A Kansas judge called out Attorney General Kris Kobach and his solicitor general for filing in a court that they "should have known" didn't have jurisdiction. He fined them a symbolic $1 each. It's not the first time the AG has been questioned about his skills. kansasreflector.com/2026/01/20/k...

“The country with the Statue of Liberty deprived us of our liberty without any kind of evidence,” Leonardo José Colmenares Solórzano, a 31-year-old Venezuelan who was held in CECOT for months, said two days after he was returned to his family. (Published July 2025)

Kansas will not follow CDC vaccine recommendations, but will instead stay with the previous schedule -- going with scientific evidence instead. kansasreflector.com/2026/01/16/k...

A Kansas Democrat offered an amendment to a bill originally targeting the World Health Organization, the World Economic Forum and the United Nations --- she recommended deleting those organizations and instead inserting ICE. @anna-writes.bsky.social kansasreflector.com/2026/01/15/k...

A bill heard in #Kansas House Judiciary Tuesday would make Kansans use their biological sex at birth on their birth certificates and driver's licenses. More than 200 written comments from opponents flooded in, despite barely 24 hours notice of the hearing. kansasreflector.com/2026/01/14/p...

Environmental group seeks policy changes to support Kansas ranchers, grasslands and prairie chickens | via @crazeywriter.bsky.social #ksleg

Our Minnesota affiliate is covering the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old woman by an ICE agent today. Be aware -- the video is hard to watch. @minnesotareformer.com minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/07/i...

@anna-writes.bsky.social reported on proposal to up the seriousness of charges for people who endanger children. kansasreflector.com/2026/01/06/k...

Enjoyed digging into the details of the Chiefs' expected move to Kansas. Still lots of unknowns and more to cover.

A deeper dive into the details of the Kansas City Chiefs deal shows many items that still need to be set before a full financial effect can be determined. One big question: What will local governments do to support the project? kansasreflector.com/2026/01/02/c...

Kansas secures $221 million federal grant to boost rural health as federal cuts hit | via @crazeywriter.bsky.social #ksleg

The Prairie Band Potawatomi chair compared immigrant detention to Indian reservations. “We were placed here because we were treated as prisoners of war. So we must ask ourselves why we would ever participate in something that mirrors the harm and trauma once done to our people.”

I had no idea that imported honey sometimes contains cheap sweeteners -- until I spoke with Gary LaGrange of Valor Honey and Brian McCornack, KSU entomologist. Really interesting podcast! kansasreflector.com/2025/12/08/n...

Federal changes to food programs mean many refugees and human trafficking victims who are legally in the United States won't receive dollars. #obbb #SNAP kansasreflector.com/2025/12/05/f...

www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8U9Ey78/ Check out Capitol Conversations - Kansas interactions among legislators.

CoreCivic lost a battle to begin immediately housing ICE detainees in Leavenworth, Kansas, and now may consider going through the city's development process. kansasreflector.com/2025/12/01/c...

I forgot to post this last week! Follow the science. . .

Topeka's St. Francis health system and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas haven't reached contract agreement, which could leave patients out of network. Matt All, head of KS BCBS, talks about health care challenges that need to be addressed, mostly cost control. kansasreflector.com/2025/12/01/k...

DEAN: What's the tariff on bananas? LUTNICK: Generally 10% DEAN: Walmart has already increased the cost of bananas by 8% LUTNICK: If you build in America, there is no tariff DEAN: We cannot build bananas in America

NEW: ProPublica has found multiple cases of women with underlying health conditions who died when they couldn’t access abortions. Tierra Walker, a 37-year-old mother, was told by doctors there was no emergency before preeclampsia killed her.

Interesting story today by @anna-writes.bsky.social that highlights research on Medicaid spending and says, "Nearly two-thirds of responding state Medicaid directors thought a budget shortfall was '50-50,' 'likely,' or 'almost certain.' kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansa...

As the Kansas City Chiefs come down to decision-making time on whether their new stadium will be in Kansas or Missouri, one economist who has studied sporting venues extensively says they are not an economic catalyst. kansasreflector.com/2025/11/11/c...

Great questions and interesting conversations.

Kansas utility regulators today passed a large-load tariff that is expected to. help spread out costs of meeting data center and other big power user needs so that the costs don't hit residential and small businesses. kansasreflector.com/2025/11/06/n...

The IRS is reportedly not offering its Direct File program next year. Here’s a look back at how TurboTax owner Intuit spent two decades fighting to prevent Americans from filing their taxes online for free: (Published 2019)

Former U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts said the get-the-work-done approach he admired, which brought a stalwart Republican like himself together with dedicated Democrats, should serve as a salve for partisan wounds inflicted by political champions of division.

Kansans and others can find out starting Saturday what the costs will be on their health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Some Kansans are already seeing health insurance go up $700 a month -- unsustainable for many people. kansasreflector.com/2025/10/31/r...

Kansans are feeling the fear and anxiety around the federal government shutdown, whether they are missing SNAP payments or paychecks as furloughed federal employees. Businesses, too, are being impacted. kansasreflector.com/2025/10/29/h...

The Kansas abortion trial with wide-reaching implications for state lawmakers and health care providers wrapped Friday with arguments over the two sides’ differing definitions of pain, humanity and consciousness. kansasreflector.com/2025/10/23/k...

@journalist-sherman.bsky.social jokingly called this my "opus" but talking with Southwest Power Pool expert was really fascinating - our energy use in the area will double in the next 10 years! kansasreflector.com/2025/10/21/k...

Kansas Legislature's committee hearing prompts heated debate on biased testimony on election reform. kansasreflector.com/2025/10/16/p... @kansascarpenter.bsky.social

More Kansas parents of kindergarteners used vaccine exemptions for their children last school year, a trend that a leading Kansas doctor expects to see continue if we continue the "unfortunate melding" of science and politics. kansasreflector.com/2025/10/15/k...

Next-gen nuclear energy is emission-free, but it costs a lot of $$$. TerraPower, founded by Bill Gates, is building its new Natrium plant in Wyoming and exploring the idea of one in Kansas. I talked with one of their leaders about what new nuclear is. kansasreflector.com/2025/10/06/q...

Kansas is out of compliance with a federal rule ensuring there's no conflict of interest among providers supporting Kansans with intellectual & developmental disabilities. But changes could disrupt care for vulnerable people, advocates told legislators. kansasreflector.com/2025/10/01/k...

Kansas cancer survivor fears for health care as Congress weighs premium tax credit extension kansasreflector.com/2025/09/30/k...

A Kansas judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by AG Kobach trying to force the state to turn over food program personal data to the federal government. Kansas leaders have been concerned they might violate privacy regs and have held off. kansasreflector.com/2025/09/30/k...

Allowing ACA Marketplace credits to expire, as currently proposed, will make ACA health plans unaffordable for a lot of Kansans (and millions nationwide). Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and others urge Dems and Republicans to work together. kansasreflector.com/2025/09/24/k...

The federal government has entered the fight between the city of Leavenworth and private prison CoreCivic, accusing Leavenworth of interfering with federal immigration work and violating the supremacy clause. kansasreflector.com/2025/09/23/f...

Greatly enjoyed this conversation with KU Prof John Head about environmental & ag crises, how we shift our culture to be more interconnected with the world -- all from a perspective of his international law background. There's a podcast and an article. kansasreflector.com/2025/09/22/k...

Once more, SNAP data requests from the federal government are in the news. Kansas AG Kris Kobach sued the governor and head of DCF to demand the release of data. Their court filings got heated and a judge will decide soon if the case should be dismissed. kansasreflector.com/2025/09/19/s...

Concerning if we can't rely on data. www.kcur.org/environment-...

Fired CDC chief Susan Monarez warns senators that RFK Jr. is endangering public health

Christie Peterson had never been arrested before, but she went to Washington, D.C., to share concerns about the political environment.

Enjoyed the opportunity to talk with a real statesman - former US ag sec Dan Glickman. He discussed tariffs, the Farm Bill and how he wishes everyone would just work together.

It's tough for KS officials to grasp all the effects of Trump's spending & tax cut plan because there's not a lot of definitive information. Kansas legislators heard a report on possible budget impacts yesterday. Note that this was only budget issues -- because it doesn't detail lost jobs, etc.

Been writing a lot about the collection of Kansans' personal data from a food nutrition program lately. Now a Kansas leader shares the details of the program and why sharing the data won't help fight fraud and abuse, as political attacks contend it will.

Excellent story by @anna-writes.bsky.social on how Trump's homeless policies moves "things back 35-40 years or longer," one expert says -- threatening to increase homelessness and failing to listen to evidence-based practices on home people who are unhoused. kansasreflector.com/2025/08/20/t...

Really interesting to see the changes that happened in the Junction City hospital -- from near failure to squeaking by with a profit.

Check out this story from @timcarpenter.bsky.social about nurses being penalized for paperwork errors when they renew their license. kansasreflector.com/2025/08/07/k...

Another CoreCivic hearing this week, where the private prison company asked the judge to dismiss three counts that the city of Leavenworth has levied against the company. A rally ahead of time focused on immigration issues. kansasreflector.com/2025/08/06/c...