Opinion

MY PERSPECTIVE, Gary Damron

Since November, we've been looking at the idea of the Messiah, the One promised and anointed by God, who came "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). Last week we touched on a Jewish ritual performed by John the Baptist, and how Jesus came to John to be baptized.

The baptism of Jesus was a part of His fulfilling all the Mosaic laws. His parents had presented Him as an infant in the temple; for the feast of Passover, they took their 12-year-old, where He met with religious leaders in preparation for becoming a son of the law. Now, Jesus' baptism as an adult marked a pivotal point in God's interaction with humanity. This event became part of establishing a new covenant where spiritual laws are written on our hearts, and upon our minds (Hebrews 10:16, quoting Jer. 31:33). The author of Hebrews calls it "a new and living way" (Hebrews 10:20).

GUEST COLUMN, Ron Ryckman, 38th District Senator

Since this is my third Saturday newsletter in a row, does that qualify as a “Three-peat?” Wow, no better way to start off than with an incredible Chiefs victory to send them to New Orleans for yet another Super Bowl Championship. How quickly things can change, however, as that joy and celebration turned instantly to shock and despair with the news of the oh-so-close-to-home Kansas Day flight from Wichita to Washington that never made it, conjuring up memories of the ill-fated Wichita State University football team crash from back in 1970. Our Senate Chaplain probably said it best when he offered in his Invocation, “Lord, this tragedy reminds us of the uncertainty of life and causes us to reflect on our own mortality. Make us mindful of the certainty we can have in You and the peace and comfort that only You can give to us and the families of the victims, as the lengthy process of closure begins.”

L&T Publisher Earl Watt

If the leadership of the Democratic Congressional delegation is any indication of our nation’s education system, we are in deep, deep trouble.

During the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump said if elected he would secure the border. He said he would appoint Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to a newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, what has become know as DOGE.

He said he would use tariffs to get Canada and Mexico to handle border policy in a more favorable way.

He said he would begin the largest deportation effort in history.

GUEST COLUMN, Shannon Francis, 125th District Representative

This week several of our local residents testified before legislative committees. Kelly Hill and his daughter, Beckett, were here and testified in the Senate Tax Committee. Lindsay Bennett and Sarah Foreman testified at a Social Services Budget Committee hearing. They did an excellent job of representing our community … especially Beckett.