By Anna Kaminski | reporter
Good morning, and happy Friday. Our former summer intern, Baya Burgess, brings us a piece about Gen Z lawmakers and how they see themselves fitting in with establishment parties. Burgess gives us a fascinating glimpse at an undercurrent in the Legislature: Voting one’s district, or one’s conscience, isn’t always rewarded or encouraged.
Have a good weekend.
Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector
Gen Z politicians who want to make a change grapple with parties that aren’t always ready for them
TOPEKA, Kan. — After state Rep. Angel Roeser defied her fellow Republicans and voted against their plan to ask voters to change the way Kansas Supreme Court justices are selected, members of her own party shared a graphic calling her and three other dissenters “obstructionists.”
Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector
Kansas GOP candidate for secretary of state fined $93,000 for breaking federal labor law
TOPEKA — Kansas secretary of state candidate Pat Proctor blamed zealous bureaucrats for assessing his restaurant businesses $93,000 in penalties after failing to comply with federal wage and overtime laws.
Illustration by Eric Thomas for Kansas Reflector
OPINION
Trust fall: ads for Kansas candidates address voters’ slumping faith in almost everything
By Eric Thomas
I watched 52 Kansas campaign commercials today so that you don’t have to.
Actually, for the next few weeks you will still be watching them. Whether you want them or not, they will still be on during the nightly news, college football games and re-runs of “Everybody Loves Raymond.”
If I can’t do you the favor of vaporizing the ads from your channels, let me give you a new way to think about them.
Kansas measles cases grow to five; community transmission not seen
TOPEKA — Five measles cases reported in Kansas are related to out-of-state travel, health authorities said Thursday.
“As of right now, we are not seeing the larger community transmission we saw back in 2025, but we will refrain from venturing a guess as to whether that will change,” said Kansas Department of Health and Environment spokesman Preston Webb in an email.
Judge extends temporary access to White House for news organizations Trump banned
WASHINGTON — A federal judge will rule in the coming days on whether the Trump administration can legally rescind White House press passes for journalists at three news organizations, or if those reporters will be able to continue accessing the grounds while the case continues.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Kansas Reflector staff will participate in the following free public forums.
6 p.m. Oct. 12, Riverbank Brewing in Council Grove. Opinion editor Clay Wirestone talks about his book and the latest news. Host: Flint Hills Books.
5:30 p.m. Oct. 19, Frank Carlson Library in Concordia. Host: NCK Voters.
6 p.m. Dec. 3, Prairie Star Restaurant in Manhattan. Host: League of Women Voters of Manhattan and Riley County.
If you're interested in having us talk in your town, email Sherman Smith at [email protected].
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