During an interview with Rep. Kent Thompson Sunday afternoon he asked on several occasions to speak “off the record,” meaning he did not want to be quoted for the article.That puts a reporter in a…

To their credit, U.S. Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran are at the forefront of reestablishing U.S. relations with Cuba.The two Kansas senators see a direct benefit for their home state if relations, especially in…

Sleep deprivation is a tactic CIA operatives use to extract confessions from would-be terrorists. They make their captives stay awake for an ungodly length of time until they are so weary they will agree to…

As Kansas legislators continue to face the fire of disgruntled voters for their inability to wrap up the legislative session —  they are now 22 days past the 90-day limit — a growing concern is…

Life’s physical absolutes are birth and death. You can’t have one without the other. What occurs in between is what matters most.The older I get, the more often I find a friend’s name in the…

Two events this weekend have disparaging roots, but both certainly should have generous participation.Iola’s annual Relay for Life begins at 6 o’clock Friday evening and concludes a smidgen after daybreak Saturday. During the night scores…

The United States’ grand experiment in democracy is well into its third century, and despite a hurdle now and then and differing political opinions, it gives no indications of imploding.As much as anything, that may…

How’d you like a T-bone steak, fries and drink for 45 cents?If time travel were possible, you could duck back to the 1940s and do just that at Hart’s Lunch in downtown Iola.D.L. Hart, Gilbert,…

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to sit down with an energetic, optimistic, and dare I say charismatic young man.My, did that shot of adrenaline feel good. And he’s even in politics — which…

By law, Kansas legislators must balance a budget for fiscal year 2016, which begins July 1, before they can adjourn.They are now one week past the scheduled 90-day session, which means Kansas taxpayers are paying…