Opinions

As I think back over the first two months of 2025, I have witnessed so many moments of people helping others. This has brought to mind the words of Martin Luther King Jr.

We enthusiastically agree with Dorothy: There’s no place like home. For several months, the building where the I-R calls home has been on the city council agenda for concerns over building codes.We fully support the city’s effort to ensure safe, quality housing and businesses ...

Cowtown Days, or the lack thereof, has become a hot topic. We are encouraged by city council’s encouragement of discussion of retaining Rhythm and Reels, while keeping the option for residents to embrace Cowtown Days in a different iteration.

It could seem as if my recent interest in publishing articles about press restrictions for covering the statehouse in Topeka is excessive.“What’s the big deal?” is an easy question to ask.If we were having this discussion in person, I would take a few moments to collect myself.

Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins has repeatedly lied about the news media.So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that after he barred reporters from their traditional spot in the House, he and assorted allies spent most of last week obfuscating their actions.I use the word “lie” for a reason here.

As the snow slowly begins to melt, we wish to extend an overdue thank you to everyone who worked tirelessly during last week’s snowstorm.We saw many law enforcement officers on the news and sharing traffic information. Their contributions were invaluable, and we are grateful.

My first full-time job as a journalist was as a staff photographer in Independence (Kansas, not Missouri).I was in a new corner of the state, with few peers my own age. Slowly, I began to meet people in our rural Kansas town.A fast favorite was my church’s quilting group.

Judith Ann “Judy” Siemsen, 79, passed away Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Great Bend, Kan. She was born March 27, 1945, in Wichita, Kan. On Nov. 18, 1946, she was adopted by Leo and Renata (Schulz) Mehl. Judy married Robert Siemsen on Oct. 28, 1979, in Holyrood, Kan.

Loretta Schneider, Emporia, Kan., died Nov. 28, 2024, at Presbyterian Manor. She was 86 years old.Loretta was born on Dec. 21, 1937, in Stafford, Kan., the daughter of Clifford and Adaline (Rush) Beagley.

Editor/ PublisherFor our family, 2024 was a difficult year.Yes, there were some ups with the downs, but overall, it felt like we were put through a meat grinder.I felt awfully alone in this experience ... until New Year’s Day.