Secular News

In June 2024, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump charged on his social media platform that “much of Higher Education has lost its way, and is now corrupting our Youth and Society with, SOCIALIST, and ANTI-AMERICAN Ideology.” He vowed to remove such “wokeness” from U.S. education. Trump has primarily targeted elite private universities in his attacks on […]

Washington state has ambitious renewable energy goals. But as we transition away from fossil fuels, energy demand will increase as we electrify our lives and as energy-intensive industries proliferate.   This complicates our state’s path to decarbonization. As part of the transition, solar energy in Washington could cover tens of thousands — possibly hundreds of thousands […]

SEATTLE — Washington Attorney General Nick Brown says the Trump administration’s attempt to reprioritize billions of dollars in housing aid for people with disabilities is a policy that “comes straight out of a Charles Dickens story.” Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner says reforms are needed to fix what he describes as a “Biden-era […]

CEDAR CREST — The best gift Statehouse Republicans could give Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly this holiday season is collaboration to resolve Kansas’ water issues, she said Tuesday at the annual Christmas tree donation at Cedar Crest. “Recognizing that that is not a political win or loss for anybody, but absolutely essential for the future in […]

A private school in Brooksville should be barred from access to state school vouchers after its operator admitted it wasn’t educating students the state paid it to teach, an administrative judge recommended Wednesday. The episode follows release of a state audit into a state budget strain caused by what lawmakers agree are lax accounting practices […]

The latest effort to legalize marijuana in Florida encountered a legal setback but those behind a new amendment insist they still can qualify for the 2026 ballot. Florida election officials have told local election supervisors to toss out 200,000 petition signatures that they say are invalid. Smart & Safe Florida, the group pushing the initiative, […]

A day after Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said that his office is investigating allegations that the Campbell’s Soup Co. uses bioengineered meat in their soups, the company is strongly denying that claim. Uthmeier weighed in Monday following the release of comments made in a secret audio recording of a vice president of the company […]

TOPEKA — A pair of state senators from Johnson County competing for the Kansas Democratic Party’s nomination for governor are eager to demonstrate political connections to Republican and independent voters who have a dominant presence in rural Kansas. Sens. Ethan Corson and Cindy Holscher were asked Monday night during an online forum whether they can […]

This story was originally reported by Sara Luterman of The 19th. Meet Sara and read more of their reporting on gender, politics and policy. As The 19th makes plans for 2026, we want to hear from you. Complete our annual survey to let us know your thoughts. Three years after the release of the first […]

TOPEKA — U.S. District Judge Toby Crouse on Tuesday admonished the former leader of a Kansas foster care charity for dragging his feet on plans to enter a guilty plea. Crouse ordered Robert Smith to stand trial for bilking millions of dollars from Saint Francis Ministries, which Smith led from 2014 to 2020. Smith, who […]

Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed new penalties against certain dog breeders and animal abusers on Tuesday, hoping to pass more anti-animal cruelty legislation before his term is through. He spoke at Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Loxahatchee early Tuesday, the same site where he signed two other anti-animal cruelty measures into law earlier this year. For […]

TOPEKA — Democratic U.S. Senate candidates Christy Davis, Sandy Spidel Neumann and Anne Parelkar blamed Kansas GOP incumbent Roger Marshall for cost-of-living increases and promoted demands for affordable health care, better treatment of farmers, quality schools and a higher minimum wage. The trio indicated during an online forum Monday night hosted by the Kansas Democratic […]