Michael Ryan

Michael Ryan is Executive Editor of The Lion. A Kansas City native, he’s been an award-winning reporter, editor and opinion writer at newspapers in Kansas, Missouri, Georgia and Texas.

Public Education
ā€˜Lesbian Juice’ sticker handed out at KC-area high school freshman orientation

​A sticker with the sexually suggestive term ā€œLesbian Juiceā€ was given out at freshman orientation Aug. 13 at a Kansas City-area high school, The Lion has learned. Gardner Edgerton Unified… Read More

September 24, 2025
Public Education
Kansas education official leaves job after post calling Charlie Kirk assassination ā€˜well deserved’

A Kansas State Department of Education employee has left the agency after posting that the assassination of Charlie Kirk was ā€œwell deserved.ā€ The Manhattan Mercury reported Monday that Katie Allen, a… Read More

September 17, 2025
Culture
ā€˜AFTERMATH’: Powerful new exhibit to introduce Kansans to facts, impacts of becoming Midwest mecca for abortion

While surrounding states have worked to reduce the number of abortions since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, they’ve nearly tripled in Kansas since the state’s Supreme Court conceived of… Read More

September 8, 2025
Government
Trump’s ā€˜proudest achievement’ in productive start to second term may yet be forthcoming, Gorka says

There aren’t many things that leave the learned Sebastian Gorka searching for words. But one of them is trying to predict what President Donald Trump would say is his proudest… Read More

August 29, 2025
Culture
Kansas City Chiefs Coach Andy Reid’s office shot at, missing his desk by just five yards, belated report says

Beloved Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid was in his stadium office when a bullet pierced his window early in May 2024, fans learned quite belatedly Wednesday. The 67-year-old… Read More

August 21, 2025