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Rural Kansas town returns invaluable Peruvian artifact
PAOLA — A Peruvian artifact estimated to be more than a thousand years old, well-wrapped in white tissue paper and stuck into a borrowed school duffel bag, marks the first success of a rural town’s plans to repatriate its art collection. The museum in Paola began its ongoing efforts of trying to return objects from […]
Kansas gun safety advocates urge stronger firearm laws, more safe storage measures
TOPEKA — During National Suicide Prevention Month, gun safety advocates shed light on rising rates of firearm suicide in the state. Shannon Little, the chapter co-lead for Kansas Moms Demand Action, and organization volunteer Ann Williamson discussed the need for more gun safety measures during a Kansas Reflector podcast. Little said the 2012 Sandy Hook […]
Transgender Kansans barred from altering birth certificates
TOPEKA — The state will no longer recognize transgender Kansans’ identities, reversing birth records back to assigned sex at birth and halting future modifications of birth certificates following a federal judge’s ruling. “Kansas birth certificates are state records that must reflect scientific fact as recorded by the doctor at the time of birth. I am […]
Kansas health care coverage lags behind national average for second year
TOPEKA — Kansas has fallen behind national health insurance trends for the second year in a row, with thousands of state residents falling into a health care coverage gap. Kansas had a higher uninsurance rate than the national average for two consecutive years now, according to recently-released U.S. Census Bureau health insurance estimates. In 2021, […]
‘I admit that I masturbate’: Kansas State Board of Education member laments ‘smut’ in libraries
TOPEKA — Kansas State Board of Education member Danny Zeck quoted from the much-debated teen book “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” as he turned a state meeting on book removal practices into a ideological discussion of why “smut,” as he calls these books, is allowed in local schools. “I admit that I masturbate,” […]
Kansans rally to pressure Evergy into keeping green energy promises
LAWRENCE — Closing the city’s coal-based power plant will be the first step toward holding the state’s largest utility company accountable for keeping green energy goals, climate change activists said at a Tuesday demonstration. The Sierra Club partnered with local organizations for the rally outside City Hall to show city officials how much local support […]
Kansas earmarks pandemic-era funding for social services data software
TOPEKA — The Kansas Department for Children and Families has poured the majority of a final round of pandemic-era grant funding into bolstering its online user referral system. Gov. Laura Kelly announced Monday that DCF selected five recipients for the final round of Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas community capacity grants. “It is vital that […]
‘Quindaro, the vision:’ Kansas ACLU report points to historic site as blueprint for future
TOPEKA — A Civil War-era community has loomed large in Kansas history. Advocates say the former majority-Black community could be a useful template for confronting racism in today’s society. During a Kansas Reflector podcast, Mark McCormick, deputy executive director of strategic initiatives at the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, talked about racism in the […]
Republican leaders warn against substantial pay increases for Kansas lawmakers
TOPEKA — Increasing long-stagnant legislative pay could revolutionize state politics by encouraging Kansans from more diverse backgrounds to seek public office, but top Republican legislators also cautioned against dramatically escalating compensation. Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, said low pay has been a longstanding barrier for many Kansans. But Masterson also warned against raising pay to […]
New student loan repayment program benefits far fewer Kansans than original debt plan
TOPEKA — For thousands of Kansans knee-deep in student debt, relief will come soon — just not as much relief as initially promised. The Biden administration announced Tuesday that more than 4 million federal student loan borrowers have been enrolled in the Saving on A Valuable Education, or SAVE, program. In Kansas, 35,000 borrowers are […]
U.S. education secretary touts Kansas school initiatives, national debt forgiveness
TOPEKA —Education will combat ignorance, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said, stressing diversity and debt forgiveness on the first leg of a Midwest bus tour meant to promote the Biden administration’s education initiatives. The inaugural event was held at the Topeka Center for Advanced Learning and Careers, where students partner with businesses for learning initiatives. […]
Kansas lawmakers say guns shouldn’t be blamed in spiking youth suicide rates
TOPEKA — Though firearm deaths make up a significant number of youth suicides in the state, lawmakers on a mental health committee rejected recommendations for gun safety measures, asking instead to look at social media and the internet. “We need to focus not so much on the tool as we do the reason,” said Rep. […]