MANHATTAN, Kan. - On March 23, 2010, after a year of partisan fighting, President Obama signed into law a bill that reform the nation's $2.5 trillion health-care system. Known as the H.R.3590 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, this legislation will expand health care coverage to 31 million uninsured Americans through a combination of cost controls, subsidies and mandates. The cost of this reform is estimated to run close to $848 billion over a 10 year period. The cost is to be fully offset by new taxes and revenues and would actually reduce the deficit by $131 billion over the same period.

One thing for sure is that an abundance of disinformation about this legislation is streaming out of the Right's propaganda machine. In an effort to provide the public with tools to separate fact from fiction about H.R. 3590, the Manhattan Alliance for Peace and Justice (MAPJ) will host an informational Health Care Forum on Monday, 26 July, from 5:30-7:00pm at the Manhattan Public Library Auditorium.

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Women, have you ever been walking home alone at night, and jumped at every twig that snaps, or has your heart skipped a beat when a shadow crosses your path, do you go over self defense scenarios in your head? Many of us are aware of the rules for walking alone at night: do not listen to your headphones, do not talk on your phone, have your keys ready in your hand. The reality is often times, women do not feel safe walking alone after dark. Many women I know will not even walk alone at night on the K-State campus, a place where we feel safe and at home most of the time. It is time to "Take Back the Night"!

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Over 200 people demonstrated their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality in Manhattan and Riley County on Saturday in first Pride march and rally the community has seen. Marchers represented individual LGBTs, allies, various community and K-State organizations and two of Manhattan's religious congregations: the Unitarian Universalism Fellowship and First Congregation - United Church of Christ.

Lead marchersMarching down Poyntz Avenue with a police escort the participants were met by a smattering of supporters along the route that took them west on Poyntz, then north on 11th Street and down Moro through Aggieville, ending at Triangle Park.

Jonathan Mertz, Chair of Flint Hills Human Rights Project, said: "I was driving the pickup at the end of the parade. When I turned onto to Poyntz to follow the walkers I had this view of a mass of people with signs and rainbow flags walking up the street and more people were running to join the crowd. It took my breath away."

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and their allies will make history as they hold the first Pride March ever in Manhattan on Saturday 24 April. The march will start at 2:00 pm in front of the Riley County Courthouse and will proceed down Poyntz Avenue to 11th Street, then north on 11th to Moro, through Aggieville, ending in Triangle Park with a rally that goes until 4:30 pm.

Along with speeches and entertainment, the rally will feature openly gay musician Tom Goss. Goss will also be in concert with Jeremiah Clark later on the 24th beginning at 9:00 pm at Mel's Tavern in downtown Manhattan.

WICHITA, Kan. - I noticed a Letter to the Editor in the Wichita Eagle the other day that sparked my interest. "Boycott Chamber Businesses" spoke of John Eaton's frustration of our legislators' refusal to follow Gov. Mark Parkinson's recommendation of a temporary 1 percentage point sales-tax increase. Since I share the same frustration I felt the need to spread the word of Mr. Eaton's letter.

I am very frustrated by our legislators' refusal to follow Gov. Mark Parkinson's recommendation of a temporary 1 percentage point sales-tax increase. His plan would prevent serious harm to education and other Kansas services. I am equally frustrated by the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce's public stand against any sort of temporary tax increase.

I have written my district legislators by both e-mail and letter, with limited results. Recently, I had an idea that might help. ...

I visited the chamber's Web site. I noticed it had a great membership directory with excellent contact information for Wichita business owners and managers. I can only assume that if a local business is in the membership directory, then it supports the chamber's stand against a temporary tax.

I intend to write every business owner on the list with whom I do business, express my disappointment with its association with the chamber, and explain, in a polite way, that unless its position on the tax can be proved otherwise, my future purchases may be with a business not in the directory.

If I am the only one who writes, business owners will think that I am an eccentric and ignore my letter. What would happen, though, if a business received 50 letters? How about 100?

Don't assume that someone else will do something. Take an hour; write a few letters.

JOHN EATON
Wichita

GREAT BEND, Kan. - The great bend in the Arkansas river is where I have decided to homestead. I live several blocks from the river itself, and enjoy taking long walks by the river. Unfortunately, these long walks do not always allow me to view the river as the awe-inspiring body of water it is. Empty beer bottles, old shoes, and plastic bags litter the viewing area. At times, the smell from the sewage plant by the river forces me to walk on the other side of town.

I am not a clean freak, but I do have respect for things that are not mine. The river does not belong to me. I share it with those in my community. As a child most of us are taught to respect the items we do not own, and to clean up after ourselves. Many of us adults forget these simple, core values as we get older. It is time we begin to remind ourselves.

HOBOKEN, N.J. - Google users from across the United States today were surprised to see that the premier search engine and world changer has changed its name to Topeka. This is a sight that should not be missed. Who knows how long it will last? But it must be seen to be believed. Log on right now to www.google.com and check it out. To find out more about the background of this stranger-than-sci fi event, see http://bit.ly/937rCW.

Unhappily for loyal Topekans, the name change did not extend globally. In Mexico the page says, "Dia de tontos" or day of stupid people.

They could have called, or written an email, or even stopped by to talk. But instead, they decided to throw a brick through the window of Sedgwick County Democratic Party Headquarters.

WICHITA, Kan. - If one would have asked me if the Republican Party has gone completely off its rocker I would have to say no, At least that true for the majority of rank file members. Recent events however test that resolve, verbal racist slurs at Congressmen John Lewis and Andre Carson, protesters spitting on on Kansas City Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.

Then apparently egged on by self styled Militia leader Mike Vanderboegh, of Pinson, Alabama,.calls for a modern "Sons of Liberty," to smash windows at Democratic Party offices. Vandals broke out windows at several Democratic party offices in NY, and Arizona and here in Kansas.

DODGE CITY, Kan. - Joy and great satisfaction were evident in the room when Bill Hammond announced that Dodge City's Oral Health Coalition had been awarded a $50,000 grant for their Oral Health Safety Net Clinic for it's first year of operation, and another $25,00 for year two. The award was the result of an application to the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund to help start a clinic which would function as an aid to those Southwest Kansans who are not able to access dental services that they desperately need.

WICHITA, Kan. - Late last year in Wichita, a decision was made to stop any attempt by the Catholic Diocese and The Lord's Diner to establish a second unit of the facility in northeast Wichita. This after hearings before homeowner's associations, Wichita Ministerial League, the Wichita City Council and the District 1 Advisory Board. The opposition to their plan came from the "community" surrounding the proposed Northeast Lord's Diner and their representative on the Wichita City Council, LaVonta Williams.

Community can mean almost any group, large or small, of people working toward a common goal, but it should include working for the common good of everyone represented.

Comments made from representatives ran from, "...what we need are jobs," "...we worry about the neighborhood returning to blight ...," and, "... several churches in the area already distribute meals to residents."