Once again, Pittsburg residents were entertained on Sunday, March 26, at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts. The Southeast Kansas Symphony gave a concert featuring three talented PSU students who were winners of the Concerts and Aria Competition. more

There is a great need for KanCare expansion and it is supported by 80% of Kansans. Some of the reasons for expansion include the following:   more

I do not appreciate your article on the front page on April 18th regarding the homeless campers at Wesley House. Your reporters did not report a balanced story. Please refer to your previous articles which told the full story of the Wesley House, their work, and their incredible results.  more

There are a number of databases that list college and university scholarship opportunities. One of th ose scholarship databases is found at Scholarships.com.   According to th is firm, “ … more

There are generally six main ways a person can pay for a college education in Kansas: Funds from parents, grandparents, and other loved ones; funds previously earned or secured by the individual … more

No, Bill Gates does not own 80% of all U.S. farmland. The billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft founder recently cleared the air on his 11th Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Reddit.In response to … more

House Democrats recently went on their annual retreat in Philadelphia. The purpose was to discuss policy initiatives for the coming months and, most of all, to come up with a message for midterm … more

When the Abbot was asked if a pilgrim should be required to know God, before joining them in the monastery, he replied, “Oh no. Only that they seek him.” — Tales of the Desert … more

This column continues the story, by former Pittsburg resident, Jim Gore, about the Cold War arriving at 1805 South Broadway, in Pittsburg. — J.T.K. Driving home from the missile base site for … more

Although I believe that football is America’s most inclusive religion, I’ve come to consider that it’s soon to be overtaken by gun worship. more

What follows is the first of two parts of a story by former Pittsburg resident, Jim Gore, about the Cold War arriving at 1805 South Broadway, in Pittsburg. — J.T.K. more

I’m a weather junkie. More often than not, I’m checking out the Weather Channel to see if there’s any precipitation coming this way and if the temperature is above freezing — important if you plan to walk before the sun comes up — or to see what the forecast is for the rest of the week, knowing full well it can change at any moment. Nature is fickle and fascinating and deserves our respect. Storms are fascinating to watch on screen, less so in person. I’ve not seen a tornado in person, nor do I care to, and I watch in awe at the destruction they can wreak. more

When I was a kid, growing up outside Richmond, Virginia, I looked forward to the rare occasions when we got to go downtown. Richmond is a historic place - and the Virginia Capitol is a wonder to behold (particularly when you're a tween-ager fascinated by all things Civil War). more

"Your state trooper dad wrote you a ticket?" A girl I knew in high school caused a wreck in front of her house. Her dad ran out of the house to make sure she was OK. Once he knew she was unhurt, he walked back into the house and got his ticket book. It was a difficult day to wear two hats; he was a Dad and a State Trooper. Unfortunately, the Federal Reserve is struggling to wear two hats as well. more

A few years ago, I started shaving with oil instead of shaving cream. I liked the simplicity: You didn’t have to wipe it off afterwards. I liked the smell: cloves. more

Even though it doesn’t feel like it, according to the calendar, Spring has officially arrived. Often, thoughts turn to “spring cleaning” when spring arrives and from the amount of items coming into the thrift stores, it is apparent that the annual spring cleaning ritual has begun. more

I’m writing this on the 82nd birthday of poet Billy Collins, former U.S. poet laureate who’s been called the most popular poet in America. more

This is the second excerpt from Arma native Frank Jeler Jr.’s memories of fishing in S.E. Kansas. — J.T.K more

As an elementary school student, I remember learning the Spring, or Vernal, equinox fell on March 21st each year. Apparently, that’s not always the case and now there’s also meteorological Spring that begins on March 1st. And then there’s the Groundhog who supposedly predicts when Spring will arrive. Whenever it comes, Spring is a welcome season and while it hasn’t felt much like it outside the past week, the library is sporting some seasonal décor not to mention new books on the shelves so come in to get your Spring vibe. There’s nothing like a good read while you wait for a Spring-like day so you can get started on your outdoor chores. more

It shot out from the left side of the road and hit me before I could even hit my brakes. I was driving one night years ago on a two-lane road when a whitetail deer jumped a fence out of nowhere and hit me broadside. I almost wrecked, not because of the collision but because it scared me so much. The suddenness of it reminds me of the bank failures in the past few days. They came out of nowhere and broadsided us. more