Opinion

So, the United States is at war again.Those of us who lived through the Middle Eastern quagmires of the early 2000s can all too easily recall the mixture of fear and dismay that accompanied watching American forces head to foreign lands. For those of you too young to remember, I fervently hope this particular war winds up with the least amount of carnage possible for Americans, Israelis and Iranians.Here’s the real challenge in grappling with times like these.

In its fiscal year 2026 budget, the Trump administration proposes to cut funding for the National Institutes of Health by almost 40%. That proposal, if enacted by Congress, would be nothing less than a wrecking ball for cancer research in the United States.That makes no sense.

I was asked, "Do you know how refreshing it is to see someone truly enjoy their work?" I smiled and thanked my customer for the compliment.Maybe that day I was exceptionally exuberant. It’s the first time after a 4.5-year search that my office pre-warned a landowner of an upcoming recording on their property and verified the owner did indeed want to refinance their $4 million parcel.

For the past few weeks, my son has been on the East Coast at a summer camp with his friend, another Midwesterner. They have been meeting kids from all over the country — actually, all over the world.

As the summer temperatures start heating up, we are hearing word of Vacation Bible Schools across our city. There are VBS experiences to meet just about anyone’s needs if you are willing to look into them.

A history of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) came to my attention last month, and I have enjoyed digesting it.The "Burlington," as its oldest routes were known to the public for more than 100 years, does not serve Leavenworth directly these days. But employees and retirees of the line live in Leavenworth city and county.

When our dogs bark a lot, it sure can be irritating to human ears. We often holler at the dogs to be quiet, and we all know how well that works.

In September 1864, in the midst of the Civil War, something remarkable happened in Leavenworth.A group of Jewish residents — many of them immigrants — gathered with Col. Champion Vaughan of the 4th Kansas Cavalry and Christian community leaders, including pastors and judges, to dedicate the first synagogue in Kansas.