Local Columns

Opinion: The glass wall: Women in policing

On the morning of his federal trial this week for raping and terrorizing vulnerable Black women in the Kansas City, Kansas, neighborhoods he patrolled for 35 years, ex-cop Roger Golubski fatally shot himself. His story, much like last year’s Marion police newsroom raid, is another national ...

Opinion: Urgency for state water conservation

Throughout 2024, parts of Kansas have been in abnormally dry or drought conditions. Some places, like those that use Cheney Reservoir west of Wichita as a water source, have even had water conservation restrictions in place for several months. Changes in rainfall have been commonplace for the ...

Opinion: ‘Career readiness’ is too dominant

With the election of three new members this year, the Kansas State Board of Education is expected to be more conservative on issues like the recognition of trans students, books in the school library, and diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Yet for all the publicity these issues receive, ...

Opinion: The growth of the MAGA coalition

The question was asked repeatedly over the past few years: Was 2016 a fluke? Most Democrats and Never-Trump Republicans thought so. After all, Trump won by the slimmest of margins in a few pivotal swing states and lost the popular vote by nearly 3 million. Then Trump’s tenure in ...

Opinion: Kansas 2024: A complex red state

The 2024 election results in Kansas demonstrate that the state’s conservative foundation remains firmly intact, with Republicans holding onto important state and federal offices. However, a recent survey, Kansas Speaks, conducted by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State ...

Opinion: The most important day of the year

Election Day is right around the corner. Even for non-political scientists it’s the most important day of the year. It’s the day when Kansans get to put democracy into practice and choose their elected officials. Thanks to the efforts of IKE Lab at Wichita State University to make Kansas ...