Proposed legislation to bless breast-feeding in Kansas prompted what seemed like an endless stream of comments to Opinion Line earlier this year. But it took a negative comment on the subject from Barbara Walters to prompt a rally of “lactivists” outside ABC studios last week, according to this New York Times article. The “nurse-in” should make Kansas business owners think twice before trying to send a nursing mother to the restroom.
Posted by Melissa Cooley
Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean is taking heat for his recent rants about Republicans. But what about Sen. Hillary Clinton? At a fundraiser last week, she said of the Bush administration and Republicans: “It is very hard to stop people who have never been acquainted with the truth.” So much for trying to appear moderate and bipartisan. To read more rants, click here.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Maybe the Kansas Supreme Court’s school finance order to phase in a consultant’s recommendations on school finance will cause lawmakers — and, we hope, Wichita City Council members — to be less inclined to hire so many consultants.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Here’s an interesting interpretation of the state Supreme Court’s death penalty decision last year, as reported by John Hanna of Associated Press: It was previous Supreme Court members, not current members, who were “activists.”
The previous court ruled in 2001 that the state’s death penalty law was flawed but could be fixed with new jury instructions. The current court said that rewriting jury instructions “encroached upon the power of the Legislature,” so it tossed out the entire law.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
When Kansas state senators recently voted to require that the Senate confirm the governor’s nominees to the Kansas Supreme Court, the proposed constitutional amendment went no further, thanks to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Mike O’Neal, R-Hutchinson. But his indifference may have ended with the court’s school-finance order. One among many bitter criticisms he’s offered since was this to The Topeka Capital-Journal: “The court cannot hold a gun to anybody’s head and say you’ve got to pass this bill.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman
To sign up for a free membership in the Hertz #1 Club Gold, all you have to do is go to https://www2.hertz.com/goldcorp/us/agreement.cfm and agree to the 59 pages of conditions. My favorite: You can’t drive your Hertz rental in Tasmania unless you got it there. Oh, those devils!
Posted by Lou Heldman
The U.S. State Department included Saudi Arabia among the world’s nations that do little if anything to stop forced labor or other forms of “modern slavery.” And a Washington, D.C., watchdog group charges that the Saudis are arresting Christians.
With friends like these. . . .
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Lawyer Greg Kite says the local Historic Preservation Alliance isn’t giving up on stopping demolition of the downtown Fidelity Title building. His group recently made a $160,000 offer on the building to the Wichita Bar Association (double what the bar paid for it), but he says the bar board rejected the offer.
Now some other lawyers are coming forward to oppose the demolition. In a letter to The Eagle in Friday’s paper, Roberta R. Johnson said she’ll resign from the bar association over the demolition.
And Kite’s group has posted on its Web site the Court of Appeals opinion it lost. Kite challenges people to read the facts and make up their own minds.
I hope these efforts succeed. No, not all downtown buildings are worth saving (I want to write more on the trade-offs in a future editorial), but Fidelity Title is a gem that adds interest and character. The same can’t be said for the law center next door that threatens its existence.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
Wichita Area Chamber of Commerce officials and local businesses stepped up last week in creating a double-miles frequent-flier incentive for AirTran Airways. Now it’s up to area business travelers to do their part and fly the low-cost carrier whenever they can. Remember, if AirTran goes, so go reasonable airfares.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
