A Brief Statement Regarding SBTV Episode 23

This afternoon, we received a cease and desist email in regards to the events depicted in SBTV Episode 23.  As a result, that video has been taken down and will not be re-published.

I apologize for the inconvenience.

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 22 - Citizen Journalism Class

On October 26, Mike taught a class in citizen journalism through the Communiversity program at UMKC.  As a good citizen journalist, Mike brought his camera to the class, which resulted in this video.  Thanks to Byron Dunn for operating the camera for this video.

Communiversity is an adult education program where participants can take classes in a variety of topics - most of which are fun in nature - at a very low cost (this class, for example, cost $10 to take).  The teachers - Mike included - work on a volunteer basis.

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 21 - Paul Davis Rally

Press Release from the Davis for Kansas campaign:

PRAIRIE VILLAGE - During a four-city tour today, House Minority Leader Paul Davis announced that he has named Wichita businesswoman Jill Docking to be his running mate in his bid for Kansas Governor in 2014.

"As a businesswoman, Jill is an expert in making wise investments for the future.  As a former Chair of the Kansas Board of Regents, she shares my commitment to excellence in our schools," Davis said.  "Jill is an outstanding addition to this team and together we will run a strong, Kansas-focused campaign."

Docking, 57, works as a financial adviser.  She and her husband, Tom, reside in Wichita.  They have two grown children and two grandchildren.  Docking has been a longtime advocate for public schools and higher education, having served as the chair of the Kansas Board of Regents from 2009-2010.

Davis announced Docking as his running mate on a school bus tour that spanned Johnson County, Topeka, Salina and Wichita.  They traveled by school bus to emphasize that Kansas public education will be the cornerstone of their campaign.

"I've known Paul Davis for 20 years," said Docking.  "I know his commitment to Kansas, his commitment to our schools and his dedication to growing our economy.  He is a moderate, commonsense leader willing to sit down and reason with anyone to solve problems and get Kansas back on the right track.  I'm energized and ready to get to work making him our next Governor."



Update: Our friends at the Prairie Village Post have included our video in their article on this rally.  Click here to read the article.

Episode 27 - Amber Versola

We are pleased to welcome community organizer and activist Amber Versola to the podcast.  Today's discussion included groups that Amber is active in, including the Johnson County NAACP, Greater KC Women's Political Caucus, National Breast Cancer Coalition, and so on.  Amber also organized the "Breaking the Chain" protest highlighted in SBTV Episode 20.

Today's beer is Blue Moon Belgian White - without the orange garnish.

Click here to download.

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 20 - Breaking the Chain

On October 6, a bunch of pro-life protesters formed a "prayer chain" that covered a seven-mile-long stretch of 95th Street in Overland Park.

So, a group of pro-choice demonstrators formed the 3rd Pro Choice Food Drive for the Living (and Prayer/Positive Thought Chain) - a counter-protest (thus "breaking the chain") and food drive (the argument: the pro-life movement only cares about a child while still in the womb; afterwards, they don't want to provide assistance to help raise the child).

This is a brief overview of the counter-protest.



Some facts from the counter-protest Facebook page:

• More then 800 children in Kansas are currently in the foster care system, waiting to be adopted.
   
• The Base State Aid Per Pupil in Kansas Schools has been cut by over $500 (again- PER PUPIL) because of our Governor.
   
• The average age of a homeless person in Kansas City is 7 years old.
   
• Nearly 5,000 disabled Kansans are currently on a waiting list to receive necessary services.
   
• Kansas has changed it's requirements for food assistance, and an estimated 20,000 Kansans will soon find themselves ineligible for assistance. At the same time, nearly 35% of children in the Shawnee Mission School district alone qualify for free or reduced lunches.
  

Episode 26d - Jeremy Schliesman and Charlie Vincent

Today's podcast is part 4 of a four-parter with KC Barbeque Society judges Jeremy Schliesman and Charlie Vincent.

In Part 4, we judge barbeque beef brisket as prepared by Ryan Walsh.

Today's beer is Free State's seasonal Octoberfest.

Click here to download.

Episode 26c - Jeremy Schliesman and Charlie Vincent

Today's podcast is part 3 of a four-parter with KC Barbeque Society judges Jeremy Schliesman and Charlie Vincent.

In Part 3, we judge barbeque pulled pork as prepared by Nathan Victor.

Today's beer is Free State's seasonal Octoberfest.

Click here to download.

Episode 26b - Jeremy Schliesman and Charlie Vincent

Today's podcast is part 2 of a four-parter with KC Barbeque Society judges Jeremy Schliesman and Charlie Vincent.

In Part 2, we judge barbeque ribs as prepared by Mathew "Doc" Love.

Today's beer is Free State's seasonal Octoberfest.

Click here to download.

Episode 26a - Jeremy Schliesman and Charlie Vincent

Today's podcast is part 1 of a four-parter with KC Barbeque Society judges Jeremy Schliesman and Charlie Vincent.

In Part 1, we judge barbeque chicken as prepared by Jeremy Smith.

Today's beer is Free State's seasonal Octoberfest.

Click here to download.

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 19 - Race to the Bottom

Do lower income tax rates REALLY translate to economic prosperity?  Or do they put more undue pressure on the lower and working class and wreck public services?

On September 4 on the UMKC campus, there was a forum on economic and tax issues in both Kansas and Missouri that directly affect the entire Kansas City metropolitan area (which is split roughly equally between both states).  Speakers include (in order of appearance):

• Tom Kruckemeyer, Director of Fiscal Policy and Chief Economist at the Missouri Budget Project
• Kansas State Senator Tom Holland (D-Baldwin City) (who appeared in the very first SBTV installment)
• Annie McKay, Executive Director of the Kansas Center for Economic Growth
• Missouri State Senator Paul LeVota (D-Independence)

The forum was co-sponsored by Jobs Now Coalition and the UMKC Economics Club.



This event also attracted local media attention.  A crew from KCTV Channel 5 (the CBS station in Kansas City and the only Kansas-based TV station in the metropolitan area) was there and put together their own package, which you can find by clicking here.

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 18 - Yoder Townhall

On August 27, Congressman Kevin Yoder hosted a town hall meeting in south Overland Park, and SBTV was there to record the proceedings.

A couple of notes before we get to the video:

1. Due to some of the language, which can get graphic and very disturbing, viewer discretion is advised.
2. To protect the identities of citizens asking questions, we did our best to keep them out of our shots.
3. We had to work with a lot of back-lighting, so to compensate the brightness is adjusted throughout the video.

Episode 25 - Nate Bukaty

On our 25th episode, our guest is Nate Bukaty of Sports Radio 810.  The discussion is about sports economics and how sports teams - college and pro - affect their communities.

There's even some Premier League discussion, how that has had an impact on the Kansas City sports scene, and a shout-out to the KC Gooners, a local group of supporters of Arsenal FC.

Our beer is Karma Belgian Pale Ale, brewed by Avery Brewing in Boulder, Colorado.

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Sunflower Brew TV Episode 17 - Brett Limer

While SBTV was at the Johnson County Fair in Gardner, we had a chance to interview Brett Limer of the Gardner-Edgerton Democrats.  Sunflower Brew Contributor Jon Parton conducted the interview.

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 16 - Johnson County Fair

This past weekend was the Johnson County Fair in Gardner, and SBTV was there to give a brief overview of some of the activities at the fair, from the parade to the fair food to the livestock on display.



Stay tuned tomorrow for another edition of SBTV from the County Fair.

Episode 24 - Al Frisby

Today's guest is Al Frisby, Merriam City Councilmember and MoveOn.org Organizer.  We discussed what MoveOn does, from activism to petition drives, and how you can get involved.

Today's episode was recorded during Second Saturday, so no beer was consumed.

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Episode 23 - Larry Meeker

Today's guest is Dr. Larry Meeker, who sits on a number of arts organizations in the Kansas City area.  Today's discussion was on public funding for the arts in Kansas - or, more accurately, the lack thereof - and why the arts are important to the citizens of Kansas.

Today's beer comes from Montana's Big Sky Brewery - Moose Drool Brown Ale and Trout Slayer Wheat Ale.

Note: Mike had some car trouble before today's recording and could not be there.

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Episode 22 - Justin Nichols and Jeff Vaught

Today's guests are Justin Nichols, chairman of the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce, and Jeff Vaught, Shawnee City Councilman.  Our discussion was on business and economic issues as they apply to Shawnee and the Kansas City metro area as a whole.

We had three beers available today, marking two firsts for the podcast - first gluten-free beers and first international beer.  In addition to Boulevard Wheat, we had on hand Lakefront Brewery's New Grist (a gluten-free beer made without wheat or barley) and Estrella Damm Daura, a gluten-free beer produced in Barcelona, Spain.

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Episode 21 - Zack Pistora

Our guest is Zack Pistora, legislative coordinator of the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club.  We discussed environmental issues including CAFO's (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations), wind power, fracking and how businesses, government and environmentalists can work together to find viable long-term solutions to energy and pollution.

Our beer is Goose Island's Honker's Ale, produced in Chicago.

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Sunflower Brew TV Episode 15 - July 4 Parade

Happy Fourth of July, everyone!

This morning the Johnson County Democratic Women and the Northeast Johnson County Democratic Club both hosted floats in the Lenexa July 4 Parade. Here's a brief overview of their preparations.

Episode 20 - Mark Jessup and Robin Miller

For our 20th episode, we talk guns with Mark Jessup and Robin Miller of UT Arms in Kansas City, KS.  The discussion covers everything from gun laws to the process of purchasing a gun, including the background check.

Today's beer is Schlafly's Pale Ale, brewed in St. Louis.

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Episode 19 - Dan Blom and Jay Senter

Today's podcast guests are Dan Blom and Jay Senter from the Prairie Village Post, a hyper-local online newspaper serving Northeast Johnson County.  The discussion is on media - the rise of hyper-local online media, the fall of mainstream media (especially newspapers), and the Brownback administration's treatment of media that even remotely question his policies.

Today's beer is Freestyle Pilsner by Santa Fe Brewing Company.

Due to a major scheduling conflict, Mike was unable to be at today's recording.

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Sunflower Brew TV Episode 14 - Moderate Party of Kansas

SBTV is back - and this time Mike is on camera!

Mike has a few thoughts - and comments from Friends of the Podcast to read - about an online effort to start a moderate third party in Kansas. The problem: there already exists a moderate party in Kansas - it's called the Kansas Democratic Party.

Episode 18 - James Harrington, Brad Shultz and Jason Leib

Our resident beer guru Jason Leib returns for another beer discussion, and joining us this time is James Harrington of Rimann Liquors and Brad Shultz of WorldWide Wine and Spirits.

Today we sampled six different beers.  They are, in order of sampling:

1. Tow Head American blonde from Mother's Brewing in Springfield, MO
2. Golden Frau Honey Wheat from Thunderhead Brewing in Kearney, NE
3. Watermelon Wheat from Horny Goat Brewing in Wisconsin
4. Good JuJu from Left Hand Brewing in Longmont, CO
5. Cropduster Mid-American IPA, also from Thunderhead Brewing
6. Fleur de Houblon from Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY

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Episode 17 - Emily Perry and Stephanie Clayton

Episode 17 is truly bipartisan as we host Kansas State Representatives Emily Perry (D-Mission) and Stephanie Clayton (R-Overland Park).  We once again discuss with our elected officials the goings-on in Topeka.

The beer for this episode is Tallgrass Brewery's Halcyon Unfiltered Wheat.

It is worth noting that Rep. Clayton was Zach's opponent in the 2012 election for the 19th State House District seat.

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Episode 16 - Pat Pettey and Nancy Lusk

Our guests for Episode 16 are State Senator Pat Pettey (D-Kansas City) and State Representative Nancy Lusk (D-Overland Park).  The topic of discussion was what's going on in Topeka from an insider's perspective.

The beer was Boulevard's Boss Tom's Golden Bock.

Side note: Mike (who lives in Rep. Lusk's district) was unavailable for this episode due to his photojournalism class - which he still managed to miss because of an incident requiring police involvement.  He's fine at the moment.

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Episode 15 - Jonathan Ta-Pryor and Shawn Gelushia

In Episode 15, we explore LGBT issues with Jonathan Ta-Pryor, coordinator for LGBTQIA services and programs at UMKC, and Shawn Gelushia, student journalist and LGBT activist at JCCC.  We learned what issues still affect the LGBTQIA community (and learned what the QIA expansion stands for).  Also joining us in studio is attorney Kara Elgin, who is herself a lesbian.

Today's beer is Boulevard's Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale.  In preparation for this episode, Mike had a chance earlier in the week to sample the beer at Coda in Kansas City, MO.

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Sunflower Brew TV Episode 13 - Tom Burroughs

Following today's Second Saturday breakfast, Zach sat down with State Rep. Tom Burroughs (D-Kansas City) and discussed what's going on in Topeka.  The word "dictatorship" comes up.

Episode 14 - Arrianna Jaben

On today's podcast, we interviewed Arrianna Jaben from the Kansas City Young Democrats about the issues facing young voters and young Democrats.

Since this was a Second Saturday program, no beer was consumed.

We apologize for the audio distortion.  We were in a hurry to get this podcast recorded and were using Mike's computer to record the podcast (which we had never done before).  The venue was also pretty loud.

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Sunflower Brew TV Episode 12 - Randy Rolston at JCDW

SBTV was at the April meeting of the Johnson County Democratic Women, which had as their guest speaker Randy Rolston, candidate for Kansas Secretary of State.

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 11b - JCCC Board of Trustees Candidate Forum

This is part 2 of the JCCC Board of Trustees candidate forum held on Friday, March 22.

Again, I apologize for the shaky camera work.

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 11a - JCCC Board of Trustees Candidate Forum

SBTV was on hand last night to get video of the Johnson County Community College Board of Trustees candidate forum.

The event was hosted by the League of Women Voters and moderated by Kansas City Star reporter Dave Helling.  Candidates participating in the forum included three incumbents - Jerry Cook, Melody Rayl and Stephanie Sharp - and two challengers, including friend of the podcast Lee Cross.

The actual event was almost two hours long, so I was forced to break it up into at least two parts.

Because the JCCC Board of Trustees doesn't like tripods in the Board Room, I went handheld the entire time, so I apologize for the shakiness of this video.



Part 2 of the forum is on its way. Thank you for your patience.

SBTV Topeka Update 2

In our second Topeka Update, Zach talks briefly about the Governor's plans to politicize the Kansas judiciary and gives credit to two local State Senators for voting against these plans.

Episode 13 - Amanda Kertz, Myles Burkemper and Jason Leib

Today's podcast is a beer discussion with home brewers Amanda Kertz, Myles Burkemper and Sunflower Brew's Resident Beer Guru Jason Leib.  We discuss the brewing process, different styles of beer and the various beer competitions that our guests take part in.

Amanda was kind enough to bring samples of her own beer for us to try.

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Episode 12 - Melinda Lewis and Raymond Rico

Our guests for Episode 12 are Melinda Lewis, a public policy consultant to nonprofits dealing with social justice issues like immigration, and Raymond Rico, an immigration attorney.

In this episode, we discuss issues regarding immigration and the economic impact of Kobach-authored policy like Arizona's infamous SB 1070.

Our beer is Nomad by Great Divide.

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SBTV Topeka Update 1

We're introducing a new dedicated program to SBTV: Topeka Update.

In our inaugural edition, Zach talks about a certain State Representative who thinks that providing a good education should not be a function of state government (when it really should).

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 10 - JCCC Clubs and Orgs Day

Today, Johnson County Community College held their Clubs and Orgs Day - a chance for the school's various clubs and organizations to get out and promote themselves.  I hung out primarily with the JCCC College Democrats, who also hosted JCCC Board of Trustees candidate (and friend of the podcast) Lee Cross.

However, because the fine folks at ECAV (the student-run radio station at JCCC) were making a lot of noise, it was virtually impossible to do a good quality interview.  So, I opted to do a stills slideshow with some annotations.

In the interest of political balance, I also got a shot of where the College Republicans were supposed to set up.

Tonight, we will discuss immigration and immigration reform with Melinda K. Lewis. Check out Melinda's full biography at  www.melindaklewis.com

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 9b - Grosserode Town Hall

This is the second part of the town hall meeting caught on tape in the last post.  This part covers the Q&A portion of the meeting - and most of the questions and comments coming from the audience are just as crazy as what's coming out of the elected officials.

Thanks again to Patrick Lamb for capturing this on video for us.

Viewer discretion is strongly advised.

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 9a - Grosserode Town Hall

As you may know, Zach recently engaged in an email exchange with State Rep. Amanda Grosserode (R-Lenexa) regarding some comments she had made on the state's responsibility to properly fund schools.  Part of this exchange included an invitation by Zach to Rep. Grosserode to appear on the podcast.  She declined, stating that she felt we were too partisan.

The following is the first of two videos taken from a town hall meeting on Saturday, March 9, 2013 featuring Rep. Grosserode, three of her colleagues from the Kansas State House - Rep. Lance Kinzer (R-Olathe), Rep. Brett Hildabrand (R-Shawnee), and Rep. Keith Esau (R-Lenexa) - as well as State Sen. Greg Smith (R-Overland Park).

We would like to thank Patrick Lamb for helping us shoot this video, which comes to you with little editing and absolutely nothing that can be taken out of context.

Viewer discretion is strongly advised.

Introducing the Sunflower Brew Tourney Pool

The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament is only weeks away, and we at Sunflower Brew are hosting a bracket pool.

Sign-up is free and very easy.  Simply click here and sign up.  Please make sure you have a Yahoo account first.

We will be awarding a prize for the best bracket in the tournament.

Brackets are due March 21 before the first set of games tip off.

Episode 11 - John Martellaro

And now, back to the podcast...

Our guest for Episode 11 is John Martellaro, board president of Kansas Families for Education, which supports the proper funding of public education in the state.  Today's discussion deals with public education in Kansas, properly funding public schools, and how policies coming out of Topeka could negatively affect our public schools.

Today's beer is Grainstorm Black Rye IPA by Boulevard.

Click here to download.

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Sunflower Brew TV Episode 8 - Amy Bell and Liz Dickinson

This is the final video from Washington Days 2013.  In this edition, Zach interviews Amy Bell and Liz Dickinson from Kansas National Organization for Women.  Both Amy and Liz ran for the Kansas State House in 2012.

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 7 - Esau A. Freeman

In today's Washington Days interview, Zach talks with Esau A. Freeman of Kansas for Change, which promotes cannabis reform.  Esau ran for Congress in the Kansas 4th District (Wichita area).

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 6 - Andy Sandler

The Washington Days series continues with Zach's interview with Andy Sandler, KDP 3rd Congressional District Chair.

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 5 - Martin Hawver

Today on SBTV, our Washington Days coverage continues.  In this episode, Zach talks with Martin Hawver of Hawver News Company, publisher of the Hawver Capitol Report, which covers the Kansas legislature.

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 4 - Jason Perkey

The first of our Washington Days interviews is with Jason Perkey, Executive Director of the Kansas Democratic Party.  Jason talks to us about the history of Washington Days as well as his role with the KDP.

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 3 - Washington Days

This past weekend was Washington Days, the annual conference for the Kansas Democratic Party.  We shot six episodes worth of material over the two days in Topeka.  This first episode offers an overview of what Washington Days is all about.  Featured in this video are:

• Joan Wagnon, chair of the KDP
• Kansas House Minority Leader, State Rep. Paul Davis (D-Lawrence)
• Kansas Senate Minority Leader, State Sen. Anthony Hensley (D-Topeka)
• Linda Chavez-Thompson, former Executive Vice-President of the AFL-CIO
• Ben Cohen, chair of the Kansas Young Democrats and friend of the podcast

Stay tuned over the coming days for the rest of our videos from Washington Days.

Zach's Email Exchange with a Tea Party State Rep

A few days ago, Zach came across a newsletter from the office of Kansas State Rep. Amanda Grosserode (R-16th District, Lenexa) which attacked the Kansas Supreme Court for ordering the State Legislature to do their duties as outlined in the Kansas Constitution and properly fund education - and contained a few noticeable grammatical errors.

You can read the newsletter at this link.

If you are unfamiliar with Rep. Grosserode, here's a brief bio: She's a Tea Party person who unseated Democratic State Rep. Gene Rardin in 2010 and somehow ran unopposed in 2012.

Anyway, this newsletter led to an interesting email exchange, which Zach had published on our Facebook page.  Included in the exchange is a standing invite to Rep. Grosserode to appear on the podcast and discuss the situation.

Here's the initial letter from Zach:

Rep. Grosserode:

I received a copy of your newsletter entitled Update Week 5. You are not my elected official so I reviewed your background. According to the Kansas House website, you serve on the House Standing Committee on Education. Also, your website states that you obtained a Bachelor's in Elementary Education.

Here is my problem. You have made a number of comments that are critical of the Kansas educational system. Yet, you send out a newsletter that contains numerous grammatical errors (I stopped counting after 20). This highlights concerns about of your ability to direct education policy in Kansas.. If you send out a document containing these errors, how can you effectively represent a child's interest?

I host a weekly podcast on Kansas politics and would love to hear your side of the story. Please let me know if you are available in March to record a podcast session.

Here is Rep. Grosserode's response:

Dear Zach,
I'm sorry that you find problems with my newsletters (though you may want to double check your own writing when criticizing another's- see below). The newsletters are designed for my constituents in order to inform them of House happenings. These newsletter have always been on the informative side and have been available for all without regard to political party or ideology.
Please list all of these critical statements I have made regarding education. Having taught within the public school system, I do understand the system and support the educating of the children within our state. While you may disagree, I think there is room for much discussion about what works, what doesn't, positives, negatives, and different proposals and options.
Recognizing your name, I initiated a google search. This leads me to believe that your podcast is probably partisan in nature, and thus I shall not be accepting your invitation to appear.

Sincerely,
Amanda Grosserode

Paid for by Amanda Grosserode for State Representative;
Christie Glasgow, Treasurer

Here's Zach's response:

Rep. Grosserode:

I would recommend a review of your prior statements on the Kansas educational system. The quoted language below showcases your basic lack of understanding of the Kansas Constitution Article 6 Section6(b) which states: "The legislature shall make suitable provision for finance of the educational interests of the state."

In your Legislative Update: News from Topeka - January 20, 2013:

"Last week, we received the “jolt” of news when a three-judge panel ruled that the state legislature MUST fund education at a set level in the base state aid per pupil. I strongly disagree with this ruling, because no matter what one’s feeling is on the issue of school funding, it is not the role of the courts to order specific
appropriations – that is the role of the legislature, duly elected by
the people[.]"

This is not a "jolt" of news. The Kansas Supreme Court, beginning with the 2005 Montoy case and culminating with Gannon, has stated that the Kansas legislature has not funded schools to the appropriate level. The Kansas Supreme Court relied upon empirical data to reach the decision that the Kansas legislature was not meeting its constitutional duties. The Supreme Court has correctly pointed out that you have failed in your role to properly fund education. Are you asserting that the BSAPP is funded at an appropriate level and the elective officials have done their job? The facts would strongly disagree with your assertion.

I'm a registered Democrat. My podcast, however, is an attempt to hear all sides of an issue. It is not partisan in nature. I do not edit for content and any statements you make will not be altered. This is an opportunity for you to address concerns that voters may have about your voting record.

As a public official, you should welcome any opportunity to engage in a healthy debate on the issues of the day. My concern, as a voter, is that you will only appear on programs and with people like Ben Hodge that support your position.

Finally, I failed to correct the double period and the "about of" that
you mentioned. Thank you for pointing these out. We should all peer edit before sending out a document. My errors, however, were not included in a letter sent to constituents nor do I vote on policy matters that impact Kansas schools.

My invitation stands. I would love to have you on the program.

Rep. Grosserode, if you're reading this, I echo Zach's sentiment and hope you'll reconsider.

Sunflower Brew TV Episode 2 - Charles Schollenberger

On Episode 2 of SBTV, Zach interviews Charles Schollenberger, who recently started the Northeast Johnson County Democratic Club (NE JoCo Dems).  NE JoCo Dems serves the small communities in northeast Johnson County, including Mission, Roeland Park, and Prairie Village.

NE JoCo Dems meets every third Saturday of the month.  This month, they met at the Corinth Branch of the Johnson County Library in Prairie Village, and that's where SBTV met up with the group.

Charles was a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Kansas in 2010, losing in a primary to Lisa Johnston.

Episode 10 - Holly Weatherford and Sarah Gillooly

Our guests for Episode 10 are Holly Weatherford, a board member for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Kansas and Mid-Missouri and program director with the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri; and Sarah Gillooly of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri.

On this episode, we discussed what exactly Planned Parenthood does, women's reproductive issues and how decisions coming out of Topeka will have an effect on women throughout the Sunflower State.

This episode's beer is Ad Astra Ale by Free State Brewery in Lawrence, Kansas.

Click here to download.

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Episode 9 - Diane Etzel-Wise

Our guest is Diane Etzel-Wise, the current President of the Johnson County Democratic Women.  Diane talked with us about the group, how the group helps out the Johnson County Democratic Party as a whole, and the issues they are concerned with.

Since this was a Second Saturday program, no beer was consumed.

Click here to download.

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Sunflower Brew TV Episode 1 - Tom Holland

Welcome to Sunflower Brew TV, our web series to supplement the podcast. We will be doing these videos from time to time.

Our inaugural edition of SBTV is a February 5, 2013 town hall given by State Senator Tom Holland (D-Baldwin City) at the Regnier Center at Johnson County Community College.  Senator Holland, who was the Democratic candidate for Kansas Governor in 2010, talked about the Governor's tax cut plan, the ideology behind it, and how it will affect the state's ability to raise revenue.

I do want to thank Senator Holland for allowing me to set my equipment up and shoot the video.

The Governor on KCWIR

As mentioned in Episode 8, Governor Brownback made an appearance on the February 17, 2012 version of KCPT's weekly news program Kansas City Week in Review.

This is notable for a couple of reasons:
1. This episode was shot during my internship at KCPT.  In fact, I was one of the cameramen, along with Dave Burkhardt and Johari Russell, for this particular edition (I was behind the "Nick-Cam," into which Nick Haines does his talking - and, yes, as legend has it, I had some technical difficulties that particular day).
2. After the taping of this show, Brownback's aides could be seen in the KCPT lobby publicly dressing down Nick for the questions Nick asked during this very program.
3.  What happened later that day - just before an interview with Kei Kamara of Sporting Kansas City for The Local Show - is a topic of discussion for a future episode of Sunflower Brew on the news media.

As with anything involving Sam Brownback, viewer discretion is advised.

Episode 8 - Max Skidmore

Our guest was Max Skidmore, Ph.D., the Curators' Professor of Political Science and Thomas Jefferson Fellow at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.  Professor Skidmore talked with us about Governor Brownback's political philosophy and how it will affect Kansas for years to come.

Today's beer was from Boston-based Samuel Adams: Zach drank the highlighted Alpine Spring seasonal beer, while Mike and Professor Skidmore had the standard Boston Lager.

Click here to download.

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Sunflower Brew TV Episode 8 - Amy Bell and Liz Dickinson

Our Washington Days program concludes with Zach interviewing Amy Bell and Liz Dickinson from Kansas National Organization for Women (NOW).  Both Amy and Liz ran for the Kansas State House in 2012; Liz against Lance Kinzer in Olathe, and Amy against Barbara Bollier in the district immediately north of Zach's.

(embed here)

Mainstream Coalition - Judicial Selection Forum 1-24-2013

On Episode 5 of the podcast, our friends from MainStream Coalition promoted their forum on judicial selection in Kansas.

We would like to thank the fine folks at DragonFro Productions for shooting this video of the forum and making it available to the public.

Episode 7a - Jason Leib

Our guest for Episode 7 - a two-part episode - is Jason Leib.  Jason is a Lenexa small businessman, home brewer, amateur beer judge, outgoing chair of the Lenexa Chamber of Commerce, and 2012 Republican candidate for the Kansas State House (he lost in a primary).

The discussion was broken into two parts:
- Episode 7a deals with the political discussion, specifically how policies coming out of Topeka will affect small businesses and jobs in the Kansas City area.

Today's beer is Perennial Artisan Ales' Hommel Bier, brewed in St. Louis.

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Episode 7 - Jason Leib

Our guest for Episode 7 - a two-part episode - is Jason Leib.  Jason is a Lenexa small businessman, home brewer, amateur beer judge, outgoing chair of the Lenexa Chamber of Commerce, and 2012 Republican candidate for the Kansas State House (he lost in a primary).

The discussion was broken into two parts:
- Episode 7 is a discussion on beer, including the process of making beer and what to look for when judging beers.

Today's beer is Perennial Artisan Ales' Hommel Bier, brewed in St. Louis.

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This Weekend in Videos

We have some videos to share with you to help us augment our discussions the last couple of weeks.

First off, here's a piece done for KCPT's The Local Show on the issue of judicial selection:



While we're talking about KCPT programming, here's this week's edition of Kansas City Week in Review.   In this first clip, they elaborate further on judicial selecton:



Staying with Week in Review, they also talked about something we touched on with Paul Lyons: gun control.  This talks specifically about gun control on the county level and Sheriff Frank Denning (brother of conservative State Senator Jim Denning, who hates me personally).



I briefly mentioned the JCCC Board of Trustees replacing Don Weiss, who resigned in October 2012, with an ideological polar opposite, David Lindstrom.  JCAV, the student television station for JCCC (which I currently work for), got video of the two special Board meetings to pick Lindstrom.

This first video is the whittling-down of candidates.  Among the names removed from the initial list were recent Democratic candidates for state office.


The second video was the actual meeting where Lindstrom and four others - all either centrist or too far to the right for our comfort - were interviewed and the vote was taken.



Four of the current Board members - Dr. Jerry Cook, Dr. Bob Drummond, Melody Rayl, and Stephanie Sharp - are up for re-election in April.  Also running for the Board is a guest and friend of Sunflower Brew, Lee Cross.  You can check out his campaign site at crossforthecollege.com

Episode 6 - Megan England

Tonight's guest is Roeland Park City Councilwoman Megan England.  Our discussion dealt with issues affecting Roeland Park, including the city's Wal-Mart moving two miles down the road - to Mission - as well as upcoming local elections.

We would like to thank Megan's husband Matt for joining us in studio as well.

Tonight's beer is Weston Brewing Company's 1842 Porter Brew Lab's Number 5.  Special thanks to Rimann Liquors for supplying our beer tonight.

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Two Shows Scheduled for This Week

Happy MLK Day and Inauguration Day to everyone.

We at Sunflower Brew will be busy this week, with two shows coming up:

First, on Thursday we will be interviewing Roeland Park City Councilwoman Megan England.  We will discuss the upcoming April local elections.

If you are interested in running for a local office in Johnson County, the deadline is tomorrow - Tuesday, January 22 - at noon.

On Sunday, we will have an entire podcast to discuss our other favorite subject: beer.  Our guest will be Jason Leib.

As always, we thank you for supporting Sunflower Brew.

Brownback Delivers the State of the State Address - Kansas City Week in ...

So, what do our local media think about the State of the State Address? From this Friday's "Kansas City Week in Review":

Episode 5 - Brandi Fisher and Rev. Aaron Roberts

Our guests for Episode 5 were Brandi Fisher, executive director of the MainStream Coalition, and Rev. Aaron Roberts of the Colonial Church in Prairie Village.  The discussion dealt with the Governor's State of the State address as well as church and state issues and how this particular Governor has no regard for the separation of church and state as clearly outlined in the U.S. Constitution.  Issues included the possibility of changing how appellate-level judges are appointed in Kansas as well as school funding as required by the state Constitution.

Brandi would like us to mention that there will be a forum on judicial appointments on Thursday, January 24 at 7 pm at the Colonial Church.  The panel will include former State Senator Tim Owens and Lee Smithyman, President of the Kansas Bar Association.

Tonight's beer was from Sierra Nevada Brewery Ruthless Rye IPA.  The brewery is located in Chico, California, making this the first non-local beer featured on the podcast.

Once again, I would like to thank Zach's wife Emily for filling in for me as I was unavailable for production.

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2013 Remarks at the Swearing in Ceremony of the Kansas House

On tomorrow's podcast, the discussion will be on the State of the State Address.  As a primer for that, we would like to share State House Minority Leader Paul Davis' (D - Lawrence) opening remarks to the Kansas State House.

MainStream Coalition Visits Sunflower Brew

On tomorrow's podcast, Zach will be interviewing Brandi Fisher of the MainStream Coalition to talk about Governor Brownback's State of the State address.

Founded in 1993, MainStream Coalition is a moderate yet strictly nonpartisan group that advocates separation of church and state and good public education.

Programming note: due to circumstances involving a photojournalism class, Zach's wife Emily will be the substitute producer of tomorrow night's podcast.  I will still do the usual post-production activities.

The State of the Judiciary Speech, Cancelled? - Kansas City Week in Review

Welcome to Brownbackistan, where the state legislature is now considering changing the way appellate court judges are selected - on the basis of politicizing the one truly independent branch of government in an already too-far-to-the-right-for-its-own-good state.  From Kansas City Week in Review: