In the 1950s Leo Eckhart became my mentor.Leo ran a billiard parlor — we all called it the pool hall — in Humboldt. Along with regular pool, he had two snooker tables, with racks of…

The problem:An ultra-conservative Jewish male feels it goes against his religion to be within touching distance of a woman who is not his wife and so refuses to accept a seat next to a woman…

Police forces across the country say they are trying to make the demographics of their departments better reflect their communities but struggle to find enough people of color to apply.Little wonder.Overwhelmingly, minorities in the United…

Lawmakers in Indiana and Arkansas are backpedaling on recent legislation that some perceive as discriminatory against gays and lesbians. Threats by sizable businesses canceling contracts have the lawmakers fearful they may have gone overboard.So it’s…

In all her enthusiasm to promote the benefits of work, Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook perhaps overlooked those in situations where employment is not possible.We say that with tongue firmly planted in cheek.“Works lifts individuals out of…

By the time a female is selected to grace a U.S. $20 bill, paper currency likely will be extinct. A campaign called “Women on 20s” seeks to replace Andrew Jackson’s mug on the $20 bill…

Ronnie Caler died this week, and truth be known, his death probably didn’t register with most folks outside of family and a knot of friends.That’s a shame. But, his passing did have an effect on…

Up until now, student financial aid from the state was split 50-50 between public and private universities. Baker University, for instance, received as much as Pittsburg State.As of last week, however, that’s all likely to…

Dear editor,Virginia Macha is one who believes in her endeavors 110 percent. As I have seen her on her quest for the USD 257 school board, it is yet another confirmation of her commitment to…

Allen County dropped in its health rankings for 2015, negating the last couple of years of upward trending.We are now ranked 87th of the 101 counties surveyed in Kansas, down from 79 for 2014. It…