Opinion

A better year in 2013?
By Clausie Smith
December 26, 2012
If there was ever a time when we needed a new year it is now. No matter how you view it, 2012 was a bummer.
A forgotten war
By Clausie Smith
December 13, 2012
Two hundred years ago – 1812 – the United States took a desperate gamble and declared war on Great Britain.
The art of cursive
By Clausie Smith
December 5, 2012
If any of my grade school teachers were around, this column would shock them: I really believe that cursive writing should continue to be taught in grade school.
First day of winter discoveries
By Rae Sedgwick
December 5, 2012
As the morning strutted her beauty, I was the sole member of the audience at the opening of a play. I felt privileged to have been chosen for such a moment.
TOPS offers support for those looking to lose weight
November 28, 2012
For those looking to lose weight, Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) offers a local support group in Basehor.
Returning to optimism
November 20, 2012
It seems to me that we need a national dose of enthusiasm and thankfulness.
Sorting out the truth in politics
By Clausie Smith
November 7, 2012
Finally, the election is over and, if the legend of Pinocchio were true, there would be a lot of politicians walking around with noses about three feet long.
History of the vote
By Clausie Smith
October 31, 2012
In just a few days we will be going to the polls to select a new president and maybe more importantly members of the state legislature.
Supporting a worthy cause
By Clausie Smith
October 24, 2012
In the past 125 years, the United Way has gone by different names such as the Community Chest or the United Campaign, but the goal has always been the same – to pool resources and help those who are less fortunate or those who need help.
Discovering family history
By Clausie Smith
October 17, 2012
On a bright, warm early October Saturday afternoon, outside the tiny town of Mulhall, Okla., I met my great-grandfather, William H. Smith. No, of course not in person, we found his final resting place in Roselawn Cemetery.
Understanding the mindset of battle
By Rae Sedgwick
October 10, 2012
I was sitting in the Sage Creek Grill in the Black Hills of South Dakota when I was approached by four young men in dark, blue uniforms, one of whom asked to share the bench where I was sitting.
Air travel a curse, blessing
October 10, 2012
If any mode of transportation has changed in the past few decades, it is air travel. Frankly, it isn’t as easy or as much fun as it was in the 1960s or 1970s. In fact, now it can be a bit of a hassle.
LIVE: Bonner Springs football at Piper, 7 p.m. Friday
By Theresa Abel
September 21, 2012
The Braves (3-0) and Pirates (2-1) will meet in what promises to be a matchup of two of the Kaw Valley League’s most electric offenses.
Just what is the wreck of Hesprus?
By Clausie Smith
September 19, 2012
Without a doubt, it is one of my wife’s favorite expressions. She will enter a room that is untidy and quickly express “this place looks like the wreck of the Hesprus.”