View from the Hill

In 1954, U.S. Representative Ed Rees from Emporia, Kansas, presented a bill that established November 11 as a national holiday titled “Veterans Day.” Abilene native, then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower, signed Veterans Day into law on May 26, 1954.

For those who vote in elections, there is a feeling that you are doing your part to shape the direction of our country. It is at the same time a satisfying and frustrating experience. Many of us have a feeling of duty to our communities and ultimately to our nation to vote our preferences for leadership. At the same time, it feels like our single vote is meaningless in the course of an election. As you read this, most yard signs have come down and races have mostly been decid

Recently, I was in a room where tables were covered with pieces of various jigsaw puzzles. One table had 2000 pieces that were in an array of colors and shapes. Looking at that multitude of pieces did not reveal how the finished effort would look.   A guiding picture on a box is an essential part of understanding “what goes where.” When I look at the tax structure our state uses to fund its many programs, it is much like a puzzle that lacks a definitive image unless you can s

There has been a significant amount of state and national news stories about redrawing United States Congressional Districts. Kansas has four Congressional Districts, two of which are primarily urban, and two which are mainly rural in their demographics. An explanation of the thoughts that are going into the decision to redistrict or not is important for voters to know. The United States Constitution in Article 1, Section 4 gives the authority to determine Congressional Distr

Columbus, like his holiday, received mixed reviews while alive and still 500 plus years later. Even though Columbus has detractors he also exhibited characteristics that we would do well to emulate.

The invention of the twentieth century that truly changed America was the mass-produced automobile. While other countries rely heavily on...

If we are to continue to be the bright shining city on the hill, we need to recommit ourselves to protect the rights of people to succeed and encourage the excellence that has become the envy of the world.

Life changes in instances. We live our lives in a comfortable routine, sometimes almost enjoying the mundane. Then in an instant...