Kansas Reflector Podcast

Kelly Rippel, cofounder of Kansans for Hemp and a member of the Kansas Department of Agriculture's hemp advisory panel, says changes in state and federal policies could help build a more vibrant market for growing hemp in Kansas for industrial purposes.

Mike Foreman, who was sexually assaulted at age 11 by a priest from Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish in Overland Park, talks about the Catholic Church's lack of empathy in rejecting his appeal for justice.

Pam Cornwell, trauma services clinical director for Saint Francis Ministries, and Matt Arnet, KVC Health Systems director of outpatient mental and behavioral health services, discuss mental health challenges of foster kids.

Steven Johnson, who took office as state treasurer in January, talks about environmental, social, and corporate governance, administering an anti-abortion program, private school scholarships, unclaimed property, short-term investments and legislative experience.

Opinion editor Clay Wirestone leads editor Sherman Smith and reporter Rachel Mipro in a discussion of Kansas Reflector's six-part church and state series, which examined the influence of religious views on state government.

YWCA of Northeast Kansas' monthlong exploration of social justice anticipates some people might feel uncomfortable before talking more comfortably about the issue in terms of disability rights, housing, music and mental health. Allison Marker and Romae Isom of the YWCA talked about their effort on the Kansas Reflector podcast.

Wendy Doyle, president and CEO of United WE, a nonpartisan nonprofit that advocates for women in business and civic leadership, said her women’s bill of rights would include family leave, lowering barriers for women to open businesses and ensuring affordable child care. Doyle and Jen Earle, CEO of the National Association of Women Business Owners, sat down for the latest installment of Kansas Refl...

Kansas Action for Children's Heather Braum, Daniel Klaassen and Erin Melton delve into legislation impacting the welfare, education and health of Kansas families.

Wulf James on the Kansas State Library, which offers a journey into state government's obscure past and access to modern library tools.

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab talks about the integrity of state elections, the new presidential primary, advanced voting, and administrative cleanup.

Four members of Progeny, a Wichita-based youth advocacy group, talk about the groundbreaking 2016 juvenile justice reform bill, what still needs to be done to help at-risk youths, and how Kansas lawmakers approach the issue.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, who took office in January, talks about mass shootings, abortion, election rules, drugs, retail crime, transparency, transgender athletes and endangered birds.

Kansas Reflector staff talk about taxes, LGBTQ attacks, abortion, public education and other prominent topics from this legislative session.

A Leavenworth county landfill has, in the words of a county commissioner, threatened an "unfolding environmental disaster" for Kansas. Neighbors, the landfill's owner and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment have become entangled in a fiery dispute that has a times involves real flames. Opinion editor Clay Wirestone talks to reporter Allison Kite about her in-depth story on the dispute.

Chloe Chaffin, program lead for Loud Light and the chapter president of Washburn Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, and Leslie Butsh, field director with the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, discuss the state of reproductive rights this legislative session.

Brian Jordan, of the Kansas Association of School boards, joins Brenden Wirth and Joel Leftwich, both of the Kansas Farm Bureau, to talk about Engaged Kansas — a new effort to encourage civic-minded folks to enter public life through service on the 6,000 positions on city councils, county commissions and school boards. The nonpartisan, nonpolicy coalition involved also includes the Kansas Associat...

Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park, and George Hanna, co-director of the Kansas National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana, express frustration with hurdles to legalizing medical marijuana in Kansas — but still hold hope that the Legislature can pass a bill.

Kansas State University president Richard Linton, a true believer in the land-grant mission of U.S. universities, says a cluster of new campus academic and research buildings should serve to improve the quality of life for Kansans across the state.

Jae Moyer, of Mainstream Coalition, and Melissa Stiehler, of Loud Light, discuss the state's political climate toward the LGBTQ community.

Mark Horst, owner of King Solar in Yoder, Michelle Milburn, of Stanion Wholesale Electric, and Jessica Lucas, lobbyist for the Clean Energy Business Council, say Kansas should end the utility monopoly on power purchase agreements with businesses, churches, schools and others who want electricity from solar systems on their property but lack investment capital to build. Opening the market, they say...

Marcus Baltzell, spokesman for the Kansas National Education Association, and Leah Fliter, a lobbyist for the Kansas Association of School Boards, talk about legislative attempts to undermine K-12 education.

Sedgwick County District Judge Phil Journey's ideas for cutting domestic violence in the state include informing victims about protection orders and temporary housing assistance, preparing officers to determine the most-likely aggressor in a case, and staggered sentencing.

The jury that convicted Sarah Gonzales-McLinn of first-degree murder in 2015 didn't know about the months of abuse that preceded her grisly crime. She received a Hard 50 sentence, but later accepted a plea deal to reduce her incarceration to a minimum of 25 years in exchange for giving up the right to appeal. Now, her advocates hope to get her out of prison by convincing the governor to grant her...

Sen. David Haley and Rep. Barbara Ballard — the Kansas Legislature's longest serving current senator and representative — talk about career, race and partisan politics.

Micah Kubic, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, outlines key pieces of the organization's 2023 agenda as the session gets underway.