<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HILLEL%20ITALIE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — The Oprah Winfrey book club has reached 100 picks. On Tuesday, Winfrey announced that she had chosen Ann Napolitano's "Hello Beautiful" as the milestone pick. Winfrey reflected on the journey her book club has taken in a recent interview with The Associated Press. She says she has relied on the same instincts from the start, and it's always a sign that "there's something powerful and moving" when she doesn't move on. Since 1996, her book choices have set her on a journey of extraordinary influence and success, frequent reinvention and the occasional controversy. It has endured through changes for both Winfrey and the publishing industry.

NEW YORK (AP) — For her 100th book club pick, Oprah Winfrey relied on the same instincts she has drawn upon from the start: Does the story move her? Does she think about it for days after? In a work of fiction, do the characters seem real to her?

"When I don't move on, that's always a sign to me there's something powerful and moving," Winfrey told The Associated Press in a recent telephone interview.

On Tuesday, she announced that she had chosen Ann Napolitano's "Hello Beautiful," a modern-day homage to "Little Women" from the author of the bestselling "Dear Edward." The novel was published Tuesday by Dial Press, a Penguin Random House imprint, and Winfrey believes its themes of family, resilience and perspective give "Hello Beautiful" a "universal appeal" that makes it a proper milestone.

A Winfrey pick no longer ensures blockbuster sales, but it retains a special status within the industry; for authors, a call from Winfrey still feels like being told they've won an Oscar. Winfrey told AP that she is in "awe" of the club and its history, "the very notion" that someone might go and buy a copy of "Anna Karenina" or a little known book simply because she suggested it.

"She is the queen," says Jenna Bush Hager, who hosts the popular "Read With Jenna" club on NBC's "Today" show. "I remember being a high school senior, in AP English, and reading (David Guterson's) 'Snow Falling on Cedars' because I had walked into the local bookstore and seen that Oprah had recommended it."

Kristen McLean, an analyst for NPD Books, which tracks industry sales, says that Winfrey is especially effective these days when promoting a known author such as Barbara Kingsolver and her novel "Demon Copperhead," a bestseller since Winfrey picked it last fall that has far outsold her two previous works of fiction.

Since 1996, Winfrey's book choices have set her on a journey of extraordinary influence and success, frequent reinvention and the occasional controversy. It has endured through changes for both Winfrey and the publishing industry, through the rise of the internet and the end of Winfrey's syndicated talk show, through immersions in the classics and unexpected lessons in the reliability of memoirs and the lack of diversity of book publishing.

Thanks to Winfrey, contemporary authors such as Jacquelyn Mitchard and Jane Hamilton found audiences they never imagined, while picks published decades or even centuries earlier, from "Anna Karenina" to "As I Lay Dying," placed high on bestseller lists. Winfrey didn't invent the mass market book club, but she demonstrated that spontaneous passion can inspire people in ways that elude the most sophisticated marketing campaigns.

Her most troubled choices — James Frey's fabricated memoir "A Million Little Pieces," Jeanine Cummins' "American Dirt," a novel criticized for stereotypical depictions of Mexicans — made so much news in part because of the spotlight of a Winfrey endorsement.

The club began as the extension of conversations between herself and her producer at the time, Alice McGee. They would talk about the books they liked until McGee finally suggested, in 1996, that Winfrey share the experience with her viewers. The first pick, Mitchard's "The Deep End of the Ocean," has sold more than 2 million copies. Other books also became major bestsellers, whether by established authors like Joyce Carol Oates ("We Were the Mulvaneys") and Toni Morrison ("The Bluest Eye") or then-emerging writers like Janet Fitch and Tawni O'Dell.

The club was so successful that some suspected a catch. Winfrey remembers Quincy Jones asking her: "How much money are they paying you for that book club, baby?" The process was so informal that Winfrey at first didn't even bother going through intermediaries.

"I would just call Wally Lamb," she says of the author of "She's Come Undone," her fourth pick. "In the early stages, I would finish the book and then find the author. When you'd go to the back of the book, it gives you the bio of the author and it would tell you what city the author lives. And, this is when we had phone books, in every instance I was able to get the author's phone number because the author was listed."

Winfrey's system is now only slightly more structured. Leigh Newman, books director of the online/print publication Oprah Daily, will call the publisher first and arrange a "surprise call" with the author and Oprah. Winfrey's staff will research the author's background to make sure nothing problematic turns up — whether criminal charges or allegations of plagiarism. The vetting began, Winfrey says, after "A Million Little Pieces" turned out to have substantial falsehoods, leading to an extraordinary public scolding by Winfrey when she brought Frey back on her show to explain himself. (They have since reconciled).

"I took it so personally," she says. "I probably should haven't taken it so personally but I felt like he had let me down and I let the audience down. ... I was the one saying, 'Can you believe this is a true story?' and shouting that from the rooftops. I felt foolish for doing that, embarrassed for doing that."

Winfrey's book choices are still in-house and intimate — mostly just determined by herself and Newman — although Winfrey says she made a rare exception for "Hello Beautiful," recommended to her by the co-chairman of Creative Artists Agency, Richard Lovett. Otherwise, Newman will seek out books she thinks Winfrey might respond to — fiction or nonfiction, as long as the story is "compelling," Newman explains. Winfrey will also come upon books on her own.

The club follows no real formula. For the first few years, Winfrey averaged a selection nearly every month, a pace she came to find exhausting. She paused the club for much of 2002-2003, focused on older works in 2004-2005, and in other years only selected one or two titles. After her talk show ended in 2011, she launched Oprah's Book Club 2.0 the following year, with the emphasis on digital media.

She is currently aiming for a new book every eight weeks, with author interviews and interactive reader discussions showcased on OprahDaily.com. Winfrey has no plans to stop, and no specific goals for selections. In the aftermath of "American Dirt," selected early in 2020, she had vowed to open herself up "to more Latinx books." But she has not since picked any for her club and is not committing herself for the future.

"I'd never choose a book because the author is Hispanic, or Black, or Indian. I'm not going to be put in that box," she says. "The book has to live on many different levels to me. It doesn't mean there are not fantastic books by authors of every race and creed. It means I haven't seen one yet (for the club). But we're mindful of it and I've come close a couple of times."

Winfrey's choices are influenced at times by a relatively recent trend — competition.

Over the past few years, Hager and Reese Witherspoon have demonstrated that they too, can win the trust of large numbers of readers, whether Witherspoon's early promotion of Delia Owens' blockbuster "Where the Crawdads Sing" or Hager championing such debut works as Katy Hays' novel "The Cloisters." The exuberance of young people on TikTok helped make Colleen Hoover the country's most popular fiction writer.

Winfrey is respectful: If she hears a book she might choose is also being pursued by Witherspoon or Hager, she will step back and pick another. But she also claims her place. Yes, Witherspoon, Hager and the BookTok kids are all great, but no one should forget who came first.

"We started this conversation," she says. "And I'm very, very proud of that."

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HILLEL%20ITALIE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer</a>NEW YORK (AP) — The Oprah Winfrey book club has reached 100 picks. On Tuesday, Winfrey announced that she had chosen Ann Napolitano's "Hello Beautiful" as the milestone pick. Winfrey reflected on the journey her book club has taken in a recent interview with The Associated Press. She says she has relied on the same instincts from the start, and it's always a sign that "there's something powerful and moving" when she doesn't move on. Since 1996, her book choices have set her on a journey of extraordinary influence and success, frequent reinvention and the occasional controversy. It has endured through changes for both Winfrey and the publishing industry.NEW YORK (AP) — For her 100th book club pick, Oprah Winfrey relied on the same instincts she has drawn upon from the start: Does the story move her? Does she think about it for days after? In a work of fiction, do the characters seem real to her?"When I don't move on, that's always a sign to me there's something powerful and moving," Winfrey told The Associated Press in a recent telephone interview.On Tuesday, she announced that she had chosen Ann Napolitano's "Hello Beautiful," a modern-day homage to "Little Women" from the author of the bestselling "Dear Edward." The novel was published Tuesday by Dial Press, a Penguin Random House imprint, and Winfrey believes its themes of family, resilience and perspective give "Hello Beautiful" a "universal appeal" that makes it a proper milestone.A Winfrey pick no longer ensures blockbuster sales, but it retains a special status within the industry; for authors, a call from Winfrey still feels like being told they've won an Oscar. Winfrey told AP that she is in "awe" of the club and its history, "the very notion" that someone might go and buy a copy of "Anna Karenina" or a little known book simply because she suggested it."She is the queen," says Jenna Bush Hager, who hosts the popular "Read With Jenna" club on NBC's "Today" show. "I remember being a high school senior, in AP English, and reading (David Guterson's) 'Snow Falling on Cedars' because I had walked into the local bookstore and seen that Oprah had recommended it."Kristen McLean, an analyst for NPD Books, which tracks industry sales, says that Winfrey is especially effective these days when promoting a known author such as Barbara Kingsolver and her novel "Demon Copperhead," a bestseller since Winfrey picked it last fall that has far outsold her two previous works of fiction.Since 1996, Winfrey's book choices have set her on a journey of extraordinary influence and success, frequent reinvention and the occasional controversy. It has endured through changes for both Winfrey and the publishing industry, through the rise of the internet and the end of Winfrey's syndicated talk show, through immersions in the classics and unexpected lessons in the reliability of memoirs and the lack of diversity of book publishing.Thanks to Winfrey, contemporary authors such as Jacquelyn Mitchard and Jane Hamilton found audiences they never imagined, while picks published decades or even centuries earlier, from "Anna Karenina" to "As I Lay Dying," placed high on bestseller lists. Winfrey didn't invent the mass market book club, but she demonstrated that spontaneous passion can inspire people in ways that elude the most sophisticated marketing campaigns.Her most troubled choices — James Frey's fabricated memoir "A Million Little Pieces," Jeanine Cummins' "American Dirt," a novel criticized for stereotypical depictions of Mexicans — made so much news in part because of the spotlight of a Winfrey endorsement.The club began as the extension of conversations between herself and her producer at the time, Alice McGee. They would talk about the books they liked until McGee finally suggested, in 1996, that Winfrey share the experience with her viewers. The first pick, Mitchard's "The Deep End of the Ocean," has sold more than 2 million copies. Other books also became major bestsellers, whether by established authors like Joyce Carol Oates ("We Were the Mulvaneys") and Toni Morrison ("The Bluest Eye") or then-emerging writers like Janet Fitch and Tawni O'Dell.The club was so successful that some suspected a catch. Winfrey remembers Quincy Jones asking her: "How much money are they paying you for that book club, baby?" The process was so informal that Winfrey at first didn't even bother going through intermediaries."I would just call Wally Lamb," she says of the author of "She's Come Undone," her fourth pick. "In the early stages, I would finish the book and then find the author. When you'd go to the back of the book, it gives you the bio of the author and it would tell you what city the author lives. And, this is when we had phone books, in every instance I was able to get the author's phone number because the author was listed."Winfrey's system is now only slightly more structured. Leigh Newman, books director of the online/print publication Oprah Daily, will call the publisher first and arrange a "surprise call" with the author and Oprah. Winfrey's staff will research the author's background to make sure nothing problematic turns up — whether criminal charges or allegations of plagiarism. The vetting began, Winfrey says, after "A Million Little Pieces" turned out to have substantial falsehoods, leading to an extraordinary public scolding by Winfrey when she brought Frey back on her show to explain himself. (They have since reconciled)."I took it so personally," she says. "I probably should haven't taken it so personally but I felt like he had let me down and I let the audience down. ... I was the one saying, 'Can you believe this is a true story?' and shouting that from the rooftops. I felt foolish for doing that, embarrassed for doing that."Winfrey's book choices are still in-house and intimate — mostly just determined by herself and Newman — although Winfrey says she made a rare exception for "Hello Beautiful," recommended to her by the co-chairman of Creative Artists Agency, Richard Lovett. Otherwise, Newman will seek out books she thinks Winfrey might respond to — fiction or nonfiction, as long as the story is "compelling," Newman explains. Winfrey will also come upon books on her own.The club follows no real formula. For the first few years, Winfrey averaged a selection nearly every month, a pace she came to find exhausting. She paused the club for much of 2002-2003, focused on older works in 2004-2005, and in other years only selected one or two titles. After her talk show ended in 2011, she launched Oprah's Book Club 2.0 the following year, with the emphasis on digital media.She is currently aiming for a new book every eight weeks, with author interviews and interactive reader discussions showcased on OprahDaily.com. Winfrey has no plans to stop, and no specific goals for selections. In the aftermath of "American Dirt," selected early in 2020, she had vowed to open herself up "to more Latinx books." But she has not since picked any for her club and is not committing herself for the future."I'd never choose a book because the author is Hispanic, or Black, or Indian. I'm not going to be put in that box," she says. "The book has to live on many different levels to me. It doesn't mean there are not fantastic books by authors of every race and creed. It means I haven't seen one yet (for the club). But we're mindful of it and I've come close a couple of times."Winfrey's choices are influenced at times by a relatively recent trend — competition.Over the past few years, Hager and Reese Witherspoon have demonstrated that they too, can win the trust of large numbers of readers, whether Witherspoon's early promotion of Delia Owens' blockbuster "Where the Crawdads Sing" or Hager championing such debut works as Katy Hays' novel "The Cloisters." The exuberance of young people on TikTok helped make Colleen Hoover the country's most popular fiction writer.Winfrey is respectful: If she hears a book she might choose is also being pursued by Witherspoon or Hager, she will step back and pick another. But she also claims her place. Yes, Witherspoon, Hager and the BookTok kids are all great, but no one should forget who came first."We started this conversation," she says. "And I'm very, very proud of that."

Oprah Winfrey reflects on book club, announces 100th pick

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MAE%20ANDERSON%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MAE ANDERSON Associated Press</a>

“Paris: The Memoir” by Paris Hilton (Dey St. Books)

Dubbed the “OG Influencer,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/paris-hilton">club kid-turned-mogul Paris Hilton</a>&nbsp;pioneered becoming “famous for being famous,” in the early 2000s, a playbook since adopted by everyone from the Kardashians to Housewives and countless social media influencers.

Hilton became a staple on the New York City club circuit in her teens in the late 1990s, decked out in designer fashion and towering heels, an irresistible magnet for paparazzi.

In her 20s, her fame became mainstream with the nearly simultaneous debut of her reality show “The Simple Life,” and the leak of a scandalous sex tape.

“I knew I wasn’t trying to build an ordinary career,” Hilton recalls of her early days of being paid to party and attract the paparazzi. “I was building a brand that would eventually turn into multiple income streams … but that sounds way more calculated than it was.”

Born into the family dynasty of hotel magnate Conrad Hilton, Hilton spent her childhood in a rarefied world of privilege, collecting a menagerie of animals like ferrets, gerbils and a baby goat and earning the family nickname of “Star.”

But a diagnosis of ADHD put a damper on the idyllic childhood, making it difficult to focus in school. Her constant need for excitement and penchant for escaping over fences and through bathroom windows branded her a troublemaker.

“I don’t just love fun. I need fun. Fun is my jet fuel,” she writes.

After Hilton started sneaking out at night to go to clubs, sometimes disappearing for days, her parents took a “tough love” approach and sent her to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paris-hilton-testify-abuse-utah-school-f67a2ef0dbdace1c9a8c0d70d8798b5b">series of schools for troubled teens,</a>&nbsp;with devastating consequences. Locked away at the schools for nearly two years, Hilton says she was psychologically and physically abused and sexually assaulted during sham gynecological exams.

Once she was released at 18, she stuck to the story concocted by her family that she’d been away at a London boarding school. She didn’t open up about the abuse for 20 years, finally discussing it in her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-utah-us-news-ut-state-wire-featured-4814d4893103e10ad2ebf59d4999254d">2020 YouTube documentary</a>&nbsp;“This is Paris.” Since then, she’s become an advocate for reform in the “troubled teen” industry, testifying before Congress about her experience.

Now embracing her ADHD as her “superpower,” these days Hilton focuses on being a mogul with a perfume and jewelry line and other ventures, with a legion of fans she calls her “Little Hiltons.”

She married&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paris-hilton-engaged-carter-reum-04cf1faa03cc9153d7ab7b610635f6fb">husband Carter Reum</a>&nbsp;in 2021 and the couple&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paris-hilton-baby-7e5b6a582f84bea2108a9ce6b86def29">now have a son.</a>&nbsp;Hilton says she appreciates how Reum accepts the “endless spin cycle” of her life. “Where most people see a dumpster fire, Carter sees Burning Man,” she writes.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MAE%20ANDERSON%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MAE ANDERSON Associated Press</a>“Paris: The Memoir” by Paris Hilton (Dey St. Books)Dubbed the “OG Influencer,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/paris-hilton">club kid-turned-mogul Paris Hilton</a>&nbsp;pioneered becoming “famous for being famous,” in the early 2000s, a playbook since adopted by everyone from the Kardashians to Housewives and countless social media influencers.Hilton became a staple on the New York City club circuit in her teens in the late 1990s, decked out in designer fashion and towering heels, an irresistible magnet for paparazzi.In her 20s, her fame became mainstream with the nearly simultaneous debut of her reality show “The Simple Life,” and the leak of a scandalous sex tape.“I knew I wasn’t trying to build an ordinary career,” Hilton recalls of her early days of being paid to party and attract the paparazzi. “I was building a brand that would eventually turn into multiple income streams … but that sounds way more calculated than it was.”Born into the family dynasty of hotel magnate Conrad Hilton, Hilton spent her childhood in a rarefied world of privilege, collecting a menagerie of animals like ferrets, gerbils and a baby goat and earning the family nickname of “Star.”But a diagnosis of ADHD put a damper on the idyllic childhood, making it difficult to focus in school. Her constant need for excitement and penchant for escaping over fences and through bathroom windows branded her a troublemaker.“I don’t just love fun. I need fun. Fun is my jet fuel,” she writes.After Hilton started sneaking out at night to go to clubs, sometimes disappearing for days, her parents took a “tough love” approach and sent her to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paris-hilton-testify-abuse-utah-school-f67a2ef0dbdace1c9a8c0d70d8798b5b">series of schools for troubled teens,</a>&nbsp;with devastating consequences. Locked away at the schools for nearly two years, Hilton says she was psychologically and physically abused and sexually assaulted during sham gynecological exams.Once she was released at 18, she stuck to the story concocted by her family that she’d been away at a London boarding school. She didn’t open up about the abuse for 20 years, finally discussing it in her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-utah-us-news-ut-state-wire-featured-4814d4893103e10ad2ebf59d4999254d">2020 YouTube documentary</a>&nbsp;“This is Paris.” Since then, she’s become an advocate for reform in the “troubled teen” industry, testifying before Congress about her experience.Now embracing her ADHD as her “superpower,” these days Hilton focuses on being a mogul with a perfume and jewelry line and other ventures, with a legion of fans she calls her “Little Hiltons.”She married&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paris-hilton-engaged-carter-reum-04cf1faa03cc9153d7ab7b610635f6fb">husband Carter Reum</a>&nbsp;in 2021 and the couple&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paris-hilton-baby-7e5b6a582f84bea2108a9ce6b86def29">now have a son.</a>&nbsp;Hilton says she appreciates how Reum accepts the “endless spin cycle” of her life. “Where most people see a dumpster fire, Carter sees Burning Man,” she writes.

Review: Paris Hilton’s path from party girl to style icon

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MARK%20KENNEDY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — Legendary British singer-songwriter Cat Stevens will release a new album of original songs this summer that took the “Peace Train” hitmaker over a decade to make and revisits familiar themes of togetherness.

The 12-song collection is called “King of a Land” and comes out in June on George Harrison-founded Dark Horse Records. The album cover illustration shows a boy playing guitar on top of the Earth, as a cat stretches and a train puffs along a track.

The first single is the cheerful, family friendly “Take the World Apart,” with the lyrics “I'll take the world apart/to find a place for a peaceful heart.”

“The source of musical inspiration for this song came from the 50s. The smoochy harmonies and chords have an enchanting effect on the ear. Life was simpler then: lonely hearts yearning for love," he said in a statement to The Associated Press.

The album reunites Stevens with producer Paul Samwell-Smith, who produced three Stevens albums between 1970-72 — “Tea for the Tillerman,” “Teaser and the Firecat” and “Catch Bull at Four.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1a43c96be82d41eb8ba03e37a82fec4a">Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame member Stevens,</a>&nbsp;who also goes by Yusuf, the name he took when he converted to Islam, has been a respected writer since releasing his debut in 1967. He’s had a string of Top 40 hits, from “Peace Train” and “Wild World” to “Morning Has Broken.” He was just named to Glastonbury’s coveted Legends slot this summer.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22MARK%20KENNEDY%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer</a>NEW YORK (AP) — Legendary British singer-songwriter Cat Stevens will release a new album of original songs this summer that took the “Peace Train” hitmaker over a decade to make and revisits familiar themes of togetherness.The 12-song collection is called “King of a Land” and comes out in June on George Harrison-founded Dark Horse Records. The album cover illustration shows a boy playing guitar on top of the Earth, as a cat stretches and a train puffs along a track.The first single is the cheerful, family friendly “Take the World Apart,” with the lyrics “I'll take the world apart/to find a place for a peaceful heart.”“The source of musical inspiration for this song came from the 50s. The smoochy harmonies and chords have an enchanting effect on the ear. Life was simpler then: lonely hearts yearning for love," he said in a statement to The Associated Press.The album reunites Stevens with producer Paul Samwell-Smith, who produced three Stevens albums between 1970-72 — “Tea for the Tillerman,” “Teaser and the Firecat” and “Catch Bull at Four.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/1a43c96be82d41eb8ba03e37a82fec4a">Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame member Stevens,</a>&nbsp;who also goes by Yusuf, the name he took when he converted to Islam, has been a respected writer since releasing his debut in 1967. He’s had a string of Top 40 hits, from “Peace Train” and “Wild World” to “Morning Has Broken.” He was just named to Glastonbury’s coveted Legends slot this summer.

Cat Stevens to return this summer with a new album

More than 700 runners are already registered for the 2023 Salina Crossroads Marathon on Nov. 4.

The Salina Crossroads Marathon has set a goal of 1,000 runners registering, which would make it the first running event in Salina to ever reach the 1,000 registration milestone. Last year’s inaugural event was the first USATF Certified and Boston Marathon Qualifier event ever held in Salina and had 817 registered runners from 30 states. The event had an estimated economic impact of $446,296, according to an estimate by the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce's Visit Salina.

"Having over 700 runners registered this early is amazing. We are excited that we already have more out-of-state runners registered than we had last year," said Co-Race Director Daniel Craig. "It is a testament to the hard work that our planning committee put into creating a high-quality event last year.

"Some of the things last year’s participants mentioned the most included excellent pre-race communication, the vendor expo, an epic electric guitar performance of the National Anthem, music and entertainment all along the flat and scenic course, amazing volunteers, high-quality custom-designed medals by Vortex Companies, burgers by Cozy Inn, and post-race entertainment," Craig continued.

The 708 runners already registered represent 19 states. According to information from the Salina Crossroad Marathon, 570 of the runners are from outside Salina, including 202 runners from outside Kansas, with Oklahoma having the most runners at 101.

The 2023 Salina Crossroads Marathon weekend will feature seven events: marathon, half marathon, 5K run, 5K walk, half marathon relay, marathon relay, and a new half-mile kids run.

"One of our goals with the Salina Crossroads Marathon is to create a high-quality event with fun race options for the entire family," said Craig. "The Salina Crossroads Marathon has a scenic course that showcases the amazing art and murals in downtown Salina, features four of Salina’s parks, and has activation points where community members really come out and support and cheer on the runners along the course. There are a lot of great races in Kansas, but by providing music and entertainment along the course and a great post-race celebration, we want to create a fun experience that will make Salina Crossroads unique and stand out from other races in the state."

Race organizers also announced that Vortex Companies will be the 2023 Salina Crossroads Marathon title sponsor.

"We are proud to be the title sponsor for the Salina Crossroads Marathon," said Travis Young, CEO of Vortex Companies. “I ran in the inaugural event and the organizers do a phenomenal job of making it a great experience for all that participate. 2023’s race should be one for everyone to look forward to.”

"Having a title sponsor is a key next step towards our goal of becoming one of the premier running events in the Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Nebraska region," Craig said.

Individuals who are interested in participating in the Salina Crossroads Marathon, Half Marathon, Family Fun Run/Walk, and Team Relays can register at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.runsalinacrossroads.com/">https://www.runsalinacrossroads.com/</a>.

For more information about the Salina Crossroads Marathon, go to the race's&nbsp;<a href="http://runsalinacrossroads.com/">website</a>&nbsp;at or follow its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1469896640070189">Facebook page</a>&nbsp;.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678747971906.jpeg" alt="Salina Crossroads Marathon 2022 Fun Run and Walk. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Salina Crossroads Marathon 2022 Fun Run and Walk. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTMore than 700 runners are already registered for the 2023 Salina Crossroads Marathon on Nov. 4.The Salina Crossroads Marathon has set a goal of 1,000 runners registering, which would make it the first running event in Salina to ever reach the 1,000 registration milestone. Last year’s inaugural event was the first USATF Certified and Boston Marathon Qualifier event ever held in Salina and had 817 registered runners from 30 states. The event had an estimated economic impact of $446,296, according to an estimate by the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce's Visit Salina."Having over 700 runners registered this early is amazing. We are excited that we already have more out-of-state runners registered than we had last year," said Co-Race Director Daniel Craig. "It is a testament to the hard work that our planning committee put into creating a high-quality event last year."Some of the things last year’s participants mentioned the most included excellent pre-race communication, the vendor expo, an epic electric guitar performance of the National Anthem, music and entertainment all along the flat and scenic course, amazing volunteers, high-quality custom-designed medals by Vortex Companies, burgers by Cozy Inn, and post-race entertainment," Craig continued.The 708 runners already registered represent 19 states. According to information from the Salina Crossroad Marathon, 570 of the runners are from outside Salina, including 202 runners from outside Kansas, with Oklahoma having the most runners at 101.The 2023 Salina Crossroads Marathon weekend will feature seven events: marathon, half marathon, 5K run, 5K walk, half marathon relay, marathon relay, and a new half-mile kids run."One of our goals with the Salina Crossroads Marathon is to create a high-quality event with fun race options for the entire family," said Craig. "The Salina Crossroads Marathon has a scenic course that showcases the amazing art and murals in downtown Salina, features four of Salina’s parks, and has activation points where community members really come out and support and cheer on the runners along the course. There are a lot of great races in Kansas, but by providing music and entertainment along the course and a great post-race celebration, we want to create a fun experience that will make Salina Crossroads unique and stand out from other races in the state."Race organizers also announced that Vortex Companies will be the 2023 Salina Crossroads Marathon title sponsor."We are proud to be the title sponsor for the Salina Crossroads Marathon," said Travis Young, CEO of Vortex Companies. “I ran in the inaugural event and the organizers do a phenomenal job of making it a great experience for all that participate. 2023’s race should be one for everyone to look forward to.”"Having a title sponsor is a key next step towards our goal of becoming one of the premier running events in the Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Nebraska region," Craig said.Individuals who are interested in participating in the Salina Crossroads Marathon, Half Marathon, Family Fun Run/Walk, and Team Relays can register at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.runsalinacrossroads.com/">https://www.runsalinacrossroads.com/</a>.For more information about the Salina Crossroads Marathon, go to the race's&nbsp;<a href="http://runsalinacrossroads.com/">website</a>&nbsp;at or follow its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1469896640070189">Facebook page</a>&nbsp;.

More than 700 runners already registered for Salina Crossroads Marathon

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22The%20Associated%20Press%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By The Associated Press</a>

Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.

— Keira Knightley and Carrie Coon play the Boston Record American reporters Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole, who connected several Boston-area murders in the early 1960s to a single suspect they dubbed the Boston Strangler. The serial killer sexually assaulted and killed at least 11 women between 1962 and 1964. The case has been the subject of many books and movies over the years, but writer-director Matt Ruskin’s is the first to focus on the reporters.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_yfmHCkSB0">“The Boston Strangler”</a>&nbsp;debuts on Hulu on Friday.

— A new documentary on Netflix,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81406118">“Money Shot: The Pornhub Story”</a>&nbsp;arriving Wednesday, takes a look at the phenomenon of Pornhub and the accusations that the pornographic website hosted and profited from videos of rape and underage sex. The filmmakers speaks to lawyers, Pornhub employees who were told that “nothing was wrong” and sex workers to delve into the complex topic. "Our hope is that this film generates important conversations about sex and consent, both on the internet and out in the world,” director Suzanne Hillinger said.

—&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ldbahr">AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr</a>

— Appropriate for St. Patrick’s Day, a whole lot of U2 is in the works. “Bono &amp; The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, with Dave Letterman” is set to premiere globally on Disney+ on Friday, the same day U2 drops&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/xzRUKcPSAlA">“Songs Of Surrender,”</a>&nbsp;a collection of 40 seminal U2 songs from across the Irish band’s catalog, re-recorded and reimagined. The Edge has said the project “started as an experiment” but quickly became an “obsession as so many early U2 songs yielded to a new interpretation.” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” gets a cowboy vibe and unexpected honky-tonk electricity. “Desire” has Bono high in his falsetto against a strummy dulcimer and the effect is hypnotic.

— Maybe some old-fashioned rock is more your speed? Look no further than hard-hitting, riff-heavy Theory of a Deadman, whose new album is “Dinosaur.” It was produced by Martin Terefe and recorded in Sweden at Atlantis Studios, made famous by ABBA. The 10-track collection from the quartet of Tyler Connolly, Dave Brenner, Dean Back and Joey Dandeneau includes the rocking&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2nS4oFwjOI">title tune,</a>&nbsp;the party song&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfk4CkHIaxs">“Ambulance”</a>&nbsp;— with the lyrics “cheap drinks/sticky floors/in my safe place” — and a reworking of the classic song “Just the Two of Us” with a darker hue called “Two Of Us (Stuck).”

—&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/kennedytwits?lang=en">AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy</a>

—&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR9yjn7Lkdg">“Ted Lasso”</a>&nbsp;returns Wednesday to Apple TV+ with all the heart, one-liners, and pop culture references viewers have adored from its first two seasons. The Emmy-winning series starring Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein, Hannah Waddingham and Juno Temple picks up a few months following where season two ended. Sudeikis, who is a co-creator of the series, has said season three is the end of this story but has not provided a clear answer as to whether the show could take a new direction, launch a spinoff or return for another season down the road.

— Elvis Presley famously loved comic books and now the late singer is the star of his very own animated series coming to Netflix. In “Agent Elvis,” Presley — voiced by Matthew McConaughey — is still the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll but also moonlights as a government spy by night. Kaitlin Olson, Johnny Knoxville, Niecy Nash and Don Cheadle also voice characters. Priscilla Presley, who is a co-creator and executive producer, plays herself.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCk3wHGJ3qs">“Agent Elvis,”</a>&nbsp;premiering Friday, is the first adult animated project from the studio behind “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” The show is violent, profane and features a NSFW chimpanzee, so definitely not suitable for kids.

— A new re-telling of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNtGZzfvb6s">“Marie Antoinette”</a>&nbsp;comes to PBS on Sunday. This version stars Emilia Schüle, as a teenage Antoinette who is sent to Versailles to marry the future King of France, played by Louis Cunningham. PBS says this “Marie Antoinette” tells the story from a more modern lens, focusing on how the young woman navigated the politics of the French court, pressure to deliver an heir and made her mark on Versailles and history. James Purefoy plays Louis XV.

— Platinum Games wrapped up its Bayonetta trilogy just a few months ago. But no video-game series ever really ends, and the studio is already back with a prequel,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.platinumgames.com/games/bayonetta-origins">Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon</a>. Cereza is a young, outcast witch who summons a demon named Cheshire that possesses her favorite stuffed toy. Can Cereza help Cheshire finds its way home? Will this adorable girl really turn into the flamboyant fighter fans know and love? Can Platinum actually deliver a family-friendly version of this hyperviolent franchise? Find out Friday, on Nintendo Switch.

— John Cena is back in the ring for&nbsp;<a href="https://wwe.2k.com/2k23/">WWE 2K23</a>, the latest edition of 2K Sports’ long-running pro wrestling series. The “Peacemaker” actor is featured in this year's Showcase mode, which puts you in the trunks of the big lug during the biggest matches of his career. You can also choose from dozens of other WWE stars, from legends like Hulk Hogan to current headliners like Roman Reigns, or create your own rookie brawler from scratch. The 2023 model also introduces WarGames, a fan favorite in which teams of three or four compete in two rings covered by a steel cage. Chaos ensues Friday on PlayStation 5/4, Xbox X/S/One and PC.

—&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/lkesten">Lou Kesten</a>

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22The%20Associated%20Press%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By The Associated Press</a>Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.MOVIES— Keira Knightley and Carrie Coon play the Boston Record American reporters Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole, who connected several Boston-area murders in the early 1960s to a single suspect they dubbed the Boston Strangler. The serial killer sexually assaulted and killed at least 11 women between 1962 and 1964. The case has been the subject of many books and movies over the years, but writer-director Matt Ruskin’s is the first to focus on the reporters.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_yfmHCkSB0">“The Boston Strangler”</a>&nbsp;debuts on Hulu on Friday.— A new documentary on Netflix,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81406118">“Money Shot: The Pornhub Story”</a>&nbsp;arriving Wednesday, takes a look at the phenomenon of Pornhub and the accusations that the pornographic website hosted and profited from videos of rape and underage sex. The filmmakers speaks to lawyers, Pornhub employees who were told that “nothing was wrong” and sex workers to delve into the complex topic. "Our hope is that this film generates important conversations about sex and consent, both on the internet and out in the world,” director Suzanne Hillinger said.—&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ldbahr">AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr</a>MUSIC— Appropriate for St. Patrick’s Day, a whole lot of U2 is in the works. “Bono &amp; The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, with Dave Letterman” is set to premiere globally on Disney+ on Friday, the same day U2 drops&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/xzRUKcPSAlA">“Songs Of Surrender,”</a>&nbsp;a collection of 40 seminal U2 songs from across the Irish band’s catalog, re-recorded and reimagined. The Edge has said the project “started as an experiment” but quickly became an “obsession as so many early U2 songs yielded to a new interpretation.” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” gets a cowboy vibe and unexpected honky-tonk electricity. “Desire” has Bono high in his falsetto against a strummy dulcimer and the effect is hypnotic.— Maybe some old-fashioned rock is more your speed? Look no further than hard-hitting, riff-heavy Theory of a Deadman, whose new album is “Dinosaur.” It was produced by Martin Terefe and recorded in Sweden at Atlantis Studios, made famous by ABBA. The 10-track collection from the quartet of Tyler Connolly, Dave Brenner, Dean Back and Joey Dandeneau includes the rocking&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2nS4oFwjOI">title tune,</a>&nbsp;the party song&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfk4CkHIaxs">“Ambulance”</a>&nbsp;— with the lyrics “cheap drinks/sticky floors/in my safe place” — and a reworking of the classic song “Just the Two of Us” with a darker hue called “Two Of Us (Stuck).”—&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/kennedytwits?lang=en">AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy</a>TELEVISION—&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR9yjn7Lkdg">“Ted Lasso”</a>&nbsp;returns Wednesday to Apple TV+ with all the heart, one-liners, and pop culture references viewers have adored from its first two seasons. The Emmy-winning series starring Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein, Hannah Waddingham and Juno Temple picks up a few months following where season two ended. Sudeikis, who is a co-creator of the series, has said season three is the end of this story but has not provided a clear answer as to whether the show could take a new direction, launch a spinoff or return for another season down the road.— Elvis Presley famously loved comic books and now the late singer is the star of his very own animated series coming to Netflix. In “Agent Elvis,” Presley — voiced by Matthew McConaughey — is still the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll but also moonlights as a government spy by night. Kaitlin Olson, Johnny Knoxville, Niecy Nash and Don Cheadle also voice characters. Priscilla Presley, who is a co-creator and executive producer, plays herself.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCk3wHGJ3qs">“Agent Elvis,”</a>&nbsp;premiering Friday, is the first adult animated project from the studio behind “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” The show is violent, profane and features a NSFW chimpanzee, so definitely not suitable for kids.— A new re-telling of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNtGZzfvb6s">“Marie Antoinette”</a>&nbsp;comes to PBS on Sunday. This version stars Emilia Schüle, as a teenage Antoinette who is sent to Versailles to marry the future King of France, played by Louis Cunningham. PBS says this “Marie Antoinette” tells the story from a more modern lens, focusing on how the young woman navigated the politics of the French court, pressure to deliver an heir and made her mark on Versailles and history. James Purefoy plays Louis XV.— Alicia RancilioVIDEO GAMES— Platinum Games wrapped up its Bayonetta trilogy just a few months ago. But no video-game series ever really ends, and the studio is already back with a prequel,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.platinumgames.com/games/bayonetta-origins">Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon</a>. Cereza is a young, outcast witch who summons a demon named Cheshire that possesses her favorite stuffed toy. Can Cereza help Cheshire finds its way home? Will this adorable girl really turn into the flamboyant fighter fans know and love? Can Platinum actually deliver a family-friendly version of this hyperviolent franchise? Find out Friday, on Nintendo Switch.— John Cena is back in the ring for&nbsp;<a href="https://wwe.2k.com/2k23/">WWE 2K23</a>, the latest edition of 2K Sports’ long-running pro wrestling series. The “Peacemaker” actor is featured in this year's Showcase mode, which puts you in the trunks of the big lug during the biggest matches of his career. You can also choose from dozens of other WWE stars, from legends like Hulk Hogan to current headliners like Roman Reigns, or create your own rookie brawler from scratch. The 2023 model also introduces WarGames, a fan favorite in which teams of three or four compete in two rings covered by a steel cage. Chaos ensues Friday on PlayStation 5/4, Xbox X/S/One and PC.—&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/lkesten">Lou Kesten</a>

New this week: 'Ted Lasso,' U2 and 'The Boston Strangler'

Acclaimed Celtic fingerstyle guitarist&nbsp;Jerry Barlow&nbsp;is a virtuoso musician, a warm and accessible performer, and a world-class storyteller. His repertoire is composed of a synthesis of traditional music from the British Isles and his own original Celtic-inspired compositions. On Sunday, March 26, Jerry&nbsp;will perform a show of medieval Irish &amp; Scottish history and music called&nbsp;“Of Castles and Kings." This show will take place in the Sharon Springs High School Auditorium at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 26. (2:00p.m. MT).

Barlow’s music transports the listener across time and space on an imaginary journey to a rustic Irish fishing village or the misty Scottish Highlands or an enchanted English forest. He shares the history, legend and humor behind the music, bringing the songs alive. His expressive arrangements have been described as “music to soothe the soul, warm the heart, and lift the spirit." 

This program is sponsored in part by the Dane G. Hansen Foundation. Admission is with season ticket, or at the door; Adults, $10, Students, $5. There will be a school performance the following Monday in Sharon Springs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678714352092.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WPAAAcclaimed Celtic fingerstyle guitarist&nbsp;Jerry Barlow&nbsp;is a virtuoso musician, a warm and accessible performer, and a world-class storyteller. His repertoire is composed of a synthesis of traditional music from the British Isles and his own original Celtic-inspired compositions. On Sunday, March 26, Jerry&nbsp;will perform a show of medieval Irish &amp; Scottish history and music called&nbsp;“Of Castles and Kings." This show will take place in the Sharon Springs High School Auditorium at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 26. (2:00p.m. MT).Barlow’s music transports the listener across time and space on an imaginary journey to a rustic Irish fishing village or the misty Scottish Highlands or an enchanted English forest. He shares the history, legend and humor behind the music, bringing the songs alive. His expressive arrangements have been described as “music to soothe the soul, warm the heart, and lift the spirit." This program is sponsored in part by the Dane G. Hansen Foundation. Admission is with season ticket, or at the door; Adults, $10, Students, $5. There will be a school performance the following Monday in Sharon Springs.

Celtic guitarist Jerry Barlow to perform in northwest Kansas

By DAVID BAUDER AP Entertainment Writer

NEW
 YORK — In reimagining 40 of their best-known songs, U2 recognized 
that many fans would experience them through earphones connected to a 
device in their pockets — rather than being belted out onstage.

That was one thought behind <a href="https://www.u2.com/">“Songs of Surrender,”</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/u2-ted-lasso-streaming-watch-week-211eb0a5b4f8606f313c523c790f49d1">coming out this week</a>.
 The four men of U2, now either 61 or 62 years old, revisit material 
written in some cases when they were little more than kids out of 
Dublin.

Particularly in those days, U2 songs were written 
primarily with concerts in mind. The Edge told The Associated Press in 
an interview that U2 wanted to catch the attention of people seeing the 
band for the first time, perhaps in a festival or as an opening act.

“There's
 a sort of gladiatorial aspect to live performances when you're in that 
situation,” he said. “The material has got to be pretty bold and even 
strident at times. With this reimagining, we thought it would be fun to 
see intimacy as a new approach, that intimacy would be the new punk 
rock, as it were.”

The Edge was the driving force behind “Songs of Surrender,” using pandemic down time to record much of the music at home.

Given
 that his electric guitar and Bono's voice are the musical signature of 
U2, there's a certain irony in the absence of that guitar being the most
 immediately noticeable feature of the new versions. He sticks primarily
 to keyboards, acoustic guitar and dulcimer.

The process began without a roadmap or commitment to see it through if it wasn't working.

“As
 we got into it and got into a groove, we really started to enjoy what 
was happening,” he said. “There was a lot of freedom in the process, it 
was joyful and fun to take these songs and sort of reimagine them and I 
think that comes across. It doesn't sound like there was a lot of hard 
work involved because it wasn't.”

Much of the intimacy comes 
through Bono's voice. There's no need to shout, so he sometimes uses 
lower registers or slips into falsetto.

Lyrics are often rewritten, sometimes extensively in even a recent song like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwZEIHTne58">“The Miracle of Joey Ramone.”</a>
 Some changes are more subtle but still noticeable: replacing the line 
“one man betrayed with a kiss” with “one boy never will be kissed” takes
 Jesus out of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHcP4MWABGY">“Pride (In the Name of Love).”</a>

At the same time, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is rearranged to end with a question: “where is the victory Jesus won?”

Cellos replace the driving guitar of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98W9QuMq-2k">“Vertigo.”</a> Keyboards give <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzZWSrr5wFI">“Where the Streets Have No Name”</a> an ambient sound. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQiFSPboKAM">"Two Hearts Beat as One,"</a>
 the original a high-octane rock dance song, now has a slinkier, sexy 
vibe and is one of four songs where The Edge takes lead vocal.

The
 band is fairly democratic in taking songs from throughout its catalog, 
although 1981's “October” album and 2009's “No Line on the Horizon” are 
not represented. “New Year's Day,” “Angel of Harlem” and “Even Better 
Than the Real Thing” are among the songs left alone.

“We’re one of
 the only acts that has this body of work where a project like this 
would be possible, with the distance of time and experience where it 
would be interesting to revisit early songs,” The Edge said.

Throughout
 music history, bands have occasionally re-recorded material for 
contractual reasons. Taylor Swift is the most famous example, putting 
out new versions of her older songs in order to control their use. 
Squeeze's “Spot the Difference” makes sport of how they tried to make 
new recordings indistinguishable from the originals.

Live 
recordings and archive-cleaning projects like Bob Dylan's “bootleg” 
series gives fans the chance to hear familiar songs differently.

Many
 older artists don't see the point of making new music, since there's 
little opportunity to be heard and fans are partial to the familiar 
stuff, anyway, said Anthony DeCurtis, Rolling Stone contributing editor.

“Revisiting
 your body of work in a creative way is a means of sustaining interest 
in your career,” DeCurtis said. “Older fans might not be interested in 
another collection of your hits, but reworking them in a meaningful way 
could prove enticing. Younger fans don't have the same investment in 
your classics, so these new versions offer a route into your catalog.”

The Edge encourages fans to give the new versions a try, suggesting they may even grow to prefer some of them.

“I
 don't think there's a competition between these and the original 
versions,” he said. "It's more of an additive thing than a substitution.
 If you like the new arrangements, great. If you prefer the originals, 
keep listening.

“It's no problem either way,” he said. “They're both valid.”

The Edge said he's working on new music for U2, “and we've got some great stuff in the pipeline.”

The
 quartet that met in drummer Larry Mullen Jr.'s kitchen when they 
answered an ad placed on a high school bulletin board is a remarkable 
story in longevity. A passage toward the end of Bono's book “Surrender,”
 where he talked about looking around onstage at the end of their most 
recent tour in 2019 and wondering if it was the end, raised natural 
questions about how long U2 would continue.

“There are many 
reasons why U2 has stayed together for so long, but one of the main 
reasons is that it works so well for us as individuals,” The Edge said. 
“I think we all shine the brightest as part of this collective. I 
certainly would not like to hang up the guitar.”

This year will 
provide a test for a band that can count on one hand the number of times
 it has performed without all four members. U2 has committed to a run of
 shows in Las Vegas without Mullen, who is recuperating from surgery.

Would U2 continue if one of the original quartet decides it's time to hang it up?

“I
 wouldn't rule out the possibility that we could go forward with 
different members,” The Edge said. “But also, equally, I could imagine 
us deciding not to. It would be a big challenge. But I think at the time
 we would know what felt right.”

By DAVID BAUDER AP Entertainment WriterNEW
 YORK — In reimagining 40 of their best-known songs, U2 recognized 
that many fans would experience them through earphones connected to a 
device in their pockets — rather than being belted out onstage.That was one thought behind <a href="https://www.u2.com/">“Songs of Surrender,”</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/u2-ted-lasso-streaming-watch-week-211eb0a5b4f8606f313c523c790f49d1">coming out this week</a>.
 The four men of U2, now either 61 or 62 years old, revisit material 
written in some cases when they were little more than kids out of 
Dublin.Particularly in those days, U2 songs were written 
primarily with concerts in mind. The Edge told The Associated Press in 
an interview that U2 wanted to catch the attention of people seeing the 
band for the first time, perhaps in a festival or as an opening act.“There's
 a sort of gladiatorial aspect to live performances when you're in that 
situation,” he said. “The material has got to be pretty bold and even 
strident at times. With this reimagining, we thought it would be fun to 
see intimacy as a new approach, that intimacy would be the new punk 
rock, as it were.”The Edge was the driving force behind “Songs of Surrender,” using pandemic down time to record much of the music at home.Given
 that his electric guitar and Bono's voice are the musical signature of 
U2, there's a certain irony in the absence of that guitar being the most
 immediately noticeable feature of the new versions. He sticks primarily
 to keyboards, acoustic guitar and dulcimer.The process began without a roadmap or commitment to see it through if it wasn't working.“As
 we got into it and got into a groove, we really started to enjoy what 
was happening,” he said. “There was a lot of freedom in the process, it 
was joyful and fun to take these songs and sort of reimagine them and I 
think that comes across. It doesn't sound like there was a lot of hard 
work involved because it wasn't.”Much of the intimacy comes 
through Bono's voice. There's no need to shout, so he sometimes uses 
lower registers or slips into falsetto.Lyrics are often rewritten, sometimes extensively in even a recent song like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwZEIHTne58">“The Miracle of Joey Ramone.”</a>
 Some changes are more subtle but still noticeable: replacing the line 
“one man betrayed with a kiss” with “one boy never will be kissed” takes
 Jesus out of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHcP4MWABGY">“Pride (In the Name of Love).”</a>At the same time, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is rearranged to end with a question: “where is the victory Jesus won?”Cellos replace the driving guitar of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98W9QuMq-2k">“Vertigo.”</a> Keyboards give <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzZWSrr5wFI">“Where the Streets Have No Name”</a> an ambient sound. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQiFSPboKAM">"Two Hearts Beat as One,"</a>
 the original a high-octane rock dance song, now has a slinkier, sexy 
vibe and is one of four songs where The Edge takes lead vocal.The
 band is fairly democratic in taking songs from throughout its catalog, 
although 1981's “October” album and 2009's “No Line on the Horizon” are 
not represented. “New Year's Day,” “Angel of Harlem” and “Even Better 
Than the Real Thing” are among the songs left alone.“We’re one of
 the only acts that has this body of work where a project like this 
would be possible, with the distance of time and experience where it 
would be interesting to revisit early songs,” The Edge said.Throughout
 music history, bands have occasionally re-recorded material for 
contractual reasons. Taylor Swift is the most famous example, putting 
out new versions of her older songs in order to control their use. 
Squeeze's “Spot the Difference” makes sport of how they tried to make 
new recordings indistinguishable from the originals.Live 
recordings and archive-cleaning projects like Bob Dylan's “bootleg” 
series gives fans the chance to hear familiar songs differently.Many
 older artists don't see the point of making new music, since there's 
little opportunity to be heard and fans are partial to the familiar 
stuff, anyway, said Anthony DeCurtis, Rolling Stone contributing editor.“Revisiting
 your body of work in a creative way is a means of sustaining interest 
in your career,” DeCurtis said. “Older fans might not be interested in 
another collection of your hits, but reworking them in a meaningful way 
could prove enticing. Younger fans don't have the same investment in 
your classics, so these new versions offer a route into your catalog.”The Edge encourages fans to give the new versions a try, suggesting they may even grow to prefer some of them.“I
 don't think there's a competition between these and the original 
versions,” he said. "It's more of an additive thing than a substitution.
 If you like the new arrangements, great. If you prefer the originals, 
keep listening.“It's no problem either way,” he said. “They're both valid.”The Edge said he's working on new music for U2, “and we've got some great stuff in the pipeline.”The
 quartet that met in drummer Larry Mullen Jr.'s kitchen when they 
answered an ad placed on a high school bulletin board is a remarkable 
story in longevity. A passage toward the end of Bono's book “Surrender,”
 where he talked about looking around onstage at the end of their most 
recent tour in 2019 and wondering if it was the end, raised natural 
questions about how long U2 would continue.“There are many 
reasons why U2 has stayed together for so long, but one of the main 
reasons is that it works so well for us as individuals,” The Edge said. 
“I think we all shine the brightest as part of this collective. I 
certainly would not like to hang up the guitar.”This year will 
provide a test for a band that can count on one hand the number of times
 it has performed without all four members. U2 has committed to a run of
 shows in Las Vegas without Mullen, who is recuperating from surgery.Would U2 continue if one of the original quartet decides it's time to hang it up?“I
 wouldn't rule out the possibility that we could go forward with 
different members,” The Edge said. “But also, equally, I could imagine 
us deciding not to. It would be a big challenge. But I think at the time
 we would know what felt right.”

In unusual step, U2 reinterprets 40 of its best-known songs

On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Public Library communications coordinator Callie Kolacny shares information about upcoming events at the library.

<div><iframe title="Hays Public Library connects community through various events" allowtransparency="true" height="300" 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=bruf2-13b6339-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=3267a3&size=300" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Public Library communications coordinator Callie Kolacny shares information about upcoming events at the library.

🎙 Post Podcast: Hays Public Library connects community through various events

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

"Body and Place," an interdisciplinary exhibition of drawing, painting and printmaking students and faculty, is on display now through March 15 at the Hays Arts Center.

FHSU faculty Amy Schmierbach, Jee Hwang and Juana Estrada-Hernandez developed lesson plans around the themes body and place.

Schmierbach's lecture focused on body as place. She encouraged students to seek self-awareness through meditation and drawing. She wanted them to focus on self-love and self-reflection.&nbsp;

Hwang's lecture focused on the exploration of cultural identity through the image of body of place in art. Hwang introduced the concept of diaspora, which means "the dispersion or spread of any people from their original homeland."

Estrada-Hernandez based her lecture on her experience in Lands Arts of the American West at the Univeristy of New Mexico. The course took students to sites in the southwest to create site-specific art.&nbsp;

Senior in art Katie Vaughn's mixed media piece "Flight of Art and Bee of Heart," is featured in the exhibit.&nbsp; She described "Flight of Art."

"The concept is that you can look super calm and serene on the outside, but you can have all of this running through your head 24/7," she said.

Vaughn of Hays developed the concept for "Bee of Heart" during meditation for the body and place lecture. "Bee of Heart" represents the body.

"The concept of it was to be more centered," she said, "and to take the time to refocus on self when I'm starting to feel more anxious and have those random chaotic thoughts."

The canvases consists of cardboard, layered paper and fabric to which pastels and ink have been applied.

Amiyah Gonzalez, FHSU senior in drawing and art history of Hays, said she interpreted place and body as her own female body.

"I immediately went to how I feel in my body," she said. "Sometimes women's bodies are viewed as their only place that has value and how they have to build up their body for other people."

"I thought of what happens when that place deteriorates after years of trying to fit into the societal norm of having your body sexualized and exploited,"&nbsp;&nbsp;Gonzalez said.

Emily Schoeppner, junior in art from Wichita, painted an image of her and a friend having a mud fight in a pond in a piece she calls "Pond Girl Soul."

"When I thought about body and place, I thought about the place I felt most connected," she said. "I was thinking of a time I felt most connected and grounded in my body."

She said she thinks of her body as a shell with a dark interior, but as she was at a camp as a counselor she said she felt very connected to her body in part through just feeling tired and sore.

"It was the most joyful and dismal time in my life," she said.

The other camp counselors didn't like being in that pond because it was basically a glorified toilet because of the fish, frogs and algae, she said.

"I wanted it to look like a secret, magical window that you were peeking into," she said.

Megan Roy, junior in art of Palco, explored body out of place. Her set of three drawings depicted her in an elevator and a disembodied figure in a room that is filling with water.&nbsp;

"It's about disassociation and feeling uncomfortable with anxiety," she said.&nbsp;

Participating artists include Lexis Beesley, Jenny Cox, Taygan Daisy, Mariah Dechant, Isabel Dixon, Juana Estrada-Hernandez, Brooklyn Vasquez, Kaylee Eubanks, Madison Gleason, Amiyah Gonzalez, Courtney Hancock, Jee Hwang, Emily Schoeppner, Katie Vaughn, James Jay, Kiernan McCarty, Maddy Otter, Katie Petersen, Megan Roy, PJ Stauffer and Russell Wells.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678388842551.jpeg" alt="Senior in art Katie Vaughn's mixed media piece "Flight of Art and Bee of Heart," is featured in the "Body and Place"&nbsp;exhibition on display now through March 15 at the Hays Arts Center. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Senior in art Katie Vaughn's mixed media piece "Flight of Art and Bee of Heart," is featured in the "Body and Place"&nbsp;exhibition on display now through March 15 at the Hays Arts Center. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post"Body and Place," an interdisciplinary exhibition of drawing, painting and printmaking students and faculty, is on display now through March 15 at the Hays Arts Center.FHSU faculty Amy Schmierbach, Jee Hwang and Juana Estrada-Hernandez developed lesson plans around the themes body and place.Schmierbach's lecture focused on body as place. She encouraged students to seek self-awareness through meditation and drawing. She wanted them to focus on self-love and self-reflection.&nbsp;Hwang's lecture focused on the exploration of cultural identity through the image of body of place in art. Hwang introduced the concept of diaspora, which means "the dispersion or spread of any people from their original homeland."Estrada-Hernandez based her lecture on her experience in Lands Arts of the American West at the Univeristy of New Mexico. The course took students to sites in the southwest to create site-specific art.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678401725450.jpeg" alt=""Pond Girl Soul" by&nbsp;Emily Schoeppner, FHSU junior in art from Wichita.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>"Pond Girl Soul" by&nbsp;Emily Schoeppner, FHSU junior in art from Wichita.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Senior in art Katie Vaughn's mixed media piece "Flight of Art and Bee of Heart," is featured in the exhibit.&nbsp; She described "Flight of Art.""The concept is that you can look super calm and serene on the outside, but you can have all of this running through your head 24/7," she said.Vaughn of Hays developed the concept for "Bee of Heart" during meditation for the body and place lecture. "Bee of Heart" represents the body."The concept of it was to be more centered," she said, "and to take the time to refocus on self when I'm starting to feel more anxious and have those random chaotic thoughts."The canvases consists of cardboard, layered paper and fabric to which pastels and ink have been applied.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678401755282.jpeg" alt=""Reaching Out, Falling Back In" by Mariah Dechant. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>"Reaching Out, Falling Back In" by Mariah Dechant. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Amiyah Gonzalez, FHSU senior in drawing and art history of Hays, said she interpreted place and body as her own female body."I immediately went to how I feel in my body," she said. "Sometimes women's bodies are viewed as their only place that has value and how they have to build up their body for other people.""I thought of what happens when that place deteriorates after years of trying to fit into the societal norm of having your body sexualized and exploited,"&nbsp;&nbsp;Gonzalez said.Emily Schoeppner, junior in art from Wichita, painted an image of her and a friend having a mud fight in a pond in a piece she calls "Pond Girl Soul."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678401774282.jpeg" alt=""Barren" by&nbsp;Amiyah Gonzalez.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>"Barren" by&nbsp;Amiyah Gonzalez.&nbsp;Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>"When I thought about body and place, I thought about the place I felt most connected," she said. "I was thinking of a time I felt most connected and grounded in my body."She said she thinks of her body as a shell with a dark interior, but as she was at a camp as a counselor she said she felt very connected to her body in part through just feeling tired and sore."It was the most joyful and dismal time in my life," she said.The other camp counselors didn't like being in that pond because it was basically a glorified toilet because of the fish, frogs and algae, she said."I wanted it to look like a secret, magical window that you were peeking into," she said.Megan Roy, junior in art of Palco, explored body out of place. Her set of three drawings depicted her in an elevator and a disembodied figure in a room that is filling with water.&nbsp;"It's about disassociation and feeling uncomfortable with anxiety," she said.&nbsp;Participating artists include Lexis Beesley, Jenny Cox, Taygan Daisy, Mariah Dechant, Isabel Dixon, Juana Estrada-Hernandez, Brooklyn Vasquez, Kaylee Eubanks, Madison Gleason, Amiyah Gonzalez, Courtney Hancock, Jee Hwang, Emily Schoeppner, Katie Vaughn, James Jay, Kiernan McCarty, Maddy Otter, Katie Petersen, Megan Roy, PJ Stauffer and Russell Wells.

FHSU student, faculty exhibit explores 'Body and Place' at Hays Arts Center

"Out of Pocket," the Fort Hays State University graphic design bachelor of fine arts exhibit is now on display at the Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art on campus.

The exhibit will run through March 24. The gallery is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

The exhibit includes projects from the various students' classes, including games, stamps, restaurant branding, packaging and posters.

Paige Polika-Denson, junior in graphic design from Hays, was the winner of the American Democracy Project and History of Graphic Design Poster Series contest.

Students are asked to consider important current social issues and design posters based on historic graphic design styles on those themes.

Polifka-Denson addressed rape. Her poster shares the message that 1 in 16 women lose their virginity to rape. 56 percent of them were verbally pressured. The poster also has moveable sayings of possible offender verbal abuse.&nbsp;

The poster challenges viewers to "Go ahead take a piece if you have said or have been told one of the following quotes."

"As a woman myself and having friends who have dealt with situations that weren't necessarily ideal with their partners, I felt like it was a very easy cause for me to pick to focus on. It hit home, and I had a lot of people who I could reach out to as far as getting their testimonies and their quotes and their stories."

She said she was lucky enough to have people around her who were willing to trust her with their stories.

"The result was pretty powerful," she said. "I was happy to see I was able to hit the spot I was wanting to hit, and people were able to relate."

Polifka-Denson also had a stamp series in the exhibit that portrayed women and their insecurities. She created fictional female artists to focus on those insecurities.

She said after graduating in 2024 she hopes to do advocacy work with youth, the disabled or LGBTQ+ individuals.

"I want to help people or disenfranchised people find a place where art can make a difference," she said. "Although some might think that art is not powerful to people, it can make a difference in day-to-day life."

Ian Will, a senior in graphic design from Hays, said he was proud of a matchbox design he created that allows someone to open the matchbox and strike in with one hand.

"We're showing all of the work we've done over the years. We have pedestals with all of our different projects and our posters that we designed last semester," he said.

The sign-in wall installation and the catalogs were also designed by graphic arts students.

The students chose the exhibit name "Out of Pocket" because it is something random or unexpected. Will said all of the students have their own personalities but work well together.&nbsp;

"When we work late at night in the lab, we talk about all kinds of random things," he said, "and we have all kinds of out-of-pocket discussions."

Jacob Basye, graphic design student from Hoisington, had his card game, Wind Up Apt, featured in the show. The game is based around an apartment with tenants who have bad habits.&nbsp;

He also had his Lousiana gumbo-style barbecue brand, Crockie Charlie's featured in the show. The branding features a smiling frog.

His domino sets each included mystery vinyl albums from a decade in music history.&nbsp;

"When you pull out the records, they have the lyrics on them, so you can sing along and get groovy," he said.

Basye said he hopes to do package and logo design after he graduates.&nbsp;

Lauryn Becker's paint line was mixed with recycled material, which created a textured wall treatment.

Becker, junior in graphic design from Cheney, also participated in a group project to create a restaurant brand, Spud Murphy's. The restaurant serves spicy potatoes that have been created by crossing potatoes with peppers.

Other FHSU students featured in the show include Makenna Hammond, Maria Neale, Brandon Karlin, Travis Wierman, Tyler Boomer, Avery Jones, Riley Tinder, David Guzman, Secily Cruse, Brittany Wheeler, Spencer Bergstrom, Moriah Debey and Riley Judd.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678376280052.jpeg" alt="Paige Polika-Denson, junior in graphic design from Hays, was the winner of the American Democracy Project and History of Graphic Design Poster Series contest with this poster on rape. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Paige Polika-Denson, junior in graphic design from Hays, was the winner of the American Democracy Project and History of Graphic Design Poster Series contest with this poster on rape. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post"Out of Pocket," the Fort Hays State University graphic design bachelor of fine arts exhibit is now on display at the Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art on campus.The exhibit will run through March 24. The gallery is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.The exhibit includes projects from the various students' classes, including games, stamps, restaurant branding, packaging and posters.Paige Polika-Denson, junior in graphic design from Hays, was the winner of the American Democracy Project and History of Graphic Design Poster Series contest.Students are asked to consider important current social issues and design posters based on historic graphic design styles on those themes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678376327300.jpeg" alt="Graphic arts student Ian WIll's matchbox can be opened and struck with one hand. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Graphic arts student Ian WIll's matchbox can be opened and struck with one hand. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Polifka-Denson addressed rape. Her poster shares the message that 1 in 16 women lose their virginity to rape. 56 percent of them were verbally pressured. The poster also has moveable sayings of possible offender verbal abuse.&nbsp;The poster challenges viewers to "Go ahead take a piece if you have said or have been told one of the following quotes.""As a woman myself and having friends who have dealt with situations that weren't necessarily ideal with their partners, I felt like it was a very easy cause for me to pick to focus on. It hit home, and I had a lot of people who I could reach out to as far as getting their testimonies and their quotes and their stories."She said she was lucky enough to have people around her who were willing to trust her with their stories."The result was pretty powerful," she said. "I was happy to see I was able to hit the spot I was wanting to hit, and people were able to relate."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678386438788.jpeg" alt="A team of students created the Spud Murphy's restaurant brand. The restaurant serves spicy potatoes. Students who collaborated on this project include Riley Tinder, Lauryn Becker, Travis Wierman and Ian Will. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A team of students created the Spud Murphy's restaurant brand. The restaurant serves spicy potatoes. Students who collaborated on this project include Riley Tinder, Lauryn Becker, Travis Wierman and Ian Will. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Polifka-Denson also had a stamp series in the exhibit that portrayed women and their insecurities. She created fictional female artists to focus on those insecurities.She said after graduating in 2024 she hopes to do advocacy work with youth, the disabled or LGBTQ+ individuals."I want to help people or disenfranchised people find a place where art can make a difference," she said. "Although some might think that art is not powerful to people, it can make a difference in day-to-day life."Ian Will, a senior in graphic design from Hays, said he was proud of a matchbox design he created that allows someone to open the matchbox and strike in with one hand."We're showing all of the work we've done over the years. We have pedestals with all of our different projects and our posters that we designed last semester," he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678386470734.jpeg" alt="A poster on abortion created by FHSU graphic arts student&nbsp;Makenna Hammond. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A poster on abortion created by FHSU graphic arts student&nbsp;Makenna Hammond. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The sign-in wall installation and the catalogs were also designed by graphic arts students.The students chose the exhibit name "Out of Pocket" because it is something random or unexpected. Will said all of the students have their own personalities but work well together.&nbsp;"When we work late at night in the lab, we talk about all kinds of random things," he said, "and we have all kinds of out-of-pocket discussions."Jacob Basye, graphic design student from Hoisington, had his card game, Wind Up Apt, featured in the show. The game is based around an apartment with tenants who have bad habits.&nbsp;He also had his Lousiana gumbo-style barbecue brand, Crockie Charlie's featured in the show. The branding features a smiling frog.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678386541720.jpeg" alt="The game Bandits was created by FHSU graphic arts student Travis&nbsp;Wierman. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The game Bandits was created by FHSU graphic arts student Travis&nbsp;Wierman. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>His domino sets each included mystery vinyl albums from a decade in music history.&nbsp;"When you pull out the records, they have the lyrics on them, so you can sing along and get groovy," he said.Basye said he hopes to do package and logo design after he graduates.&nbsp;Lauryn Becker's paint line was mixed with recycled material, which created a textured wall treatment.Becker, junior in graphic design from Cheney, also participated in a group project to create a restaurant brand, Spud Murphy's. The restaurant serves spicy potatoes that have been created by crossing potatoes with peppers.Other FHSU students featured in the show include Makenna Hammond, Maria Neale, Brandon Karlin, Travis Wierman, Tyler Boomer, Avery Jones, Riley Tinder, David Guzman, Secily Cruse, Brittany Wheeler, Spencer Bergstrom, Moriah Debey and Riley Judd.

FHSU graphic arts students featured in Moss-Thorns exhibit

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with Dare2tri executive director Keri Serota.

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_mCgRqySF6Q" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman speaks with Dare2tri executive director Keri Serota.

🎤 Forward Ever: Dare2tri executive director Keri Serota

A Sensory Inclusive Bag.&nbsp;Photo courtesy Rolling Hills Zoo

Persons with sensory needs now can have a more enjoyable experience at Rolling Hills Zoo.

The zoo announced Thursday that it is now Sensory Inclusive Certified via KultureCity, and is one of only five such certified locations in Kansas.

"One in six individuals has a sensory need or an invisible disability; including those with PTSD, autism, dementia and stroke, just to name a few. Sensory needs are a common medical condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses. In fact, common sounds, lights, crowds, and even certain smells, might not only be overwhelming but also physically painful," the zoo noted in a news release.

In addition to the zoo being certified, all zoo employees have Sensory Inclusive Certification.

When persons with sensory needs arrive at the zoo, 625 N. Hedville Road, they can check out KultureCity sensory bags for free. The bags are created for both adults and children and include items that can help lessen sensory overload. Fidget toys and noise-canceling headphones are among the items in the sensory bags.

Additionally, signage has been placed throughout the zoo and museum that not only designates quiet areas, but also alerts guests to areas where they may experience loud noises or strong smells. The zoo also is creating a quiet room below Safari Station for zoo guests to use.

KultureCity was founded in 2013 by Julian Maha and his wife, Dr. Michele Kong, after Maha witnessed his son, who has autism, experiencing a “meltdown” in a barber shop when a stranger yelled at and grabbed him, the zoo noted. Maha said after that day he was inspired to try to make public spaces more accessible for those struggling with sensory issues and cofounded KultureCity, which has now established more than 900 sensory-inclusive spaces in more than five countries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678404890638.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A Sensory Inclusive Bag.&nbsp;Photo courtesy Rolling Hills ZooBy SALINA POSTPersons with sensory needs now can have a more enjoyable experience at Rolling Hills Zoo.The zoo announced Thursday that it is now Sensory Inclusive Certified via KultureCity, and is one of only five such certified locations in Kansas."One in six individuals has a sensory need or an invisible disability; including those with PTSD, autism, dementia and stroke, just to name a few. Sensory needs are a common medical condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses. In fact, common sounds, lights, crowds, and even certain smells, might not only be overwhelming but also physically painful," the zoo noted in a news release.In addition to the zoo being certified, all zoo employees have Sensory Inclusive Certification.When persons with sensory needs arrive at the zoo, 625 N. Hedville Road, they can check out KultureCity sensory bags for free. The bags are created for both adults and children and include items that can help lessen sensory overload. Fidget toys and noise-canceling headphones are among the items in the sensory bags.Additionally, signage has been placed throughout the zoo and museum that not only designates quiet areas, but also alerts guests to areas where they may experience loud noises or strong smells. The zoo also is creating a quiet room below Safari Station for zoo guests to use.About KultureCityKultureCity was founded in 2013 by Julian Maha and his wife, Dr. Michele Kong, after Maha witnessed his son, who has autism, experiencing a “meltdown” in a barber shop when a stranger yelled at and grabbed him, the zoo noted. Maha said after that day he was inspired to try to make public spaces more accessible for those struggling with sensory issues and cofounded KultureCity, which has now established more than 900 sensory-inclusive spaces in more than five countries.

Rolling Hills Zoo receives sensory inclusive certification

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country singer Lainey Wilson is a fan favorite at this year’s <a href="https://www.cmt.com/cmt-music-awards">CMT Music Awards</a>, where she is the leading nominee including for “Video of the Year.”

The
 “Heart Like a Truck” singer earned four nominations when nominees were 
announced Wednesday ahead of the April 2 show airing on CBS.

Other
 leading nominees including Cody Johnson, CMT co-host Kane Brown and 
first-time nominee Jelly Roll, who all have three nominations each. 
Brown and Kelsea Ballerini return to host the show from Austin, Texas.

There are 16 nominees for the show's top prize, video of the year, a category that Carrie Underwood <a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-anthony-mackie-kelsea-ballerini-nashville-tennessee-b8d1e13ad2888abd891dab8da439b620">holds the record</a> in with 25 awards. She's nominated again for her video “Hate My Heart” and will also perform.

The winners will be selected by fan voting, which is open now at <a href="http://vote.cmt.com">vote.cmt.com</a>.

Wynonna
 Judd earned two nominations in the CMT performance of the year 
category, one with her late mother Naomi for their last performance 
together on last year's CMT Music Awards and one for her performance of 
“The Rose” with Brandi Carlile during <a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-country-nashville-28c4ce0f989a4ceb3276fac8a570c434">a memorial show</a> after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/naomi-judd-dead-29302bc273e57c174ea9ecbea606f668">Naomi Judd's death.</a>

This
 year, CMT is splitting their breakthrough video of the year award into 
separate male and female subcategories, which increases the total number
 of nominees.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country singer Lainey Wilson is a fan favorite at this year’s <a href="https://www.cmt.com/cmt-music-awards">CMT Music Awards</a>, where she is the leading nominee including for “Video of the Year.”The
 “Heart Like a Truck” singer earned four nominations when nominees were 
announced Wednesday ahead of the April 2 show airing on CBS.Other
 leading nominees including Cody Johnson, CMT co-host Kane Brown and 
first-time nominee Jelly Roll, who all have three nominations each. 
Brown and Kelsea Ballerini return to host the show from Austin, Texas.There are 16 nominees for the show's top prize, video of the year, a category that Carrie Underwood <a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-anthony-mackie-kelsea-ballerini-nashville-tennessee-b8d1e13ad2888abd891dab8da439b620">holds the record</a> in with 25 awards. She's nominated again for her video “Hate My Heart” and will also perform.The winners will be selected by fan voting, which is open now at <a href="http://vote.cmt.com">vote.cmt.com</a>.Wynonna
 Judd earned two nominations in the CMT performance of the year 
category, one with her late mother Naomi for their last performance 
together on last year's CMT Music Awards and one for her performance of 
“The Rose” with Brandi Carlile during <a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-country-nashville-28c4ce0f989a4ceb3276fac8a570c434">a memorial show</a> after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/naomi-judd-dead-29302bc273e57c174ea9ecbea606f668">Naomi Judd's death.</a>This
 year, CMT is splitting their breakthrough video of the year award into 
separate male and female subcategories, which increases the total number
 of nominees.

Fan favorite Lainey Wilson leads CMT Music Awards nominees

Greg Rasmussen.&nbsp;Photo courtesy Rolling Hills Zoo

Gregory Rasmussen, 2023 Indianapolis Prize nominee and founder and executive director of Painted Dog Research Trust (PDRT), will be at Rolling Hills Zoo on March 13 as part of his three-month tour of the U.S. to promote awareness of the highly endangered painted dog, aka African wild dog, of which there are approximately 6,500 left in the wild.

The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. in RHZ’s Conference Center with a light lunch followed by Rasmussen’s presentation on the current state of the painted dog population, pressing threats of their survival, and the tireless efforts of PDRT to save them from extinction.

The cost to attend this wildlife conservation program is $15 per person and includes a light lunch.&nbsp;Reservations are required by Wednesday.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rollinghillszoo.org/news/lunch-learn">Click here to access the registration link</a>.

Rasmussen will follow up with a short conservation encounter at Rolling Hills Zoo’s African Painted Dog Exhibit at 1:30 p.m. that afternoon followed by Q &amp; A. This conservation encounter will be included in the price of zoo admission.

Rasmussen’s tour of the U.S. encompasses visiting more than 30 venues, including zoos and universities. Scientists, academics, zookeepers, supporters and the interested public are invited to attend the public presentations. His complete schedule of events can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.painteddogresearch.org/events">https://www.painteddogresearch.org/events</a>.

“With painted dogs as our flagship, we too now are adding afforestation and mitigation of climate change to our conservation armory,” said&nbsp; Rasmussen, who has studied painted dogs in their natural habitat for over 30 years, one of the longest studies into the species.

“The biodiversity crisis is affecting every corner of the globe and every form of life, especially painted dogs,” he added.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678151950766.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>Greg Rasmussen.&nbsp;Photo courtesy Rolling Hills ZooRolling Hills ZooGregory Rasmussen, 2023 Indianapolis Prize nominee and founder and executive director of Painted Dog Research Trust (PDRT), will be at Rolling Hills Zoo on March 13 as part of his three-month tour of the U.S. to promote awareness of the highly endangered painted dog, aka African wild dog, of which there are approximately 6,500 left in the wild.The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. in RHZ’s Conference Center with a light lunch followed by Rasmussen’s presentation on the current state of the painted dog population, pressing threats of their survival, and the tireless efforts of PDRT to save them from extinction.The cost to attend this wildlife conservation program is $15 per person and includes a light lunch.&nbsp;Reservations are required by Wednesday.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rollinghillszoo.org/news/lunch-learn">Click here to access the registration link</a>.Rasmussen will follow up with a short conservation encounter at Rolling Hills Zoo’s African Painted Dog Exhibit at 1:30 p.m. that afternoon followed by Q &amp; A. This conservation encounter will be included in the price of zoo admission.Rasmussen’s tour of the U.S. encompasses visiting more than 30 venues, including zoos and universities. Scientists, academics, zookeepers, supporters and the interested public are invited to attend the public presentations. His complete schedule of events can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.painteddogresearch.org/events">https://www.painteddogresearch.org/events</a>.“With painted dogs as our flagship, we too now are adding afforestation and mitigation of climate change to our conservation armory,” said&nbsp; Rasmussen, who has studied painted dogs in their natural habitat for over 30 years, one of the longest studies into the species.“The biodiversity crisis is affecting every corner of the globe and every form of life, especially painted dogs,” he added.Rasmussen founded PDRT in 2014 in northwest Zimbabwe, one of the last strongholds for painted dogs, the recognizable carnivores from their individually unique tri-colored coats, fluffy white tails and oversized Mickey-Mouse ears.“I am delighted to return to the states to reconnect with friends and associates as well as add new names and faces to our widening support base for the endangered painted dogs,” said Rasmussen. “While I hope to inspire and share, I too am motivated by those I meet.”