Name: Kansas legislators hide from public scrutiny by Reflector Podcast
Duration: 27 min 44 s
Description: Kansas Reflector opinion editor Clay Wirestone, reporter Anna Kaminski and editor in chief Sherman Smith talk about three recent examples where lawmakers have hidden their work from public scrutiny or directed animus toward journalists.

Kansas Reflector opinion editor Clay Wirestone, reporter Anna Kaminski and editor in chief Sherman Smith talk about three recent examples where lawmakers have hidden their work from public scrutiny or directed animus toward journalists.

Kansas legislators hide from public scrutiny

Johnny Szlauderbach, director of communications and strategic projects for Freedom's Frontier, talks about the National Heritage Area's rich history, efforts to partner with "passion projects" in "very rural areas," and how a proposal before Congress to defund the program would cause it to "cease to exist."

Freedom's Frontier preserves stories of historic significance in Kansas, Missouri

Community development financial institutions support “underserved” small businesses and entrepreneurs who may have challenges accessing capital through traditional means, a CDFI leader says.

Ruben Alonso, CEO of AltCap, a nonprofit CDFI based in Kansas City, Missouri, talks about the importance of access to capital for Kansas small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Nonprofit leader on supporting 'underserved' Kansas businesses and entrepreneurs

Heather Cessna talks about why she is resigning as executive director of the Kansas State Board of Indigents' Defense Services, and the constitutional crisis created by decades of underfunding public defense work.

Kansas neglect of public defenders creates constitutional crisis

Kansas Reflector opinion editor Clay Wirestone leads a discussion with editor Sherman Smith and senior reporter Morgan Chilson on federal immigration enforcement efforts and CoreCivic's lucrative, secret, no-bid contract to house detainees in Leavenworth.

Kansas Reflector staff dissect CoreCivic contract and immigration enforcement

Ellis County artist Amy Warfield talks about her artwork, her motivation for submitting a suggestion to the Kansas Senate Committee on Government Efficiency, or COGE, and a disconnect between the Legislature's priorities and what people need.

Portrait of a west Kansas artist with political concerns

Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, a Topeka Republican who worked for 40 years as a pharmacist, says she is seeking the GOP nomination for governor to fully represent the interests of Kansans following the second term of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

Vicki Schmidt on seeking the GOP nomination for Kansas governor

Dorothy Barnett, executive director of Climate + Energy Project, talks about federal green energy policy, new natural gas plants planned by Evergy and costs of energy for Kansans.

Federal green energy u-turn, natural gas costs concern environmentalist

Kansas Reflector reporter Morgan Chilson talks about the stories of perseverance and resilience and the challenges remaining for the Grinnell, Kansas, community. Grinnell was hit by an EF-3 tornado on May 18, 2025, and lost a large residential neighborhood and sustained damage to schools, a church and businesses.

Grinnell community recovers from tornado with grit, perseverence

It's been two years since police staged a chilling raid on the Marion County Record, seizing computers and phones — but not silencing the hard-hitting newspaper.

The situation spawned one state and five federal lawsuits, as well as a criminal charge against former police chief Gideon Cody.

Eric Meyer, the owner, publisher and editor of the Marion County Record, talks about how his life has changed over the past two years, the status of his lawsuit over the raid, and the need for powerful journalism.

Kansas newspaper raid: Where things stand two years later

Christy Davis, one of three candidates seeking the Kansas Democratic Party's nomination for U.S. Senate, is eager to challenge in 2026 incumbent U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Republican loyal to President Donald Trump.

Christy Davis seeks Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate

The Kansas Reflector Podcast, hosted by senior reporter Tim Carpenter, presents voices from the people and politics of Kansas.

Kansas legislators hide from public scrutiny

Reflector Podcast

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