Kansas

Let's celebrate the hot-blooded, radical, progressive history of Kansas – Kansas Reflector

Published

2 years ago

January 29, 2024

Let's celebrate the hot-blooded, radical, progressive history of Kansas – Kansas Reflector

“When anything is going to happen in this country, it happens first in Kansas,” said William Allen White, Kansas’s most famous resident (barring Paul Rudd and Superman).

Some may roll their eyes at this thought, that Kansas, a state known for being flat and boring and conservative, has been a trailblazer of the country, a hotbed of radical populism. But it’s true: Kansas has historically led the country in political and social insurgency. From the abolition of slavery to the push for prohibition, my beloved Sunflower State is where the will of the people reigns supreme.

If you weren’t privy to this fact, you are not alone.

I am sure the average Kansan wouldn’t know this either. In fact, if you grew up in Kansas, there is no doubt you, like me, took a field trip to the Capitol building, where stunning murals of the Kansas countryside were broken up by images of the occasional violent fanatic or two, eliciting more than a few eyebrow raises from your third-grade class.

I, too, could not understand why my sweet, peaceful Kansas would choose to be represented by a zealot like John Brown, wielding a musket and a bible But that is, of course, because Kansas is not a peaceful place. When Kansans adopted the motto Ad Astra Per Aspera (to the stars through difficulty), by God, we meant it.

From the very beginning, Kansas has been a place where radically different ideas and their advocates duke it out.

Kansas entered the Union as a free state after a violent conflict over slavery, known as Bleeding Kansas, putting our dear friend John Brown on the map and serving as a “tragic prelude” of sorts to the imminent Civil War. It would later become host of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling, which paved the way for the end of segregation.

Kansas spearheaded the suffrage movement at the state level, became a safe haven for socialist thinkers, and was the very first state to outlaw alcohol during the prohibition. And in recent years, Kansas was the first state to protect abortion rights after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Kansas is consistently at the heart of every single revolution in America.

And I have every intent on continuing this tradition.

When I am confused about my identity, I find my Kansas heritage anchors me. To be a Kansan is to be a radical; to push for progress; to be a forward-thinker. To be a Kansan is also to be empathetic; to care for your neighbors; to stand up for those who are suffering.

The past five generations of my family have stood on the very same dirt, looked up at the very same sky, breathed the very same air, and decided to change the world for the better. I come from the place pioneers and visionaries seek out. The winds of change whip through me like a Kansas tornado. I am a force of nature.

If ever I doubt what I am capable of, I remember the moment I realized who I was and where I come from: I am a Kansan.

Changing the world is in my blood.

Kate Appel Eckert is a senior at USD 345 in Topeka. Through its opinion section, the Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.

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Kansas

Rural Kansas fire department reports record number of calls in 2025

Published

4 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Rural Kansas fire department reports record number of calls in 2025

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A rural Kansas fire department says it saw yet another increase in calls in 2025.

On Tuesday, Butler County Fire District #3 posted data about last year on social media.

It responded to 782 alarms in 2025, which is a new record.

The majority of the calls were for rescue and emergency medical services, followed by service calls.

Courtesy: Butler County Fire District #3

The department’s data show the number of calls has been trending upward over the last 20 years.

From 2006 to 2010, the department handled an an average of 550 calls a year. From 2021 through 2025, that average was 720, a 31% increase.

Courtesy: Butler County Fire District #3

Officials said continued growth in the community has increased the demand for emergency services.

“These numbers reinforce the importance of ongoing training, staffing, equipment planning, and community support to ensure we can continue to provide timely and effective service,” the department said on Facebook.

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Kansas

Clay County Commissioner says he’s ‘done’ negotiating with Kansas City Royals

Published

16 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Clay County Commissioner says he’s ‘done’ negotiating with Kansas City Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Clay County Commissioner Jason Withington said Wednesday that he still loves baseball, but is “done” negotiating with the Royals on a new stadium for the team in the county.

According to Withington, Thursday, Jan. 8, was the deadline for the Royals to appear on the April 2026 ballot in the county.

Withington said the Royals told the county that they were not ready to meet that deadline.

Withington took to Facebook to explain that “the joy has been drained” out of him over the last few years and expressed his dislike towards the business of baseball.

He called negotiations with the team “a closed chapter” and said that the county is shifting its focus elsewhere.

“It’s time for the Commission to focus fully on priorities we control—either upgrading our existing county jail or building a new one,” Withington wrote.

The Royals’ lease at Kauffman Stadium in the Truman Sports Complex in Jackson County expires in January 2031.

KSHB 41’s political reporter Charlie Keegan reported in May 2025 on efforts by Missouri to keep both the Royals and Chiefs in Missouri.

While the Chiefs announced that they will move to a new stadium site in 2031 in Wyandotte County, the Royals have not announced their next steps to get a new ballpark built.

A stadium site near 119th Street and Nall Avenue in Overland Park has emerged as a possibility for a stadium site for the ball club.

Some residents in that area are not happy about that possibility.

KSHB 41 News reached out to the Royals for comment, but has not heard back.

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Kansas

Arizona-Kansas State free livestream: How to watch Big 12 basketball game, TV, time

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

Arizona-Kansas State free livestream: How to watch Big 12 basketball game, TV, time

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The No. 1 Arizona Wildcats play against the Kansas State Wildcats in a Big 12 basketball game tonight. The matchup is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. CT on FS1. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trial offered by DirecTV. Alternatively, fans can purchase a monthly subscription offered by Fubo TV/Sling.

The Arizona squad has played at a high level this season, as it enters this matchup with a 14-0 record. The team is coming off a 97-78 win against the Utah Utes.

In order to win tonight’s game, Arizona will need to rely on its forward Koa Peat. He leads the team in scoring this season, as he averages more than 14 points per game.

The Kansas State squad enters this matchup with a 9-5 record, but the team is coming off an 83-73 loss against BYU.

In order to bounce back tonight, Kansas State will need a great performance from its guard P.J. Haggerty. He averages 23 points per game, which leads the team.

Fans can watch this Big 12 basketball game for free online by using the free trial offered by DirecTV. Alternatively, fans can purchase a monthly subscription offered by Fubo TV/Sling.

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