Wichita news media Archives - Voice For Liberty

Dec

Year in Review: 2017

Here are highlights from Voice for Liberty for 2017. Was it a good year for the principles of individual liberty, limited government, economic freedom, and free markets in Wichita and Kansas? Also, don't miss these notable episodes of WichitaLiberty.TV in 2017: Dr. James Otteson on capitalism Keen Umbehr on criminal justice reform Ben Jones on the death penalty in Kansas Fred L. Smith, Jr., founder of the Competitive Enterprise Institute Kansas Senator Ty Masterson Kansas Representatives Leo Delperdang, Susan Humphries, John Whitmer, along with their leader Speaker of the House Ron Ryckman Jonathan Williams, chief economist at American Legislative Exchange…

Dec

By Bob Weeks

Spirit Aerosystems incentives reported

Opinions vary on economic development incentives, but we ought to expect to be told the truth of the details. The Wichita Business Journal has reported on the economic development incentives used to cement the Spirit AeroSystems expansion announced last week. Following are some quotes from its article How Wichita won the battle for Spirit AeroSystems’ expansion. Background on the aspects of the deal can be found at Spirit expands in Wichita. Wichita Business Journal: "And many aren’t shy about bringing cash to the table as an incentive. In Wichita, in the wake of the defeat at the polls in 2014…

For Wichita Eagle, no concern about relationships

Mar

By Bob Weeks

For Wichita Eagle, no concern about relationships

Should the Wichita Eagle, a city's only daily newspaper and the state's largest, be concerned about the parties to its business relationships? It's a question that the Wichita Eagle should be considering. But the newspaper's top executives seem to have no concern. On February 14 I sent a message to the publisher and executive editor of the Wichita Eagle expressing my concerns about the newspaper's future landlords. That letter appears below. After several follow-up attempts by email and telephone, neither would respond. Sent I sent this message, I've found I was mistaken about the ownership of the building to where…

Nov

By Bob Weeks

The Joseph Ashby Show, revived

He's no longer on AM radio at KQAM, but people still want to hear him. So for now there's the Joseph Ashby Show podcast. There are several ways to listen: Like The Joseph Ashby Show on Facebook. Click here for this. (Be sure to ask for notifications, or at least for posts to show at the top of your newsfeed.) Subscribe to the podcast on Podbean. Click here for this. Follow The Joseph Ashby Show on Twitter. Click on @JosephAshbyShow.

Wichita Business Journal editorial missed the news on the Wichita economy

Aug

By Bob Weeks

Wichita Business Journal editorial missed the news on the Wichita economy

A Wichita business newspaper's editorial ignores the history of our local economy. Even the history that it reported in its own pages. Of the several problems with a Wichita Business Journal editorial, the worst is the author's view that now, with the result of the David Dennis/Karl Peterjohn election for Sedgwick County Commission, the Wichita area can return to making progress in economic growth. The article is full of phrases like "good news for anyone in Wichita who values the city’s growth" and "We once took pride, in Wichita and in Kansas, in our record of pragmatic, collaborative economic growth."[1.…

Mar

By Bob Weeks

Wichita Eagle, where are you?

The state's largest newspaper has no good reason to avoid reporting and editorializing on an important issue. But that's what the Wichita Eagle has done. In November 2014 Wichita voters rejected a proposed Wichita city sales tax. The largest portion of that tax, $250 million, would have gone towards expanding the capacity of the Aquifer Storage and Recharge, or ASR, project. The Wichita Eagle editorial board urged voters to approve the tax. It told readers that spending $250 million on ASR would "assure a future for Wichita with enough water." "The needs are clear," the editors wrote, adding "Investing in…

Newspaper reports on lack of source for news

Feb

By Bob Weeks

Newspaper reports on lack of source for news

I wonder if the reporters and editors at Wichita Business Journal can see the rich irony in this article. It reports on a group of business leaders complaining about the lack of information about Wichita. I wonder if we've forgotten about the role of newspapers, their websites, and mobile apps. Emerging Leaders want to know what’s happening in Wichita Daniel McCoy, Wichita Business Journal Wichita has a lot of great things going on, but how do people find out about them? There should be an app for that, say members of the Emerging Leaders program. Rather than having to visit…

Jan

By Bob Weeks

Wichita Eagle Publisher Roy Heatherly

Wichita Eagle Publisher Roy Heatherly spoke to the Wichita Pachyderm Club on January 15, 2016. This is an audio presentation.

Nov

By Bob Weeks

Wichita Eagle: Reporting, then research

Wichita Eagle reporting on a controversy involving religion might leave discerning readers wondering just what is the correct story. In its article of October 6 titled "News of Wichita State chapel renovation to help Muslims sparks backlash" the Wichita Eagle reported: Muslims at Wichita State University wanted a better place to pray. In May, workers renovated the campus chapel and removed the tiny altar and pews. WSU administrators thought the change had resolved the problem by giving Muslim students a place to kneel on the floor and pray. Christian students could use portable chairs. Everyone on campus seemed satisfied. Later…

In Wichita, bad governmental behavior excused

May

By Bob Weeks

In Wichita, bad governmental behavior excused

A Wichita newspaper op-ed is either ignorant of, or decides to forgive and excuse, bad behavior in Wichita government, particularly by then-mayoral candidate Jeff Longwell. In a column just before the April 2015 Wichita election, Bill Wilson, managing editor of the Wichita Business Journal, reported on fallacies during the mayoral campaign, fallacies he called "glaring." [6. Wichita Business Journal, 2015. 'Bill Wilson: Campaign 2015 -- To Tell The Truth'. Accessed May 14 2015. http://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/print-edition/2015/04/03/bill-wilson-campaign-2015-to-tell-the-truth.html.] But only a juvenile interpretation of the facts surrounding the events could find them fallacious. This is especially troubling since Wilson covered city hall as a…