Breaking News

Local columns

Almanac for Oct. 1, 2026

Today is Thursday, Oct. 1, the 274th day of 2026. There are 91 days left in the year. Today in history: On Oct. 1, 2017, in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, a gunman opened fire from a room at the high-rise Mandalay Bay casino hotel in Las Vegas on a crowd of 22,000 fans at a country music concert below, causing 60 deaths and more than 850 injuries. Also on this date: In 1890, Yosemite National Park was established by the U.S. Congress. In 1903, the first modern baseball World Series began, with the National League's Pittsburgh Pirates defeating the American ...

James Talarico’s unconvincing Christian progressivism

James Talarico may not think that God is nonbinary anymore, but he's certain that He's in favor of universal healthcare. The Texas Senate candidate posted a riff on X about how the Bible is the foundation of his progressivism. Supposedly, through happy coincidence, Our Savior agrees with ...

Almanac for Sept. 30, 2026

Today is Wednesday, Sept. 30, the 273rd day of 2026. There are 92 days left in the year. Today in history: On Sept. 30, 1949, the Berlin Airlift came to an end after delivering more than 2.3 million tons of cargo to blockaded residents of West Berlin over 15 months. Also on this date: In 1777, the Continental Congress — forced to flee by advancing British forces — moved to York, Pennsylvania, after briefly meeting in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1791, Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute" premiered in Vienna, Austria. In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the Boulder Dam ...

The perfect metaphor

The perfect metaphor to characterize the UN General Assembly delegates who walked out before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke is this: “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” You can’t make people understand the truth if they choose to ignore it. The problem ...

What’s the Matter with Kansas’ Senators?

The home of Dwight Eisenhower and Amelia Earhart is rarely part of the national conversation — but that could be about to change. It is becoming clear that the race for Senate this year could be a huge upset. In the 19th century, Kansas was the scene of violent clashes over slavery, which ...

Almanac for Sept. 28, 2026

Today is Monday, Sept. 28, the 271st day of 2026. There are 94 days left in the year. Today in history: On Sept. 28, 1928, Scottish medical researcher Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, the first broadly effective antibiotic. Also on this date: In 1781, American forces in the Revolutionary War, backed by a French fleet, began their successful siege of Yorktown, Virginia. In 1924, three U.S. Army planes landed in Seattle, completing the first round-the-world trip by air in 175 days. In 1941, Ted Williams became the last Major League Baseball player to hit over .400 for a ...