REFORM

Apr 25 2026CRIME

Topeka’s crime drops but traffic stays risky—what’s really happening on the streets

Last year, Topeka saw fewer violent and property crimes, which the police department calls a win. But one problem didn’t budge: traffic incidents stayed stubbornly high. The numbers tell a clear story—thousands of crashes, hundreds of DUIs, and tens of thousands of traffic stops. Speeding, distracte

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Apr 25 2026ENVIRONMENT

How Utah can turn Earth Month goals into real action

Utah faces a quiet crisis every winter when thick, dirty air gets trapped over the valleys. The Great Salt Lake’s shrinking size worsens that pollution while hurting local jobs and natural habitats. Meanwhile, homeowners watch their power bills climb month after month. These aren’t just environmenta

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Apr 24 2026POLITICS

Pump prices and court battles: Why climate lawsuits are costing everyone

Gas prices have jumped to over four dollars a gallon, and Americans feel it every time they fill up. While war and supply issues get blamed, a growing wave of state lawsuits against energy companies is adding hidden costs. Cities like Baltimore and green groups such as the Sierra Club argue these bu

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Apr 24 2026POLITICS

A young woman’s health crisis in detention raises serious questions

A 23-year-old woman, detained by immigration authorities, is facing severe health risks after being denied surgery she urgently needs. Officials arrested her just days before the planned procedure to remove an ovarian cyst. Since then, her condition has worsened, with visitors noting she’s in consta

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Apr 24 2026HEALTH

Rethinking HIV Laws: Are Strict Rules Really the Best Defense?

Public health debates often clash over how to handle diseases like HIV. Russia once took a hard stance, making it a crime to spread HIV through actions like unprotected sex or needle sharing. The idea was simple: punish those who put others at risk to slow the epidemic. But over time, experts began

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Apr 22 2026EDUCATION

What colleges really need to focus on

Colleges today spend a lot of time talking about fairness and social change. For years, many schools pushed programs to hire more diverse teachers and admit more students from different backgrounds. Some even created entire departments focused on social issues. A recent study at one well-known unive

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Apr 21 2026EDUCATION

Schooling Beyond the Classroom: California’s Creative Learning Experiment

When the pandemic turned classrooms into screens, many parents hurried to find alternatives that didn’t leave their children staring at a laptop all day. One family in Southern California decided to take learning into their own hands. They blended homeschooling with small-group teaching, focusing on

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Apr 20 2026POLITICS

A quick chat between two influential leaders in New York City

New York City’s mayor sat down with a former president over the weekend at a local daycare center in the Bronx. The meeting wasn’t just about politics—it was about kids. Both leaders talked about how important early education is for young children in the city. Mayor Mamdani has been pushing hard for

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Apr 19 2026EDUCATION

Mississippi’s Reading Revival: A Blueprint for Change

Mississippi once hovered at the bottom of national reading rankings, but a shift began in 2013 when new leadership embraced a science‑based approach to literacy. The plan moved beyond simple phonics; it involved overhauling standards, assessments, and accountability to focus on the most struggling s

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Apr 19 2026POLITICS

A Mayor and a Former President Share a Story Hour in NYC

Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s mayor, recently spent Saturday morning surrounded by kids and parents at a Bronx childcare center. His guest? Barack Obama. Instead of a boardroom chat, the two leaders spent time reading picture books with toddlers, a moment that stood out from typical political inte

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