Topic: Rural life
Interview of Lee Johnson, May 22, 2023
Interviewed by Jim Concannon and Richard Ross
Retired Supreme Court Justice Lee Johnson is interviewed by his law school professor, Jim Concannon and colleague, Richard Ross about his career as an appellate judge on both the Court of Appeals and the Kansas Supreme Court. Justice Johnson's path to the Supreme Court was a little different than most who served. He was a small town lawyer, a mayor and businessman from rural Kansas. He was appointed first by a Republican governor to the Court of Appeals; then by a Democrat governor to the Supreme Court. The diversity of cases in his legal practice Show Morewas a positive. The interview clearly describes how the Court of Appeals functions, and how the appointment of several judges from that court to the Supreme Court influenced how they decided cases. The role of dissents was discussed to point out their importance to the decision process. Upon his retirement, Johnson returned to Caldwell where he was born. Show Less
Interview of Earl Watkins, December 19, 2023
Interviewed by Rex Buchanan and Mike Lennen
Earl Watkins recalls his years of work with Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, a generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative headquartered in Hays, KS. Watkins describes navigating between requirements to provide power to member-owners and requirements of lenders, regulators, and other policymakers. He paints a picture of the unique position of a G&T cooperative in an industry dominated by large investor-owned utilities serving primarily densely populated areas. He also reflects how the co-op business model serves well a sparsely populated portion of Kansas where self-reliance is an important element of the Show Moreregional culture. Show Less
Interview of John Farmer, December 28, 2023
Interviewed by Rex Buchanan
In this late 2023 interview, John O. Farmer III recalled his long career in the oil business with his family-owned company in Russell, Kansas. Farmer describes the evolution of the oil business over decades as technology changed and improved the possibilities for small- to medium-sized companies in the oil industry. He observes that federal policies and market price fluctuations have more to do with the success or failure of the business than state policies. However, he notes, the interplay of state tax policies can make or break companies that depend on low-production oil wells.
Interview of Janis Lee and Laura McClure, May 20, 2024
Interviewed by Rex Buchanan
Janis Lee and Laura McClure, both Democrats elected from predominantly Republican districts that overlapped, often campaigned together and conducted constituent communication sessions in the areas they both represented. Because their time in the legislature (1989-2011) and their largely rural districts in northcentral Kansas intersected, Lee and McClure both worked on a wide range of policies pertinent to the Energy & Environment Collection of oral histories: confined feeding facilities, solid waste, waste tires, water quality standards, the Kansas v. Colorado lawsuit, and the Water Transfer Act that the city of Hays was exploring at the time of this interview, among Show Moreothers. In the energy arena, significant issues during their time of service in the Kansas Legislature included retail wheeling of electricity, gas pollution remediation, well plugging, and gas-gathering systems regulations. In this May 2024 interview, they explore those issues, the dynamics of the legislature, campaigning, and the work involved in serving in the legislature. Show Less