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
KC-area middle school flier links to profane, adult-oriented article for students’ mental health

A flier in a Kansas City-area middle school has links to a “mental health” article with highly profane language and an obvious adult audience in mind. The flier, sent to… Read More

March 21, 2025
Government
No more church closings by edict: Kansas lawmakers rein in COVID-style shutdowns, quarantines by health officials

Kansas lawmakers Thursday voted to ban unilateral COVID-style closings and gathering bans by health officials. Henceforth, such orders by health officials at both the state and local level will be… Read More

March 20, 2025
Culture
Kansas church vandalism, satanic ‘black mass’ draw national outrage, including president’s

The president himself has taken notice of a vandalized church in Wichita, while Satanists plan a “black mass” on the Kansas Capitol grounds Friday. The burglary and destruction at St. Read More

March 18, 2025
Public Education
Some Missouri universities want more freedom in offering degrees. Should that apply to community colleges too?

With Missouri lawmakers looking at allowing more public universities to offer advanced degrees, one might wonder: Why not allow community colleges to offer more four-year degrees? Community colleges are typically more… Read More

March 14, 2025
Courts
‘Show Me The Money State’ Missouri wins $24 billion from China in landmark COVID lawsuit

China owes Missouri $24 billion in damages for “causing and exacerbating” the COVID-19 pandemic, a federal judge has ruled. U.S. District Judge Stephen Limbaugh late Friday ruled specifically that China… Read More

March 11, 2025