As classrooms close for the summer and families and teachers reflect on the experiences and the ways that their students have grown since August, I am preparing my classroom for a new, incoming teacher. After…

In the outpouring of eulogies to Bill Walton — ranging from hagiography of his basketball skills to posthumous plaudits for his political activism to appreciation for his colorful verbal wit — I want to share…

I once heard Jimmy Carter say that in a war there are no human rights. With the fighting in Ukraine and in Gaza front and center, that observation seems more profound than ever. Human rights…

A horrific strike on a tent encampment in Rafah on Sunday killed at least 45, including women and children, some of whom were burned alive, according to the Hamas-run Gazan health ministry. The deaths may…

Having depended on hearing aids for nearly three decades, I’m astounded by the lack of Medicare coverage for devices that can solve a problem afflicting tens of millions of older Americans. Nearly two-thirds of Americans…

Many years ago, I received this piece of advice: “Set your own agenda, or someone else will set it for you.” I’ve carried those words with me ever since. That’s why, next week, I will…

I’m on a roller coaster of emotions thinking about Riverside Park. On the one hand it’s a bucolic time capsule of what a summer day in the park should be. On the other hand, consistent…

As this year’s legislative session ends, it would be easy to focus on the overwhelming partisan conflict and stalemate that has become a reality in Kansas politics. However, legislative Democrats and Republicans have been able…

The controversy about the decision to fly an upside-down American flag outside the home of Justice Samuel Alito recalls St. Paul’s admonition that while some things may be lawful, “not all things are helpful.” I…

In the 1980s and 1990s, I worked eight long seasons for the U.S. Forest Service. I crisscrossed the country fighting wildfires with axes, shovels and chain saws. I labored on hundreds of fires, but rarely…