By Clay Wirestone | opinion editor
Good morning! Welcome, my friends, to the show that never ends. Or at least plays once a day at 4 a.m. sharp. We’ve assembled the usual bountiful buffet of stories and commentary, all arrayed below, so let’s get a move on.
Sherman Smith / Kansas Reflector
Kansas child welfare committee plans five-hour closed meeting to review foster care cases
TOPEKA — A Kansas legislative committee plans to meet in secret for five hours Tuesday to discuss foster care cases with state agencies, raising questions from transparency advocates about why so much of the meeting is closed to the public.
The Joint Committee on Child Welfare System Oversight meeting agenda says five foster care contractors will discuss cases but does not specify whether those discussions will include identifying information about children, how many cases each agency will present or what lawmakers hope to accomplish.
Committee chair Rep. Cyndi Howerton, R-Wichita, said the committee requested the Department for Children and Families and each agency bring cases where family reintegration and permanency have been challenging.
“The purpose is not to shield providers or DCF from scrutiny,” Howerton said. “Reviewing those cases across providers allows the committee to identify common themes, service gaps, policy barriers, or other issues that may require legislative attention.”
Some child welfare advocates think the closed meeting is unnecessary.
Anna Kaminski / Kansas Reflector
Gov. Laura Kelly surveys landscape as she exits government service, points to unfinished business
TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly said she appreciates that when Kansans think of economic development, their minds turn to deals for the Kansas City Chiefs’ $3 billion domed stadium in Wyandotte County and Panasonic’s $4 billion battery plant in De Soto.
Max McCoy / Kansas Reflector
OPINION
As our nation celebrates 250 years, are we keeping our promises to Kansas kids?
By John Wilson
This week, America celebrates its 250th birthday. But as we honor the beginning of our country, we can’t ignore the realities Kansas families face today. The 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book — released just ahead of this significant milestone — paints a clearer picture of how kids across the country are doing today.
U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas promises to refuse Trump administration appointment
TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall vowed to be on the Kansas general election ballot in November and to decline administrative appointment from President Donald Trump during the next two years.
Kansas Supreme Court affirms death sentences for brothers responsible for ‘Wichita massacre’
TOPEKA — The Kansas Supreme Court upheld the death sentences of the brothers who went on a crime spree in 2000 in Wichita, putting an end to two decades of attempts to alter the brothers’ fates.
US Supreme Court deals blow to Trump, ruling states can accept ballots after Election Day
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that states can count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, a blow to the Trump administration and some Republican states that had urged the justices to require all ballots to arrive by the close of polls.
Trump’s sharpened focus on investigating elections raises fears of midterm meddling
Over the past six months, the Trump administration has focused the power of federal law enforcement — and even a top U.S. intelligence official — on elections and discredited grievances over the president’s 2020 loss.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Kansas Reflector staff will participate in the following free public forums.
1 p.m. July 11, South Branch Library in Kansas City, Kansas. Opinion editor Clay Wirestone joins a panel discussion: "Elected vs Appointed: Inform Your Choice." Hosts: Voter Rights Network of Wyandotte County, Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation, the League of Women Voters of Johnson County, and El Centro.
2 p.m. Sept. 27, Red Rocks Visitor Center in Emporia. Host: Red Rocks.
If you're interested in having us talk in your town, email Sherman Smith at [email protected].
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