Secular News

Criminals who persuade children to harm or sexually abuse animals could face up to five years in prison under a new bill filed with the support of Gov. Ron DeSantis. Sponsored by Democrat Sen. Kristen Arrington and Republican Rep. Linda Chaney, the identical SB 676 and HB 559 would create a third-degree felony charge for […]

Exclusive: ‘There are so many things wrong with this,’ one government-affairs watchdog told The Independent

The Florida Bar last week opened a disciplinary file on a Miami Beach City Commission candidate accused of defaming a local filmmaker who reported on her lasting affinity for her father, the serial killer inspiration for “Dexter” executed in 2012. Monique Pardo Pope, one of two candidates in the Dec. 9 run-off election for the […]

President Donald Trump’s unprecedented plan to redraw state congressional maps to preserve the GOP’s narrow majority in the House ahead of the 2026 election has hit some bumps, but Republicans appear confident they can flip several Democratic seats in Florida, where the first steps in that process will begin this week. A select House committee […]

TOPEKA — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas and Topeka’s St. Francis hospital have failed to reach a contract agreement, leaving insurance customers out of network beginning Jan. 1 for one of Topeka’s major health care systems. Officials with both organizations say discussions are ongoing. The current contract ends Dec. 31. “We’re having productive […]

TOPEKA — An autism spectrum diagnosis can be confounding for some families. For years, parents and caregivers had little support or guidance to provide the best outcomes for children with autism. Often, the most they were given was a packet of information, said Linda Heitzman-Powell, a professor in pediatrics for the University of Kansas and […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention first used the term “AIDS” on Sept. 24, 1982, more than a year after the first cases appeared in medical records. Those early years of the crisis were marked by a great deal of confusion over what caused the disease, who it affected and how it spread. But […]

Washington state lawmakers next year hope to rein in law enforcement’s use of automated license plate readers amid revelations federal immigration authorities are using the data. The readers are mounted everywhere from street poles to police patrol cars. They take pictures of vehicles and use artificial intelligence to analyze the data. Police can use the […]

Coldwater residents have learned a valuable lesson: Actions have consequences. Their town’s mayor, Joe Ceballos, has been charged with felony voter fraud by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach. Ceballos appears to have registered and cast ballots in multiple elections, despite not being a citizen. While you might expect townsfolk to support the prosecution, that’s not […]

The story of Duncan Spencer, the "frighteningly fast" bowler who could have played for England or Australia.

The story of Duncan Spencer, the "frighteningly fast" bowler who could have played for England or Australia.

The story of Duncan Spencer, the "frighteningly fast" bowler who could have played for England or Australia.