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Be an environmental activist through your backyard gardening choices
Audio Astra reviews recent audio reporting on Kansas news, including podcasts and radio stories. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. I like to consider myself an advocate for the environment: someone who believes that climate change is a dangerous and advancing threat. I fret […]
Podcasts round up news from Kansas Legislature, school access, abortion rights
Audio Astra reviews recent audio reporting on Kansas news, including podcasts and radio stories. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. LGBTQ lawmakers challenge anti-trans bill April 4, 2022 Kansas Reflector staff delivers legislative roundup April 11, 2022 Looking ahead to veto override efforts […]
As pandemic concerns recede, how should Kansans celebrate the fall of COVID-19?
Audio Astra reviews recent audio reporting on Kansas news, including podcasts and radio stories. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. Years ago, my job as a news photographer at a daily newspaper dispatched me to each high school in the county for the same […]
Kansas Jayhawk basketball fans rally to welcome championship team back home
Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. When we think about “homecoming” at a college or […]
Audio Astra: Kansas schools somehow, if barely, made it through grueling 24 months
Audio Astra reviews recent audio reporting on Kansas news, including podcasts and radio stories. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. “School’s Out Forever” This American Life, March 11, 2022 Last week, “This American Life” released an episode titled, “School’s Out Forever.” Host and correspondent […]
Audio Astra: The best Kansas listening from the past few weeks
Audio Astra reviews recent audio reporting on Kansas news, including podcasts and radio stories. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. After a spring break hiatus, the Audio Astra column is back and — like a student returning to a stack of homework after a […]
Audio Astra: A letter to my Kansas son on the moral confusion of Ukraine
Audio Astra reviews recent audio reporting on Kansas news, including podcasts and radio stories. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. In Ukraine, the Men Who Must Stay and Fight The Daily, March 1, 2022 Invaded: Voicemails from Ukraine Tortoise Media To my son, The […]
Audio Astra: The end of ‘Nice White Parents’
Audio Astra reviews recent audio reporting on Kansas news, including podcasts and radio stories. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. The state of public education in Kansas Kansas Reflector Podcast, Feb. 21, 2022 The “Angry Parents” edition The Slate Political Gabfest, Feb. 17, 2022 […]
Audio Astra: A Kansas expert and a new podcast examine painful injustice
Audio Astra reviews recent audio reporting on Kansas news, including podcasts and radio stories. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. The Groveland Four Cleared, Jan. 11, 2022 Defense attorney crisis in Kansas Kansas Reflector Podcast, Feb. 14, 2022 “Not to sound too overly pessimistic, […]
Audio Astra: The fever dream of Kansas politics
Audio Astra reviews recent audio reporting on Kansas news, including podcasts and radio stories. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. “Off-Label Podcasting” Chillin in the Statehouse, Feb. 7, 2022 “Why does Kansas still ban gay sex?” Kansas City Today, Feb. 3, 2022 “Kansas lawmakers […]
Audio Astra: Here comes normal. Whatever that means.
Audio Astra reviews recent audio reporting on Kansas news, including podcasts and radio stories. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. We Need To Talk About Covid, Part 1 The Daily, Jan. 26, 2022 Am I Normal? Slate Political Gabfest, Feb. 3, 2022 Last year, […]
Audio Astra: Five years of silence and distance in the shadow of Trump
Audio Astra reviews recent audio reporting on Kansas news, including podcasts and radio stories. Eric Thomas directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas. Five years after the first Women’s March, the fight for equality goes on Up To Date, Jan. 24 Five years ago last week, President […]