By Clay Wirestone | opinion editor
Good morning! Our lead story today is an example of why we ask you — a handful of times each year — to lend your financial support to Kansas Reflector. Senior reporter Morgan Chilson traveled to Galena to report an in-depth story about a smoldering landfill, producing not only the feature below but also photos and a podcast. None of this comes cheap or easy. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Morgan Chilson / Kansas Reflector
‘Stinks so bad’: Kansas residents worry smoldering landfill on a Superfund site is making them sick
GALENA — Tammy Allen’s front porch overlooks the trash-scattered hills of the Galena Landfill, built on an area once called Hell’s Half Acre.
In the past three years, Allen’s house randomly began to fill with a mix of odors that she believes cause her headaches, nausea and vomiting.
“The smells come and go, and you never know when they’re going to hit,” Allen said. “There’s one that smells like a dirty garage … and there’s one that smells like stale cigarette smoke.”
Although she has lived near the site for decades, Allen said problems with smoldering landfill fires and bad smells increased in the past two or three years.
Allen is part of a group of Galena residents, Neighbors for Clean Air, fighting for additional oversight and remediation at the landfill, which is operated by Jordan Disposal LLC.
Ashley Wells, who lives near the landfill, founded the group as people throughout the small southeast Kansas town shared concerns and frustrations about health issues and the noxious odors that sometimes flood the downtown area.
Kansas Reflector screen capture
Kansas drops out of lawsuit targeting senior and disability rights
TOPEKA — Kansas withdrew from a federal lawsuit that could overturn decades of progress in disability rights, including increasing institutionalization for elderly and disabled individuals, an advocate said.
Rocky Nichols, executive director of the Disability Rights Center of Kansas, said he was pleased Attorney General Kris Kobach chose to pull Kansas out of the Texas v. Kennedy case that challenges an important section in the Rehabilitation Act. The lawsuit started with 17 states, and just six are left: Texas, Alaska, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri and Montana.
Clay Wirestone / Kansas Reflector
OPINION
On the brink of America’s 250th birthday, questions of national identity and who discovered what
By Dave Redmon
On July 4, we’ll mark 250 years since our nation’s Declaration of Independence. I wonder whether this will be another celebration of white privilege, or will it include all who call the United States their homeland?
Kennedy Center facade blocked from public view by tarp after Trump’s name removed
Days after President Donald Trump’s name was removed from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a large tarp and scaffolding was still blocking the building’s facade from public view Monday afternoon.
Ceasefire reached with Iran, ending hostilities and opening Strait of Hormuz
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Monday he had signed a ceasefire with Iran, moving the two countries one step closer to ending the war that began in February.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Kansas Reflector staff will participate in the following free public forums.
5:30 p.m. June 16, Bradbury Alumni Center at Washburn University in Topeka. Editor-in-chief Sherman Smith will lead a discussion on the proposed constitutional amendment to elect Kansas Supreme Court justices. Host: Kansas Appleseed. Register here.
6 p.m. June 24, Groover Labs in Wichita. Editor-in-chief Sherman Smith will lead a discussion on the proposed constitutional amendment to elect Kansas Supreme Court justices. Host: Kansas Appleseed. Register here.
6 p.m. June 25, Clint Bowyer Community Building in Emporia. Editor-in-chief Sherman Smith will lead a discussion on the proposed constitutional amendment to elect Kansas Supreme Court justices. Host: Kansas Appleseed. Register here.
7 p.m. June 27, Park City Senior Center. Host: Park City Community Pride.
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].
Thanks for reading Read & Reflect. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.