As the year comes to its end, thoughts often take an introspective turn. For me, for reasons both personal and public, that turn has me reflecting on the matriarchal nature of our state. Of course, given Kansas’ strong conservative streak and often rather traditional Christian culture, ...

By any honest measure, too many Kansas families are struggling to make ends meet. The latest State of ALICE in Kansas report — ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — finds that 38% of Kansas households were below the ALICE Threshold in 2023, meaning they could not ...

Last month, two Kansas cities made decisions central to their future. The first city was Prairie Village, a town of barely 20,000 people; the second was Wichita, the largest municipality in the state, with almost 20 times PV’s population. Despite their differences and the many distinct issues ...

Leaders can unite or divide, whether it be by design or by misstep. Thanksgiving’s evolution shows how both can happen. On Oct. 3, 1863, amid profound division and upheaval of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln issued a formal proclamation that established a National Day of ...

Reviewing the results from the 2025 Kansas Speaks poll, one could easily assume that Kansas is dominated by a coalition of moderate and progressive politics. Consider: • 70% of Kansans support Medicaid expansion, and about 72% say they think about Medicaid expansion at least a moderate ...

In a world of canceled flights, SNAP ping-pong, gerrymanders run amok and “Dancing with the Stars” blackouts, it was refreshing to see an old friend — the town hall budget meeting — could not be shut down last week. Billed as a statewide listening tour to guide her penultimate 2026 ...