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Kansas Reflector
Kansas disability waitlists see major progress after legislative action
TOPEKA — The number of Kansans waiting for disability waivers has decreased substantially after policymakers took steps to address stagnant waitlists during the 2024 legislative session. Some Kansans with disabilities have had to wait for more than 10 years to obtain a disability waiver, which allows them to receive vital services through Medicaid. During the […]
Kansas GOP candidates have suddenly become moderates on abortion. How convenient. How cynical.
I vividly recall the anti-abortion “Summer of Mercy” protests that swallowed Wichita in the summer of 1991. The protesters who blocked access to George Tiller’s clinic made no bones about their stance: Abortion was murder, and they were fighting to save the lives of babies. In the 33 years since, anti-abortion advocates built their movement […]
Psychiatric care in Kansas inaccessible to kids who need it most, study finds
TOPEKA — The number of psychiatric treatment beds for kids in Kansas has increased overall in the past five years, but those with specialized needs continue to face hurdles when accessing care, a recent state study found. Legislators in the 2024 session directed the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services to produce a study […]
In rise of Kamala Harris, accomplished Black women in Kansas and U.S. recognize common experience
As Vice President Kamala Harris continues her historic run for the presidency, I marvel at the groups across the nation rallying to support her candidacy. The watch parties create opportunities to build networks and plan for everything from T-shirts and tote bags to bumper stickers. The collective ownership of her journey is fueled by passionate […]
Nebraska, Colorado mostly affected in multi-state outbreak of E. coli
OMAHA — A multistate outbreak of E. coli so far has led to one death and 10 hospitalizations — with three of the people hospitalized reportedly from the Omaha metro area. The source has been linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers and onions. In all, the outbreak has included 49 cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. […]
Early voting now underway, Trump and Harris crisscross the battleground states
WASHINGTON — With exactly two weeks until Election Day, millions of Americans have already cast their ballots via the mail or in person as Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump pursue voters through the battleground states. Early in-person absentee voting kicked off Tuesday in Wisconsin, adding to the list of swing states […]
Missouri AG in abortion pill lawsuit argues fewer teen pregnancies hurt state financially
Missouri’s attorney general has renewed a push to restrict access to the abortion pill mifepristone, arguing in a lawsuit filed this month that its availability hurt the state by decreasing teenage pregnancy. The revised lawsuit was filed by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, alongside GOP attorneys general in Kansas and Idaho. It asks a judge […]
Kansas Board of Education races could shift power to conservative bloc
TOPEKA — Turnover on the Kansas Board of Education after the November election could tip the board’s balance of power in favor of conservative members. Half of the board’s 10 seats are up for election. Republicans currently outnumber Democrats seven to three, but some moderate board members aren’t running for reelection, positioning the board for […]
Evergy plans to build two new natural gas plants in Kansas by 2030
Kansas’ largest electric utility will add two natural gas plants by the end of 2030, the company announced Monday. Evergy, which serves 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri, plans to build combined-cycle natural gas plants — each with a 705-megawatt capacity — in Sumner and Reno counties in 2029 and 2030, respectively. David Campbell, Evergy’s CEO […]
These five Kansas election stories have nothing to do with Trump or Harris
With two weeks and one day to go until the 2024 general election, political junkies have laser focused on the presidential race. Local superfans of democracy might want to widen that view. A host of Kansas races, candidates and stories will define at least the next two years of politics in the Sunflower State, for […]
Rhetoric versus reality: Addressing common misconceptions about immigration
MYTH: Immigrants increase crime rates Among the most persistent political talking points raised by opponents of immigration is that migrants bring crime with them into the U.S. “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best,” former President Donald Trump famously said on the campaign trail in 2016. “Has anybody ever seen the movie […]
Stressed about the election? Try this Kansas-centric playlist.
With just two weeks and change left before Election Day, it seems a good time to release my election playlist. I don’t know about you, but it feels like full-time business just keeping up with the news. So consider this a way to take a 39-minute break from the stress of choosing the leader of […]
Corn and soybean associations study: Farmers would suffer from trade wars
The National Corn Growers Association and the American Soybean Association found a tariff-induced trade war with China would “hurt” U.S. farmers, based on a jointly released study that pulled from 2018 tariffs data and GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s economic plans. Worst-case scenario figures in the study show that soybean exports to China would have […]
Lying, liars and the lies that they tell
When politicians and public figures lie to us, they are tacitly calling us stupid and weak. Stupid enough to believe their lies; weak enough to accept them. As such, lying is a contemptuous act. Humans are social creatures. Lying is anti-social, and a debasement of both human nature and the trust and order on which […]
Department of Labor releases AI best practices for employers
The U.S. Department of Labor released a list of artificial intelligence best practices for developers and employers this week, aiming to help employers benefit from potential time and cost savings of AI, while protecting workers from discrimination and job displacement. The voluntary guidelines come about a year after President Joe Biden signed an executive order […]
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Kansas Reflector is a nonprofit news operation providing in-depth reporting, diverse opinions and daily coverage of state government and politics. This public service is free to readers and other news outlets. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify voices of people whose lives are affected by public policies but who might typically be left out of public debate. We seek to increase Kansans’ awareness of how decisions made by elected representatives and other public servants affect our day-to-day lives. We hope to empower and inspire greater participation in democracy throughout Kansas. Launched in July 2020, Kansas Reflector is an affiliate of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. Kansas Reflector retains editorial independence.
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