pbblog-playlist&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&order=episodic&limit=10&filter=all&ss=a713390a017602015775e868a2cf26b0&btn-skin=1b1b1b&size=315" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>No matter what streaming service you use, we've got you covered with engaging discussions and insightful interviews that will help you understand the issues that matter most to you.&nbsp; So why wait? Tune in to the "King in the Community" podcast today and discover a new way to stay connected. For a full list of episodes<a href="https://kinginthecommunity.podbean.com/page/2/">&nbsp;click here</a>. Thanks for listening!

🎙The latest from 'King in the Community' with Nate King

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed open to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-pornography-age-verification-texas-33a39a2b9dadbd2fb6c6235d4c3bd16c">a Texas law</a>&nbsp;aimed at blocking kids from seeing online pornography, though the justices could still send it back to a lower court for more consideration of how the age verification measure affects adults'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/freedom-of-speech">free-speech rights</a>.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/23-1122">Click here to listen </a>to the oral argument

Texas is among more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/internet-pornography-age-verification-states-2ad9939bb95ccc15126419b38067be94">a dozen states</a>&nbsp;with such laws aimed at blocking young children and teenagers from viewing pornography. The states argue the laws are necessary as online porn, including hardcore obscene material, has become almost instantaneous to access on smartphones online.

Chief Justice John Roberts, a member of the court's conservative majority, raised similar concerns. “Technological access to pornography has exploded, right?” he said.

The Free Speech Coalition, an adult-entertainment industry trade group, says the Texas law wrongly affects adults by requiring them to submit personal identifying information online, making it vulnerable to hacking or tracking. The adult-content website Pornhub has stopped operating in several states, citing the technical and privacy hurdles in complying with the laws.

The Free Speech Coalition agrees that children shouldn't be seeing pornography, but it argues the new law is so broadly written it could also apply to sexual education content or simulated sex scenes in movies.

The law also leaves a loophole by focusing on porn sites rather than the search engines often used to find porn, the group says in court documents. Content filtering is a better alternative to online age checks, it says.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett appeared skeptical, pointing to the growing number of ways kids can get online.

“Content filtering for all those different devices, I can say from personal experience, is difficult to keep up with,” said Barrett, who has seven children.

This isn't the first time&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;has confronted the issue. In 1996, the court struck down parts of a law banning explicit material viewable by kids online. In 2004, a divided Supreme Court ruled against a different federal law aimed at stopping kids from being exposed to pornography but said less restrictive measures like content filtering are constitutional.

Texas argues that technology has improved significantly in the last 20 years, allowing online platforms to quickly and easily check users' ages with a quick picture, making it more like ID checks at traditional stores that were upheld by the Supreme Court in the 1960s.

The states won in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, where a divided panel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pornography-age-verification-texas-unconstitutional-48af1b99434cdfddd12351f555aeab11">overturned a lower court</a>&nbsp;and allowed the age verification requirement to go into effect. The Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-pornography-age-verification-texas-9c31eca983bdb30d3696cd4c5891a392">previously refused</a>&nbsp;an emergency appeal asking to put the age verification on hold while the legal fight continues.

Still, some of the nine justices worried that the lower court hadn't applied a strict enough legal standard in determining whether the Texas law and others like that could run afoul of the First Amendment.

“How far can a state go in terms of burdening adults showing how old they are?” Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson asked.

Justice Elena Kagan raised the concerns of a possible “spillover dangers" on other laws touching on free speech, whichever way the court rules.

Some of the justices appeared interested in the Democratic Biden administration's position that they should send the case back to the 5th Circuit for more consideration. The court could even say that such laws, when carefully written, could pass a higher standard since everyone agrees keeping porn away from kids is a worthy goal, said Principal Deputy Solicitor General Brian Fletcher.

Other states with similar laws include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-porn-age-verification-lawsuit-2fdc2563836315c6d4e8eb4d57ab9913">Tennessee</a>, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, Utah and Virginia.

The Texas law carries fines of up to $10,000 per violation that could be raised to up to $250,000 per violation by a minor.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed open to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-pornography-age-verification-texas-33a39a2b9dadbd2fb6c6235d4c3bd16c">a Texas law</a>&nbsp;aimed at blocking kids from seeing online pornography, though the justices could still send it back to a lower court for more consideration of how the age verification measure affects adults'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/freedom-of-speech">free-speech rights</a>.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/23-1122">Click here to listen </a>to the oral argumentTexas is among more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/internet-pornography-age-verification-states-2ad9939bb95ccc15126419b38067be94">a dozen states</a>&nbsp;with such laws aimed at blocking young children and teenagers from viewing pornography. The states argue the laws are necessary as online porn, including hardcore obscene material, has become almost instantaneous to access on smartphones online.Chief Justice John Roberts, a member of the court's conservative majority, raised similar concerns. “Technological access to pornography has exploded, right?” he said.The Free Speech Coalition, an adult-entertainment industry trade group, says the Texas law wrongly affects adults by requiring them to submit personal identifying information online, making it vulnerable to hacking or tracking. The adult-content website Pornhub has stopped operating in several states, citing the technical and privacy hurdles in complying with the laws.The Free Speech Coalition agrees that children shouldn't be seeing pornography, but it argues the new law is so broadly written it could also apply to sexual education content or simulated sex scenes in movies.The law also leaves a loophole by focusing on porn sites rather than the search engines often used to find porn, the group says in court documents. Content filtering is a better alternative to online age checks, it says.Justice Amy Coney Barrett appeared skeptical, pointing to the growing number of ways kids can get online.“Content filtering for all those different devices, I can say from personal experience, is difficult to keep up with,” said Barrett, who has seven children.This isn't the first time&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;has confronted the issue. In 1996, the court struck down parts of a law banning explicit material viewable by kids online. In 2004, a divided Supreme Court ruled against a different federal law aimed at stopping kids from being exposed to pornography but said less restrictive measures like content filtering are constitutional.Texas argues that technology has improved significantly in the last 20 years, allowing online platforms to quickly and easily check users' ages with a quick picture, making it more like ID checks at traditional stores that were upheld by the Supreme Court in the 1960s.The states won in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, where a divided panel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pornography-age-verification-texas-unconstitutional-48af1b99434cdfddd12351f555aeab11">overturned a lower court</a>&nbsp;and allowed the age verification requirement to go into effect. The Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-pornography-age-verification-texas-9c31eca983bdb30d3696cd4c5891a392">previously refused</a>&nbsp;an emergency appeal asking to put the age verification on hold while the legal fight continues.Still, some of the nine justices worried that the lower court hadn't applied a strict enough legal standard in determining whether the Texas law and others like that could run afoul of the First Amendment.“How far can a state go in terms of burdening adults showing how old they are?” Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson asked.Justice Elena Kagan raised the concerns of a possible “spillover dangers" on other laws touching on free speech, whichever way the court rules.Some of the justices appeared interested in the Democratic Biden administration's position that they should send the case back to the 5th Circuit for more consideration. The court could even say that such laws, when carefully written, could pass a higher standard since everyone agrees keeping porn away from kids is a worthy goal, said Principal Deputy Solicitor General Brian Fletcher.Other states with similar laws include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-porn-age-verification-lawsuit-2fdc2563836315c6d4e8eb4d57ab9913">Tennessee</a>, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, Utah and Virginia.The Texas law carries fines of up to $10,000 per violation that could be raised to up to $250,000 per violation by a minor.

🎧Supreme Court seems open to age checks for online porn

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday unanimously upheld the federal law banning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-tiktok-china-speech-national-security-22d672d946b6b4065ae5fb7f3e0d8bed">TikTok</a>&nbsp;beginning Sunday unless it's sold by its China-based parent company,holding that the risk to national security posed by its ties to China overcomes concerns about limiting speech by the app or its 170 million users in the United States.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24-656_ca7d.pdf">Click here to read the full ruling</a>

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/24-656">Click here to listen&nbsp;</a>to the court's oral argument from Jan. 10, 2024

A sale does not appear imminent and, although experts have said the app will not disappear from existing users' phones once the law takes effect on Jan. 19, new users won't be able to download it and updates won't be available. That will eventually render the app unworkable, the Justice Department has said in court filings.

The decision came against the backdrop of unusual political agitation by President-elect Donald Trump, who vowed that he could negotiate a solution and the administration of President Joe Biden, which has signaled it won't enforce the law beginning Sunday, his final full day in office.

Trump, mindful of TikTok’s popularity, and his own 14.7 million followers on the app, finds himself on the opposite side of the argument from prominent Senate Republicans who fault TikTok’s Chinese owner for not finding a buyer before now.

It’s unclear what options are open to Trump once he is sworn in as president on Monday. The law allowed for a 90-day pause in the restrictions on the app if there had been progress toward a sale before it took effect. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, who defended the law at the Supreme Court for the Democratic Biden administration, told the justices last week that it's uncertain whether the prospect of a sale once the law is in effect could trigger a 90-day respite for TikTok.

At arguments, the justices were told by a lawyer for TikTok and ByteDance Ltd., the Chinese technology company that is its parent, how difficult it would be to consummate a deal, especially since Chinese law restricts the sale of the proprietary algorithm that has made the social media platform wildly successful.

The app allows users to watch&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-kids-teens-use-addiction-03a2d63a21bc5c1c62910628deff0521">hundreds of videos</a>&nbsp;in about half an hour because some are only a few seconds long, according to a lawsuit filed last year by Kentucky complaining that TikTok is designed to be addictive and harms kids' mental health. Similar suits were filed by more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-lawsuit-youth-mental-health-2993f8e70d2e3d4eab9988df168fb948">a dozen states</a>. TikTok has called the claims inaccurate.

The dispute over TikTok's ties to China has come to embody the geopolitical competition between Washington and Beijing.

The U.S. has said it’s concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of user data, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-censorship-us-data-240e11d9bb6212b0c9b1adab821e5005">sensitive information on viewing habits</a>, that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. Officials have also warned the algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect.

TikTok points out the U.S. has not presented evidence that China has attempted to manipulate content on its U.S. platform or gather American user data through TikTok.

Bipartisan majorities in Congress passed legislation, and President Joe Biden signed it into law in April. The law was the culmination of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-timeline-ban-biden-india-d3219a32de913f8083612e71ecf1f428">a yearslong saga in Washington</a>&nbsp;over TikTok, which the government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">sees as a national security threat</a>.

TikTok, which sued the government last year over the law, has long denied it could be used as a tool of Beijing. A three-judge panel made up of two Republican appointees and a Democratic appointee unanimously upheld the law in December, prompting TikTok’s quick appeal to the Supreme Court.

Without a sale to an approved buyer, the law bars app stores operated by Apple, Google and others from offering TikTok beginning on Sunday. Internet hosting services also will be prohibited from hosting TikTok.

ByteDance has said it won’t sell. But some investors have been eyeing it, including Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-mnuchin-house-senate-ffdf37776e63a09bb6966d741df7093b">former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin</a>&nbsp;and billionaire businessman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-mccourt-sale-bytedance-843d24334321f90bebeeac4b32896a9a">Frank McCourt</a>. McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative has said it and its unnamed partners have presented a proposal to ByteDance to acquire TikTok’s U.S. assets. The consortium, which includes “Shark Tank” host Kevin O’Leary, did not disclose the financial terms of the offer.

Prelogar told the justices last week that having the law take effect “might be just the jolt” ByteDance needs to reconsider its position.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737127605789.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday unanimously upheld the federal law banning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-tiktok-china-speech-national-security-22d672d946b6b4065ae5fb7f3e0d8bed">TikTok</a>&nbsp;beginning Sunday unless it's sold by its China-based parent company,holding that the risk to national security posed by its ties to China overcomes concerns about limiting speech by the app or its 170 million users in the United States.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24-656_ca7d.pdf">Click here to read the full ruling</a><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/24-656">Click here to listen&nbsp;</a>to the court's oral argument from Jan. 10, 2024A sale does not appear imminent and, although experts have said the app will not disappear from existing users' phones once the law takes effect on Jan. 19, new users won't be able to download it and updates won't be available. That will eventually render the app unworkable, the Justice Department has said in court filings.The decision came against the backdrop of unusual political agitation by President-elect Donald Trump, who vowed that he could negotiate a solution and the administration of President Joe Biden, which has signaled it won't enforce the law beginning Sunday, his final full day in office.Trump, mindful of TikTok’s popularity, and his own 14.7 million followers on the app, finds himself on the opposite side of the argument from prominent Senate Republicans who fault TikTok’s Chinese owner for not finding a buyer before now.It’s unclear what options are open to Trump once he is sworn in as president on Monday. The law allowed for a 90-day pause in the restrictions on the app if there had been progress toward a sale before it took effect. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, who defended the law at the Supreme Court for the Democratic Biden administration, told the justices last week that it's uncertain whether the prospect of a sale once the law is in effect could trigger a 90-day respite for TikTok.At arguments, the justices were told by a lawyer for TikTok and ByteDance Ltd., the Chinese technology company that is its parent, how difficult it would be to consummate a deal, especially since Chinese law restricts the sale of the proprietary algorithm that has made the social media platform wildly successful.The app allows users to watch&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-kids-teens-use-addiction-03a2d63a21bc5c1c62910628deff0521">hundreds of videos</a>&nbsp;in about half an hour because some are only a few seconds long, according to a lawsuit filed last year by Kentucky complaining that TikTok is designed to be addictive and harms kids' mental health. Similar suits were filed by more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-lawsuit-youth-mental-health-2993f8e70d2e3d4eab9988df168fb948">a dozen states</a>. TikTok has called the claims inaccurate.The dispute over TikTok's ties to China has come to embody the geopolitical competition between Washington and Beijing.The U.S. has said it’s concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of user data, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-censorship-us-data-240e11d9bb6212b0c9b1adab821e5005">sensitive information on viewing habits</a>, that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. Officials have also warned the algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect.TikTok points out the U.S. has not presented evidence that China has attempted to manipulate content on its U.S. platform or gather American user data through TikTok.Bipartisan majorities in Congress passed legislation, and President Joe Biden signed it into law in April. The law was the culmination of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-timeline-ban-biden-india-d3219a32de913f8083612e71ecf1f428">a yearslong saga in Washington</a>&nbsp;over TikTok, which the government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">sees as a national security threat</a>.TikTok, which sued the government last year over the law, has long denied it could be used as a tool of Beijing. A three-judge panel made up of two Republican appointees and a Democratic appointee unanimously upheld the law in December, prompting TikTok’s quick appeal to the Supreme Court.Without a sale to an approved buyer, the law bars app stores operated by Apple, Google and others from offering TikTok beginning on Sunday. Internet hosting services also will be prohibited from hosting TikTok.ByteDance has said it won’t sell. But some investors have been eyeing it, including Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-mnuchin-house-senate-ffdf37776e63a09bb6966d741df7093b">former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin</a>&nbsp;and billionaire businessman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-mccourt-sale-bytedance-843d24334321f90bebeeac4b32896a9a">Frank McCourt</a>. McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative has said it and its unnamed partners have presented a proposal to ByteDance to acquire TikTok’s U.S. assets. The consortium, which includes “Shark Tank” host Kevin O’Leary, did not disclose the financial terms of the offer.Prelogar told the justices last week that having the law take effect “might be just the jolt” ByteDance needs to reconsider its position.

Read the ruling: Supreme Court says TikTok can be shut down Sunday 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Topeka resident Lanell Griffith urged senators Thursday to support a proposed constitutional amendment that would cap annual increases in appraised property values that result in higher tax bills.

Describing herself as a representative of “grassroots unpaid activists,” Griffith said past legislation that requires local officials to hold public meetings before raising property taxes was only a step in the right direction. She said she is subject to 10 taxing entities and finds it difficult to attend every meeting.

The Senate tax committee heard testimony from Griffith and others on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1603/" target="_blank">Senate Concurrent Resolution 1603</a>, which would cap annual increases in appraised value at 3%.

“With no cap on those increases, we citizens just have an unknown — I call it — theft,” Griffith said. “You already own it, and they’re just telling you you gotta pay more and more. We need to stop the hemorrhaging and increase transparency.”

The proposed resolution, co-sponsored by 18 Senate Republicans, requires approval from two-thirds of both the Senate and House members. If passed, it would place a constitutional amendment before voters on the Nov. 4, 2025, ballot.

If at least 50% of voters support the amendment, it would take effect Jan. 1., 2026.

The proposed cap would include exceptions for new construction and improvements to property, changes in property classifications, and when a property changes owners.

Sen. Ethan Corson, D-Fairway, raised a concern about the potential for two virtually identical properties on the same block to have different tax rates, depending on when the homes were purchased.

Other groups, including the teachers union, oppose the constitutional amendment because of the potential effects on public school funding, which is largely collected through a state-assessed mill levy.

The Kansas Farm Bureau opposed the constitutional amendment because it favors cutting the mill levy for schools instead.

But Republicans said constituents made it clear during last year’s election that property tax relief was a top priority.

“I wasn’t going to push this this year,” said Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who chairs the committee. “I had told people the House isn’t going to move on it, ag people don’t want it, but there was enough push from our body, and I’m listening to them.”

Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee, testified in support of the amendment. He said property tax relief was the No. 1 issue he heard about from voters when he knocked on doors during the campaign last year.

He said lawmakers should consider the strongest restrictions possible on property taxes.

“If we truly value liberty,” Thompson said, “property tax wouldn’t even exist.”

“We’re allowing the valuations of the appraiser to do the dirty work,” he added, while elected officials “can ostensibly say we didn’t raise your taxes.”

John Donley, lobbyist for Kansas Farm Bureau, said he agreed with the need for property tax relief and grew frustrated last year when Republican leadership and the Democratic governor were more interested in a tax relief package that primarily dealt with individual income.

He said he thought about the issue as he drove Thursday morning to testify at the Statehouse.

“I was like, welp, it’s the middle of January in an odd-numbered year — we’re here talking about how all we hear about is property taxes on the doorsteps,” Donley said. “This is my 10th election cycle that I’ve been working in this building, and this is what we do in January of odd-numbered years.”

The Kansas Farm Bureau is concerned that the annual cap would effectively shift the tax burden away from residential property, where values are skyrocketing, onto other classifications, such as agriculture.

Instead, Donley said, the state should lower the statewide mill levy.

“We just feel like this is the wrong tool,” Donley said. “This is truly a tax shift.”

Leah Fliter, a lobbyist for the Kansas Association of School Boards, asked lawmakers to exercise caution when considering changes to tax policy.

“We oppose arbitrary limits on taxes and valuations because of the long-term impact on revenues for schools and other public services,” she said, quoting the organization’s member-adopted legislative policy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737081675888.png" alt=" Topeka resident Lanell Griffith testifies Jan. 16, 2025, before the Senate tax committee. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Topeka resident Lanell Griffith testifies Jan. 16, 2025, before the Senate tax committee. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Topeka resident Lanell Griffith urged senators Thursday to support a proposed constitutional amendment that would cap annual increases in appraised property values that result in higher tax bills.Describing herself as a representative of “grassroots unpaid activists,” Griffith said past legislation that requires local officials to hold public meetings before raising property taxes was only a step in the right direction. She said she is subject to 10 taxing entities and finds it difficult to attend every meeting.The Senate tax committee heard testimony from Griffith and others on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1603/" target="_blank">Senate Concurrent Resolution 1603</a>, which would cap annual increases in appraised value at 3%.“With no cap on those increases, we citizens just have an unknown — I call it — theft,” Griffith said. “You already own it, and they’re just telling you you gotta pay more and more. We need to stop the hemorrhaging and increase transparency.”The proposed resolution, co-sponsored by 18 Senate Republicans, requires approval from two-thirds of both the Senate and House members. If passed, it would place a constitutional amendment before voters on the Nov. 4, 2025, ballot.If at least 50% of voters support the amendment, it would take effect Jan. 1., 2026.The proposed cap would include exceptions for new construction and improvements to property, changes in property classifications, and when a property changes owners.Sen. Ethan Corson, D-Fairway, raised a concern about the potential for two virtually identical properties on the same block to have different tax rates, depending on when the homes were purchased.Other groups, including the teachers union, oppose the constitutional amendment because of the potential effects on public school funding, which is largely collected through a state-assessed mill levy.The Kansas Farm Bureau opposed the constitutional amendment because it favors cutting the mill levy for schools instead.But Republicans said constituents made it clear during last year’s election that property tax relief was a top priority.“I wasn’t going to push this this year,” said Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who chairs the committee. “I had told people the House isn’t going to move on it, ag people don’t want it, but there was enough push from our body, and I’m listening to them.”Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee, testified in support of the amendment. He said property tax relief was the No. 1 issue he heard about from voters when he knocked on doors during the campaign last year.He said lawmakers should consider the strongest restrictions possible on property taxes.“If we truly value liberty,” Thompson said, “property tax wouldn’t even exist.”“We’re allowing the valuations of the appraiser to do the dirty work,” he added, while elected officials “can ostensibly say we didn’t raise your taxes.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737081651056.png" alt="John Donley, lobbyist for Kansas Farm Bureau, answers questions from the Senate tax committee on Jan. 16, 2025. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>John Donley, lobbyist for Kansas Farm Bureau, answers questions from the Senate tax committee on Jan. 16, 2025. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>John Donley, lobbyist for Kansas Farm Bureau, said he agreed with the need for property tax relief and grew frustrated last year when Republican leadership and the Democratic governor were more interested in a tax relief package that primarily dealt with individual income.He said he thought about the issue as he drove Thursday morning to testify at the Statehouse.“I was like, welp, it’s the middle of January in an odd-numbered year — we’re here talking about how all we hear about is property taxes on the doorsteps,” Donley said. “This is my 10th election cycle that I’ve been working in this building, and this is what we do in January of odd-numbered years.”The Kansas Farm Bureau is concerned that the annual cap would effectively shift the tax burden away from residential property, where values are skyrocketing, onto other classifications, such as agriculture.Instead, Donley said, the state should lower the statewide mill levy.“We just feel like this is the wrong tool,” Donley said. “This is truly a tax shift.”Leah Fliter, a lobbyist for the Kansas Association of School Boards, asked lawmakers to exercise caution when considering changes to tax policy.“We oppose arbitrary limits on taxes and valuations because of the long-term impact on revenues for schools and other public services,” she said, quoting the organization’s member-adopted legislative policy.

Kansas Senate considers constitutional amendment to cap taxable property values

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, really the only – there’s really no injuries to announce today. We look forward to the challenge of playing the Texans. The guys have had a good week of practice. They’re a good football team and our guys understand that. I’ve mentioned before (Texans Head Coach) DeMeco (Ryans), who actually I had an opportunity for him to play for me in Philadelphia. (He) has done a great job down there. He was a great player, and he’s transitioned that right into being a great coach. Anyways, we look forward to that challenge of playing them. Any questions?”

Q: What’s your favorite part about this time of year?

REID:&nbsp;“You’re of one of the few standing, first of all, so the preparation – you’ve got to really take care of business there. The error margin is tiny, and so you have to make sure that you play well, coach well and hope it works – which is great. We’re in this to challenge ourselves, (there’s) no better time than now.”

Q: What’s the type of mentality you want your team to play with on Saturday?

REID:&nbsp;“It’s always physical football. You want to eliminate mistakes, make sure that you stay accurate and then play hard. Then, you let the chips fall where they may.”

Q: What does it mean to you that Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott, Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh and all you guys are left in the AFC at this point?

REID:&nbsp;“I was fortunate to have some good guys (laughs). There are other ones too, but these guys have done a great job. My hat goes off to them, (I’m) proud of them, for sure.”

Q:&nbsp;How antsy do you think some of the guys are to play after the extended time off?

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, they look forward to it. I mean, (the) Texans, likewise. You get to this time of the year, you know, it’s an honor to be at the – playing at this time. The energy is normally sky high with guys.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you anticipate that Jaylen Watson and Mecole Hardman will play on Saturday?

REID:&nbsp;“I’m going to get with (General Manager Brett) Veach and we’ll figure all that out. Probably, (I’ll) tell you, probably more (Jaylen) Watson than Mecole (Hardman) right now, but we’ll see how it goes.”

Q:&nbsp;Did you see enough to make a decision on the starting left tackle for Saturday?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I’m going to do the same thing. I’ve taken it this far. I’m going to get with the coaches and just make sure what they want and where we’re at with that, but they’ve (D.J. Humphries and Joe Thuney) both been in there. They’ve both been in there and done a nice job. It’s a good – that’s a positive thing.”

Q:&nbsp;How much does Patrick Mahomes influence the decision based on what he likes?

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, he (Patrick Mahomes) likes both guys (D.J. Humphries and Joe Thuney). He trusts those guys and that’s where he’s at, but I always keep that in mind for sure.”

Q: Is Jaylen Watson going to play on Saturday?

REID:&nbsp;“I’m going to see, but I’d tell you he’s (Jaylen Watson) closer probably than the Mecole (Hardman) situation.”

Q: If Jaylen Watson plays on Saturday, what have you been missing without him?

REID:&nbsp;“Well he’s (Jaylen Watson) worked tremendously hard to get himself to this point, first of all, and we’ll just see how that goes as far as the game reps and all that. He sure has worked hard to get himself even to this point right here.”

Q: What do you expect the atmosphere at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium to be like on Saturday? What is your message to the fans?

REID:&nbsp;“It’s always electric and even more so during the playoffs, so we love playing here, (we) love our fans. We’ll put them up against anybody. We appreciate all the support, always. They’ve helped us get to that home record that we’ve got, and we appreciate that.”

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesJanuary 16, 2025HEAD COACH ANDY REIDOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, really the only – there’s really no injuries to announce today. We look forward to the challenge of playing the Texans. The guys have had a good week of practice. They’re a good football team and our guys understand that. I’ve mentioned before (Texans Head Coach) DeMeco (Ryans), who actually I had an opportunity for him to play for me in Philadelphia. (He) has done a great job down there. He was a great player, and he’s transitioned that right into being a great coach. Anyways, we look forward to that challenge of playing them. Any questions?”Q: What’s your favorite part about this time of year?REID:&nbsp;“You’re of one of the few standing, first of all, so the preparation – you’ve got to really take care of business there. The error margin is tiny, and so you have to make sure that you play well, coach well and hope it works – which is great. We’re in this to challenge ourselves, (there’s) no better time than now.”Q: What’s the type of mentality you want your team to play with on Saturday?REID:&nbsp;“It’s always physical football. You want to eliminate mistakes, make sure that you stay accurate and then play hard. Then, you let the chips fall where they may.”Q: What does it mean to you that Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott, Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh and all you guys are left in the AFC at this point?REID:&nbsp;“I was fortunate to have some good guys (laughs). There are other ones too, but these guys have done a great job. My hat goes off to them, (I’m) proud of them, for sure.”Q:&nbsp;How antsy do you think some of the guys are to play after the extended time off?REID:&nbsp;“Listen, they look forward to it. I mean, (the) Texans, likewise. You get to this time of the year, you know, it’s an honor to be at the – playing at this time. The energy is normally sky high with guys.”Q:&nbsp;Do you anticipate that Jaylen Watson and Mecole Hardman will play on Saturday?REID:&nbsp;“I’m going to get with (General Manager Brett) Veach and we’ll figure all that out. Probably, (I’ll) tell you, probably more (Jaylen) Watson than Mecole (Hardman) right now, but we’ll see how it goes.”Q:&nbsp;Did you see enough to make a decision on the starting left tackle for Saturday?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I’m going to do the same thing. I’ve taken it this far. I’m going to get with the coaches and just make sure what they want and where we’re at with that, but they’ve (D.J. Humphries and Joe Thuney) both been in there. They’ve both been in there and done a nice job. It’s a good – that’s a positive thing.”Q:&nbsp;How much does Patrick Mahomes influence the decision based on what he likes?REID:&nbsp;“Listen, he (Patrick Mahomes) likes both guys (D.J. Humphries and Joe Thuney). He trusts those guys and that’s where he’s at, but I always keep that in mind for sure.”Q: Is Jaylen Watson going to play on Saturday?REID:&nbsp;“I’m going to see, but I’d tell you he’s (Jaylen Watson) closer probably than the Mecole (Hardman) situation.”Q: If Jaylen Watson plays on Saturday, what have you been missing without him?REID:&nbsp;“Well he’s (Jaylen Watson) worked tremendously hard to get himself to this point, first of all, and we’ll just see how that goes as far as the game reps and all that. He sure has worked hard to get himself even to this point right here.”Q: What do you expect the atmosphere at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium to be like on Saturday? What is your message to the fans?REID:&nbsp;“It’s always electric and even more so during the playoffs, so we love playing here, (we) love our fans. We’ll put them up against anybody. We appreciate all the support, always. They’ve helped us get to that home record that we’ve got, and we appreciate that.”

Chiefs Quotes: 1-16-24

Gov. Laura Kelly says it’s up to lawmakers now to ensure western Kansas doesn’t dry up and become deserted

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly proposed creating a state natural resources office and spending another $30 million each year to address the state’s water crisis in her State of the State Address Wednesday night.&nbsp;

In her speech, Kelly, a Democrat, looked back over the first 25 years of the 21st century and said she sees “so many good things on the horizon” in the next 75 years. But she called the state’s dwindling water supply “seriously concerning.”

“Without that water, the agricultural industry that fuels our economy and sustains our rural way of life cannot survive,” Kelly said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/tag/ogallala-aquifer/">Ogallala Aquifer</a>, which provides water to the western third of the state, has been dwindling for decades. But despite warnings over the years that the Ogallala, the largest underground store of freshwater in the nation, was a finite resource, the state&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/14/time-for-a-reckoning-kansas-farmers-brace-for-water-cuts-to-save-ogallala-aquifer/" target="_blank">allowed crop irrigation to drain parts of the aquifer</a>&nbsp;to crisis levels.&nbsp;

“Forget making it 75 years down the road,” she said. “Some parts of western Kansas don’t have the groundwater to last another 75 years.”

For that reason, Kelly said, she and other lawmakers have been working to “change decades of inaction on our water supply.” Officials have spread out across the state to listen to farmers, ranchers and other stakeholders.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737051727068.png" alt=" Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly proposed spending more money to preserve the state's dwindling water supply in her State of the State Address Wednesday night. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly proposed spending more money to preserve the state's dwindling water supply in her State of the State Address Wednesday night. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Gov. Laura Kelly says it’s up to lawmakers now to ensure western Kansas doesn’t dry up and become deserted</h2>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly proposed creating a state natural resources office and spending another $30 million each year to address the state’s water crisis in her State of the State Address Wednesday night.&nbsp;In her speech, Kelly, a Democrat, looked back over the first 25 years of the 21st century and said she sees “so many good things on the horizon” in the next 75 years. But she called the state’s dwindling water supply “seriously concerning.”“Without that water, the agricultural industry that fuels our economy and sustains our rural way of life cannot survive,” Kelly said.The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/tag/ogallala-aquifer/">Ogallala Aquifer</a>, which provides water to the western third of the state, has been dwindling for decades. But despite warnings over the years that the Ogallala, the largest underground store of freshwater in the nation, was a finite resource, the state&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/14/time-for-a-reckoning-kansas-farmers-brace-for-water-cuts-to-save-ogallala-aquifer/" target="_blank">allowed crop irrigation to drain parts of the aquifer</a>&nbsp;to crisis levels.&nbsp;“Forget making it 75 years down the road,” she said. “Some parts of western Kansas don’t have the groundwater to last another 75 years.”For that reason, Kelly said, she and other lawmakers have been working to “change decades of inaction on our water supply.” Officials have spread out across the state to listen to farmers, ranchers and other stakeholders.“As a result, we’ve set a goal: from now on, each generation will work to protect our water supply for the next two generations that follow,” she said, calling it “the multigenerational promise.”&nbsp;Kelly’s budget proposal, expected to be released Thursday, will include another $30 million each year for water priorities. That’s on top of an additional $35 million the Kansas Legislature authorized for water priorities in 2023.&nbsp;She did not specify how the additional resources might be spent. The state has been pushing local groundwater agencies to come up with plans to address the aquifer decline.&nbsp;To address the state’s water crisis, Kelly proposed creating a singular office to govern water issues and streamline conservation efforts. Right now, she said, there are 14 agencies governing water in Kansas, making it “difficult, if not impossible, to align efforts around policy planning and investment.”Kansas lawmakers considered reorganizing state agencies that address water in 2022, but it&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/03/01/shooting-themselves-in-the-foot-committee-guts-kansas-bill-to-protect-water/">never made it out of the Kansas House Water Committee</a>.Kelly also proposed creating a long-term strategy “to ensure that Kansans have the water supply they need to exist … for generations to come.”More than 35 years ago, Kelly said, the Kansas Legislature created the first comprehensive transportation plan to effectively build and manage roads and other infrastructure. It needs something similar, she said, to ensure Kansans “have the water needed to farm their land, preserve their communities and their way of life.”Kelly said the decisions lawmakers make touch “every aspect of the lives of the people we work for.” She said the Kansas the next generations will inherit “is up to us right now.”&nbsp;“Is our agricultural economy booming because we preserved our water … or is rural Kansas dried up and deserted?” Kelly said. “That’s up to us.”