Sherman Smith, Kansas Reflector
Sherman Smith is editor of the Kansas Reflector, a nonprofit news operation covering Kansas state government and politics that is part of States Newsroom.
Stories by Sherman Smith, Kansas Reflector
Kansas Newspaper Raided by Marion Police Sues Officials for Attack on Free Press
The Marion County Record has sued local authorities who planned and carried out the raid last year of the Kansas newspaper's office and the publishers’ home.
Kansas Governor’s Budget Includes Pay Raises, Medicaid Expansion, Special Education, Tax Relief
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s budget includes Medicaid expansion, paying down debt, and investments in special education, water and emergency housing.
Kansas Officials Downplayed Involvement in Marion Raid. Here’s What They Knew.
The Marion police chief enlisted the support of local and state law enforcement officials before he led raids on the local newspaper and the publisher’s home.
Marion County Record Publishes Following Police Raid — and Gets Seized Property Back
The Marion County Record published again days after a police raid that made national headlines. Authorities also returned property taken during Friday's raid.
Former U.S. Rep. Tim Huelskamp Connected to False Text About Kansas Abortion Amendment
Former U.S. Rep. Tim Huelskamp is behind the false text message about the Kansas constitutional amendment on abortion that enraged Democrats on Monday.
Kansas Governor Vetoes GOP Congressional Map, Calls for Bipartisan Compromise
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday vetoed a GOP-drawn congressional map that would divide the Kansas City metro and place Lawrence into a rural district that stretches to the Colorado border.
‘You Have Awakened a Sleeping Lion’: Kansas City Residents Denounce GOP Congressional Map
Kansans for Fair Maps, a coalition of advocacy groups, organized a news conference to elevate the voices of residents in the Kansas City metro area who are upset about the proposed new congressional map.
How Rolling Blackouts Helped Regional Power Grid Avoid ‘Cascading Failures’
Federal regulators are investigating how the Midwest power grid had come so close to a catastrophic failure during a winter weather blast last week.
CDC Confirms Kansas Mask Mandates Helped Reduce COVID-19 Infections
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have published new research that reaffirms mask mandates helped slow the spread of COVID-19 in Kansas' largest counties.
Voter Fraud Myth Persists Despite Constant Failure to Prove Claims
Accusations of voter fraud are used to justify laws and tactics that make it more difficult to vote, even though voter fraud is extraordinarily rare.