Commentary

Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle’s decision to remove reporters from the Senate chamber Wednesday was unconstitutional and unnecessary.

She should apologize — not to the reporters, necessarily, but to the people of Kansas, who were deprived of a complete and honest account of a dispute inside their state Capitol.

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Capitol View

The Kansas legislature officially adjourned the 2019 session this past week. While the last day is generally ceremonial, this year held more activity.

The first item of business in the House was a resolution regarding an emergency declaration for 56 counties in response to severe storms and flooding. The declaration includes all counties in the 108th district.

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My mother used to joke that she could barely find the kitchen when she and my father were married more than 60 years ago. Over the years, she sharpened her culinary skills so that by the time I was old enough to notice, she had made peace with the gas stove in the kitchen of our Indiana farm home.

Her specialities included pineapple pie, a recipe I’ve always thought she created because the only other time I’ve ever run across it was several years ago at Ellsworth’s Saturday morning Farmers Market.

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Sitting in the choppy waters of the English Channel the day before D-Day, 20-year-old Pvt. James R. Lambeth wondered what would happen on the beaches of Normandy.

“We had no idea what we were getting into,” recalled Lambeth, who was born in Spring Creek, in Phelps County just east of Fort Leonard Wood.“I’d never seen combat before, and had no idea what it would be like.”

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Our board members for USD 112 had voted and told those present that no building would be closing and instead they recommended that the building in Bushton would become a middle school and grades 4-6.

Also part of this change was to move the 7-8 grade to Claflin building. However the 7-8 graders would return to the Bushton building for all activities.

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Ellsworth received good news this past week and it came — from all places — the federal government.

The city was one of three Kansas communities to receive supplemental funding at 100 percent for improvements to its airport.

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In recent weeks, the newspaper has made mention of grants awarded this spring by the Smoky Hills Charitable Foundation. However, to get the full effect of the foundation’s work, you need to see all the successful grants at one time. They total $103,170, money that goes directly into Ellsworth County to make life better for its residents.

• Ellsworth Housing Authority — $20,000 for elevator upgrades at The Pines Apartments in Ellsworth.

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Pity the poor public servant.

Legislators, Commissioners, and agency managers must sort facts and opinions to make the best decisions for the public good. It is critical to hear from the public — and then sort through those comments carefully, thoughtfully, and compassionately.

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Capitol View

The wrap-up or veto session is complete. Passing a budget was at the top of the list, and the conference committee members between the House and Senate worked to deliver a solution.

Many budgets have not been increased in several years. This year’s budget increased compensation for state employees, the department of corrections and higher education as well as adding roughly $200 million for K-12 education.

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In the months and years leading up to the most recent presidential election, you may have heard me say,“There is no question we will have a female president someday, I just hope it’s not her.”

Hillary Clinton didn’t get votes like mine; not because of her gender, because of who I observed her to be.

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