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News From The States

This Week In Commentary

The best opinion pieces of the week: a wide range of perspectives and ideas from across the States Newsroom network.

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How anti-government ideologues targeted Wisconsin public schools

Commentary on public schools in Wisconsin, suicide prevention in Colorado, Attorney General Austin Knudsen in Montana, voter map redistricting in Ohio, the Marion County newspaper raid in Kansas, education meeting wait times in Oklahoma, Jimmy Buffet in Florida, and the death penalty in Alabama.

Joan Meyer, Marion newspaper owner, gave cops a piece of her mind. Honor her righteous indignation.

Commentary on the death of Joan Meyer, the co-owner of the Marion County Record in Kansas, register caucus poll in Iowa, the GOP primary presidential debate in Nevada, map redistricting in both Ohio and Alabama, WVU Gordon Gee's spending in West Virginia, Black farmers in Virginia, and the firing of a pregnant, unwed teacher in New Jersey.

Kansas newspaper raid draws plenty of attention, but journalists defy threats across U.S.

Commentary about a newspaper raid in Kansas, the youth climate trial in Montana, attacks on the press in Arkansas, guns in Tennessee, the Black community in Alabama, book bans in Indiana, the Trump indictment in Minnesota, and the GOP presidential primary in Nevada.

What happened in Ohio Tuesday? Voters refused to be suckered, and stood up for themselves

Commentary on Issue 1 in Ohio, Donald Trump's indictment in Kentucky, the state Supreme Court in New Jersey, Steve Marshall in Alabama, white privilege in Florida, a bipartisan PAC in Kansas, Dean Phillips in Minnesota, and gun violence in Tennessee.

The Ohio Constitution declares all power inherent in the people. Issue 1 seeks to rob that from us

Commentary on Issue 1 in Ohio, ballot power in Indiana, the Trump indictment in Georgia, Court Justice swearing-in in Wisconsin, flawed state politics in Alabama, Kristi Noem in South Dakota, the Hickory Hill Community Center in Virginia, and mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan.

Questioning presidential candidates is harder than Gov. Reynolds seems to think

Commentary on interviewing presidential candidates in Iowa, hate crimes in Montana, attacks on LGBTQ and reproductive rights in North Carolina, congressional maps in Alabama, campaign finance overhaul in New Jersey, voter suppression in Ohio, higher education in Florida, and abolitionist John Brown in Kansas.

Daniel’s Law is bad for N.J. journalists — and everyone who wants government accountability

Commentary on journalism and government accountability in New Jersey, exoneree compensation in Louisiana, state politicians in Alabama, attacks on democracy in Ohio, GOP attorneys in Arkansas, bigotry in Wisconsin, the SAG-AFTA strike in Nevada, and women in politics in Tennessee.

GOP can’t go back to 2018 to dodge fallout of their abortion ban

Commentary on the Iowa abortion ban ruling, Canadian wildfire smoke in West Virginia, Democrats in Alabama, transgender rights in Kansas, the state legislature in Montana, open meeting law violation in Colorado, Indiana Child Welfare Act in Virginia, and the state budget in Wisconsin.

How the right’s phony patriotism is destroying America

Commentary on problematic patriotism in Wisconsin, political traditions in Alabama, losing Medicaid coverage in Kansas, veto override sessions in Louisiana, school vouchers in North Carolina, the Householder convictions and special interest corruption in Ohio, the 303 Creative case in Colorado, and state government in Nevada.

Arkansas lawmakers conceal a weapon against transparency in rushed, last-minute legislation

Commentary on unethical law practices in Arkansas, trans birth certificates in Kansas, GOP budgets in Wisconsin, Gov DeSantis in Florida, radical special interests in Ohio, juvenile justice in Louisiana, Republicans in Nevada, and open government precedents in Kentucky.

Abortion ruling heightens risk to judicial independence, balance of powers in Iowa

Commentary on abortion rights in rulings in Iowa and New Hampshire, transparency in New Jersey, threats of violence in Kansas, legislative sessions in Alabama, political endorsements in Indiana, and anti-environmental proposals in North Carolina.

“Look what WE did:” National extremists score with NC voter suppression bill

Commentary on voter suppression in North Carolina, voting rights in Alabama, school funding in Wisconsin, attacks on the pride flag in Kansas, attacks on the disenfranchised in Ohio, law names in Tennessee, the first national marine sanctuary in Alaska, and tax credits in Nevada.