The Topeka Capital-Journal
Israel, Hezbollah agree to ceasefire
Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire that was set to begin at 4 p.m. local time June 19 after escalating violence between Israel and Lebanon complicated President Donald Trump’s efforts to reach a final peace agreement with Iran. Still, the next...
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OVERCROWDED SHELTER NEEDS AID
Topeka’s Helping Hands Humane Society is home to dogs, cats and even “pocket pets” like guinea pigs and hamsters. The shelter, which totaled 310 adoptions in May, takes in about 6,000 animals each year and provides a range of community services,...
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Sunflower Summer back, with smaller budget
Despite another budget cut by state lawmakers, Sunflower Summer is returning with free tickets for Kansas kids to visit state attractions. This year, 230 tourism attractions are participating in the program, which will run from July 9 to Aug....
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Olive Cafe returns with new look and menu items
After a two-year hiatus, Olive Cafe is returning to Topeka to serve customers their favorite Mediterranean-based meals. Instead of downtown Topeka, the restaurant will be located at 1700 SW Fairlawn Road. It will feature a modern chic cafe-style...
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Fake AI image ended up on a state website
A state government agency tasked with promoting public trust in law enforcement used a fake image of the Kansas Statehouse for its website. The Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training website, kscpost.gov, had been using an image...
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Zoning rules target data centers
Joni Thadani, Shawnee County land use and development director, spoke at the June 11 Shawnee County Commission meeting about a proposal to change zoning regulations regarding data centers. When Jimmy Bullocks Sr. moved to Topeka 66 years ago, he was...
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‘THE SKY REALLY IS THE LIMIT’
A Topeka native serves on the team of top-notch meteorologists who made high-stakes decisions earlier this spring on whether to clear the Artemis II spacecraft for takeoff on its historic trip around the moon. Mark Burger, a 1994 Topeka High School...
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Status of Iran deal hazy after Trump’s statement
Confusion abounded June 12 on the status of a possible end to the war with Iran. President Donald Trump announced June 11 that peace could come as soon as this weekend with the signing of a memorandum of understanding. “Discussions and final points...
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Bringing dream to life
Isaiah Thomas, better known to the public or those on the streaming platform Twitch as @Hmblzayy, made a stop in Topeka on his journey to raise money for underserved kids. In late March, Thomas began a 3,000mile faith walk from Philadelphia to...
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14 businesses failed May inspections
Rodent droppings, improper water and food temperatures and food debris on utensils are some of the issues Kansas inspectors found at Topeka establishments in May. Those were among violations cited during food safety and lodging inspections last month...
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SAVE act flags ‘three or four’ in cases of noncitizen voting
Seven months after telling reporters they expected to find hundreds if not thousands of noncitizen voters, the state’s top election official and top prosecutor have publicly identified three total criminal cases. The most prominent of the noncitizen...
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Changing course of twisters
Tornado Alley since the early 1950s has dissected the central Great Plains, including the states of Nebraska, central Oklahoma, northwestern Texas and Kansas. The fierce storms produced in the region included the 1966 tornado that carved across...
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Senate GOP narrowly approves $70B for ICE
Democrats don’t have much leverage in Washington these days – until they do. A small, but significant, political window opened up briefly this week as Senate Republicans worked to pass a roughly $70 billion funding bill for Immigration and Customs...
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Inside Topeka’s old water tower
A rock-climbing tower? Indoor skydiving? Rooftop bar or restaurant? Those ideas may seem a bit pie in the sky, but longtime residents used to looking up at the iconic water tower in downtown Topeka have big dreams. The property — long the center of...
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Fresh, local, essential
HOLTON — Having a locally owned grocery store is vital for a small town in Kansas when the options are limited. Cecil K’s Hometown Market, 423 Arizona Ave. in Holton, has been serving its community since February 2018. Over the past eight years,...
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Evergy eyes county data center project
Electric-utility giant Evergy has been engaged in monthslong discussions to bring a data center to Shawnee County. GO Topeka President Rhiannon Friedman she was unable to divulge the company that Evergy is negotiating with, but added that GO Topeka —...
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Groups rally against changes to Court justice selections
A Kansas coalition made up of about 70 organizations launched a grassroots canvassing campaign against a constitutional amendment. Kansas United for Impartial Courts rounded up volunteer door-knockers in Lenexa and Wichita to encourage people to vote...
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Kobach breaks with Trump
Did you know Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is suing President Donald Trump’s administration? “Kansans need to know I’m actually very independent-minded in these lawsuits,” Kobach said. Kobach spoke with The Capital-Journal following National...
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Black history in KS is significant, complex
Drawn by ads touting Nicodemus as a “promised land,” hundreds of former slaves fled southern oppression to settle beginning in 1877 in that all-Black community on the plains of northwest Kansas. Nicodemus residents voted in 1887 to pay cash to the...
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Judge blocks Trump’s ‘anti-weaponization’ fund
WASHINGTON – A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump from setting up a $1.8 billion fund to compensate people the Justice Department deems were investigated improperly. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia ordered the...
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Schwab defends SAVE intent
The top election official in Kansas doesn’t think any qualified voters would be disenfranchised by a federal proposal to require proof of citizenship, despite courts ruling that a state law he helped pass blocked thousands of Kansans from voting. When...
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Early TV ads signal pricey Kansas governor race
Even before the filing deadline, Kansas gubernatorial candidates are already getting on television. Republican businessman Philip Sarnecki has a pair of TV ads, and former Gov. Jeff Colyer now has one. Democratic Sen. Ethan Corson is asking donors to...
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Topeka has free family fun events this summer
As the school year winds down and summer commences, families are looking for ways to get out of the house and enjoy the summer without hurting their pockets. Several family-friendly events in Topeka this summer allow families to do just that, and all...
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‘It’s just good government’
Modernizing the paper-based regulation promulgation system in Kansas might not be the most interesting issue in state government and politics. Even Secretary of State Scott Schwab laughed when The Capital-Journal suggested the initiative he championed...
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Climate change imperils many global plant species
Some of the plants that make familiar landscapes recognizable may not survive by century’s end as climate change becomes an increasingly important driver of species loss, according to scientists, reshaping and often shrinking suitable habitats that the...
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TAKING HIS FINAL BOW
Be generous. Be fearless. Whether you’re performing on a stage or living your life day by day. That’s the advice Scott Kickhaefer shared with the hundreds of students he taught in his years of teaching. Kickhaefer spent 10 years at Topeka High...
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Pakistani official seeks breakthrough with Iran
WASHINGTON – Iran’s foreign minister met Pakistan’s interior minister on May 22 to discuss proposals to end the U.S.-Israeli war, Iranian media reported, with Tehran and Washington still at odds over Iran’s uranium stockpile and controls on the Strait...
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Marshall touts Panasonic factory after criticizing it
U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall is back to touting Panasonic after previously criticizing the manufacturer following initial praise for the plant. Marshall, R-Kansas, listed Panasonic among a handful of manufacturers while touting manufacturing in Kansas....
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Zoo to welcome black rhinos after last elephant’s death
As its elephant program ends, a program featuring black rhinos is set to begin at the Topeka Zoo. The zoo will renovate the space its elephants formerly occupied and make it the home of a breeding pair of black rhinos, zoo CEO Christina Castellano...
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Topeka distances itself from potholes
The Kansas Supreme Court on May 18 heard oral arguments on whether Topeka should be held liable or found negligent for the damage to a resident and his vehicle who hit a large pothole. Nearly seven years ago, Topekan Troy Alan Martin was in a major...
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Oasis Group rethinks vision
The Central Topeka Grocery Oasis Group has spent years trying to bring a grocery store to the central Topeka food desert area. Those efforts have included fundraising, signing a lease for land and more. Central Topeka Grocery Oasis was formed in 2018...
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Limited OK for power line
Kansas utility regulators have determined a proposed power transmission line is necessary but are ordering Evergy to develop a new route for the portion that would cross the Flint Hills. At issue is an extra-high voltage transmission line that is part...
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Mom helps families in biggest fight
Anortheast Kansas mother mourning the loss of her son has poured her energy into helping other families with youths battling brain cancers. h Lisa Ward, of Wamego, was inspired by her son, Jace Ward, who was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine...
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Private school marks 10 years
Over the past decade, a Topeka private school has helped hundreds of children. h International Academy, 1162 SW Lincoln St., has been a resource to help students get on track in the Topeka community. h While the educational institution is a private...
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Kansas site has unique designation
A small Kansas chapel was used as a metaphor for American unity by singer Bruce Springsteen in the Jeep commercial, “The Middle,” which aired during the 2021 Super Bowl. Springsteen encouraged Americans to find common ground as he was shown in that...
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Schmidt wants gas price answers
When a trucker asked Topeka’s congressman about rising gas prices, U.S. Rep. Derek Schmidt admitted he was giving “not a very satisfying answer.” Schmidt, R-Kansas, held a telephone town hall on April 29. A caller, who identified himself as a truck...
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GM shares vision for events center
With just weeks into her new position, the new Stormont Vail Event Center general manager is focused on creating connections in the community to fulfill her role. Kasey Hanney was appointed as the new general manager of Stormont Vail Event Center on...
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Bible used to swear in VP Curtis donated to Kansas
The 462-year-old German Bible used in 1929 to swear in Topekan native Charles Curtis as the nation’s vice president has been donated to the state of Kansas, which will give it a new home at Curtis’s former home in Topeka. James Geis — owner of the...
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PERSONAL TOUCH
TOP: Bea’s Place owner Brittany Taylor, left, cleans the kitchen alongside medical aide Saquena Daniels on April 27. The house Taylor transformed into Bea’s Place offers Home Plus residential care for elderly individuals in the Topeka area. RIGHT:...
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Rocketry club blasts off
TOP: Highland Park rocketry team members Joey Noriega, left, helps Alex Luna epoxy a custom-made rocket motor mount to a test rocket on May 5. “This high school had an astronaut before, like 50 years ago and it would be extremely cool if we left this...
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WEATHER ON MORAN’S MIND
Weather is a big conversation topic in Kansas. “Weather does matter to Kansas,” said U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas. “Sometimes it’s the most common conversation I have with Kansans, is about the weather. “Just recently in Ottawa and Hillsdale,...
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Special session unlikely
Kansas lawmakers appear unlikely to return to Topeka before this year’s elections for a special session on property taxes and gerrymandered redistricting. The call by a few for a special session comes after the Legislature failed to deliver property...
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Ball of twine is on a roll
When Cawker City farmer Frank Stoeber began making a ball out of the twine that littered the floor of his barn on Dec. 24, 1953, he had no idea that ball would one day grow into a popular tourist attraction. But today, thousands annually visit the...
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Desi Delights features authentic Indian groceries
Finding ingredients for an authentic Indian meal doesn’t require a trip out of town for many Topeka residents, thanks to a growing local option that specializes in Indian products. Desi Delights, 2025 SW Urish Road, owned by Vinoth Loganathan, since...
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Water pollution feeds harmful algae in lakes
Nutrient pollution in rivers and streams around Topeka is feeding the harmful algae plaguing recreational lakes. Those nutrient impairments, like phosphorus in the Kansas River and Shunganunga Creek, are a high priority for the Kansas Department of...
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Prediction markets see explosive rise
Though prediction markets have been legal in the United States for less than 18 months, they can’t stop making news and making money. On prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket, users can stake real money on just about anything, from the...
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Soaring on two wheels
For most kids, you might learn to ride your first bicycle at 4 years old. Kevin Moranz he went straight to a dirt bike. “It’s kind of a phenomenal story,” said Amy FischerMoranz, Kevin’s mom. Growing up in Seaman USD 345, Kevin and his older brother,...
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Kansas governor awards Order of the Sunflower
Gov. Laura Kelly is hoping to start a new Kansas tradition. On April 28, Kelly presented the inaugural Order of the Sunflower award to Michelle Rone, first lady of the U.S. Army 1st Infantry Division. “Today, we’re here not just to recognize one...
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CEO reflects on first year
Mark Slyter’s college football experience helped prepare him to tackle a career running health care systems. Slyter, president and CEO of Topekabased Stormont Vail Health, played linebacker in the late 1980s and early 1990s for Butler County Community...
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Topeka hit by flash floods
Mother Nature dumped 2.75 inches of rain between 1 and 7 a.m. April 27 on Topeka, causing flash flooding of streets and roads in several places. The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings for various counties in northeast Kansas,...
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MAKING A HOUSE A HOME
This new store in West Ridge Mall is dedicated to helping you make your house truly feel like home. Home At Last, owned by Tammy Thiessen, is a furniture and decor store that grew from a design and construction company whose clients wanted help...
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KDOL tries to collect $67M
Thousands of Kansans will be getting letters saying they owe the government money because they were overpaid for unemployment insurance benefits in the past seven years. The Kansas Department of Labor sent billing notice letters on April 23 to 8,526...
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U.S. delegation to meet with Iranian officials
The United States is sending a delegation to Pakistan to meet with Iranian officials, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said April 24, resuming direct talks as both countries accuse each other of violating a ceasefire by seizing and blocking...
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Mission-driven market
Making sure the community is OK is what motivates Chuck Johnson to keep operating his business. Second Chance Foods, 4826 SW Topeka Blvd., opened its doors in 2022 and has been offering low-cost food and household items for customers. “I do it...
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‘Growing my family business’
Fueled by community support, a 2022 side hustle has transformed into a full-time food truck success for this family in Topeka. Owned by Nancy and Francisco Lopez, El Zócalo is a Christian, family-owned food truck business that began in 2022 as a...
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Canada geese harassing prison
Canada geese are harassing a Kansas prison. Now state officials want help to harass the geese. The Kansas Department of Corrections is looking for a vendor “to provide environmentally safe Canada goose control” at Hutchinson Correctional...
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JUMP marches for housing trust
Chants urging the Topeka City Council to take action on funding the Affordable Housing Trust Fund could be heard in central Topeka. More than 50 Topeka JUMP members participated in a “moral march” to advocate for affordable housing on April 19. “We...
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Governor Kelly signs new law addressing rural legal shortage
A new Kansas law could help Washburn University law students pay off their student loan debt or pay for expenses while in school. On April 6, Gov. Laura Kelly signed into law a student loan forgiveness bill for lawyers interested in serving rural...
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ALTITUDE ADVISOR
Keimara Marshall monitored the wind patterns, did her pre-flight check and thrusted for liftoff. h Over her shoulder, instructor Joyce Parker watched intently during the flight simulation from Jefferson City, Missouri, to Lexington, Kentucky. h The two...
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Strait of Hormuz opened amid two-week ceasefire
Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz “completely open” to all commercial vessels, the country’s foreign minister said, meeting a central demand of the United States as the two countries teased another round of peace talks and the clock wound down on a...
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Free speech laws CONTRADICT
Kansas lawmakers are supporting student free speech and protests in some areas, but opposing it in others. A new law named after assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk is intended to protect free speech rights for students on college...
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Trump’s Kansas judicial picks face Senate hearing
The three Kansas lawyers nominated by President Donald Trump for lifetime appointments on the federal bench are moving toward confirmation. Trump on March 2 nominated Tony Mattivi, Anthony Powell and Jeffrey Kuhlman to fill three judgeship vacancies...
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‘HE’S GOT A DAMN ARMY BEHIND US’
What’s a mom to do when her son is being bullied at school? That’s what Montanna Luker had to figure out for her 11-year-old son, Wyatt, as she saw the effects of name calling that has turned physical over the past few years. “Just making fun of him,...
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‘Topeka needs something like this’
Bridging the gap between beauty and education is the mission behind a newly established fine arts school in Topeka. La Reina’s School of Fine Arts, 6730 SW 29th St., Suite B, is the first school in the area dedicated solely to esthetics and nail...
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Artemis II crew to visit Cosmosphere museum
On their flight back to Earth, the crew of Artemis II promised to visit the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, and offered a piece of history to the museum as well. During a Congressional call to astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and...
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‘CARE AND SUPPORT’
Mayetta resident Laura Moore hopes sharing her story of suffering a traumatic brain injury while she was a teenager will help others cope in similar situations. International food assistance programs with a long history of support from Kansas farmers...
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Artemis II crew awestruck by trip
The four astronauts on the Artemis II mission that took them around the moon spent years preparing for the historic flight, practicing operating the Orion spacecraft, learning how to observe the moon’s geography and even training in photography. The...
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Boulevard gets bookish
Abookstore in Seabrook Shopping Center offers Topeka readers more than just a place to buy literature. Ivy and Ink, located at 2005 SW Gage Blvd., is a romantasy booktique specializing in romantic fantasy fiction. h “It’s kind of like Harry Potter for...
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Justice Sotomayor pays visit to Kansas
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor visited Kansas and spoke at the Lied Center. On April 7, Sotomayor participated in a “fireside chat” about her career and the current state of the federal legal system. Sotomayor was nominated by former...
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NASA chief visits Kansas
HUTCHINSON — Houston, Cape Canaveral and Hutchinson, Kansas. Those are the three cities that NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will spend time in while the Artemis II mission heads to and from the Moon, the first crewed flight there in more than 50...
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Judge releases immigrants in habeas corpus cases
At least 23 times in the past eight months, a federal judge in Kansas has released immigrants who were being indefinitely detained in violation of the U.S. Constitution after immigration officials failed to deport them within a reasonable time. The...
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Marshall says cable news is designed ‘to make you mad’
Nick Xidis hosted U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall at Hazel Hill Chocolate for a roundtable discussion with local business owners in Topeka on April 1. Gary L. Hermesch, charged in last April’s fatal shooting of Seneca Catholic priest Arul Carasala, last...
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Journey of faith, conflict and retirement
In the mid- to late 1990s, Cecil Washington Jr., the Kansas House’s chaplain at the time, faced national controversy for praying in the name of Jesus Christ. “In fact, there was a group, a small group that actually decided to boycott the prayer,”...
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Skirmish over replacing Bondi looming in Senate
Pam Bondi is out at the Justice Department. And all roads to replace her lead through one place: the U.S. Senate. The impending political brawl on Capitol Hill to supplant the embattled attorney general, fired by President Donald Trump on April 2, is...
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Member subbed out to advance bill
When Kansas Republican Sen. Tory Marie Blew voiced her unwillingness to advance a controversial voter ID measure from committee, she was promptly swapped from her leadership role for a GOP colleague who would. “I told them that: ‘This is a hill I’ll...
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Why transgender activist broke Kansas bathroom law
Transgender activist Samantha Boucher washed her hands in a Kansas Statehouse women’s restroom knowing she was violating the law. Boucher alone in the restroom with a Capital-Journal reporter making small talk about her act of civic disobedience. She...
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