Author

Tim Carpenter

Tim Carpenter

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International. He has been recognized for investigative reporting on Kansas government and politics. He won the Kansas Press Association's Victor Murdock Award six times. The William Allen White Foundation honored him four times with its Burton Marvin News Enterprise Award. The Kansas City Press Club twice presented him its Journalist of the Year Award and more recently its Lifetime Achievement Award. He earned an agriculture degree at Kansas State University and grew up on a small dairy and beef cattle farm in Missouri. He is an amateur woodworker and drives Studebaker cars.

New polling shows Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly with a slight edge over Attorney General Derek Schmidt, left, in a likely 2022 gubernatorial showdown following former Gov. Jeff Colyer's withdrawal from the GOP primary. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)

Campaign survey: Kelly holds slim lead over Schmidt in Kansas governor’s race
By: - September 24, 2021

A poll for an organization backing Democratic women candidates shows Democratic Gov. Kelly with edge on GOP Attorney General Schmidt in 2022 governor's race.

Patrol to assist with law enforcement work in areas of Louisiana recovering from Hurricane Ida. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Gov. Kelly temporarily assigns state troopers to assist with Louisiana’s hurricane recovery
By: - September 23, 2021

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly agreed to send 16 troopers of the Kansas Highway Patrol to Louisiana to assist with law enforcement work following Hurricane Ida.

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, said he would vote against the House-passed resolution to avoid a shutdown of the federal government. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas GOP in D.C. working against bill to lift debt ceiling, avoid government shutdown
By: - September 23, 2021

Republicans in the Kansas congressional delegation are not supporting bill lifting federal debt ceiling and helping Democrats avoid a government shutdown.

Michael Eckerman, 37, of Wichita, is charged with federal crimes for alleged involvement in the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol in protest of the election victory of President Joe Biden. The photograph is included in the FBI's affidavit filed against Eckerman. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)

Kansan charged in Jan. 6 riot at U.S. Capitol near scene of fatal shooting
By: - September 22, 2021

A Wichita man facing federal charges for participating in assault on the U.S. Capitol was near the scene of the fatal shooting of a protester.

Bryan Mann, assistant professor of education at the University of Kansas, developed an interactive website with maps showing racial demographics of schools across the country. In this image, red dots are majority-white schools and purple dots are majority-minority schools. Lighter colors represent greater school diversity. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)

KU maps bring into colorful focus lingering racial segregation of K-12 schools
By: - September 22, 2021

KU researchers launched a website open to the public that provides visual representations of local, state and national trends of K-12 school segregation.

Lawrence attorney Chris Mann, a former prosecutor and police officer, entered the race for the Democratic Party's nomination for attorney general in Kansas. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)

Former prosecutor, cop launches campaign for Kansas attorney general
By: - September 22, 2021

Former county prosecutor and police officer Chris Mann of Lawrence is the first Democrat to enter the Kansas race for attorney general.

the COVID-19 vaccine shouldn't receive a dishonorable discharge for exercising a personal right. (Screen capture of C-SPAN2 coverage/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas senator seeks honorable discharge for troops rejecting vaccine
By: - September 21, 2021

U.S. Sen. Marshall of Kansas says it would be wrong for the Pentagon to issue dishonorable discharges to service members who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine.

Sen. Mark Steffen, a Republican, said he was working to force a special legislative session to consider bills blocking mask and vaccine mandates for COVID-19 and to open up use of off-label medications during the pandemic. He spoke Monday at the Freedom Revival in the Heartland at City Center Church in Lenexa. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas foes of COVID-19 vaccinations push for political protection from mandates
By: - September 21, 2021

Conservatives, Republicans come together at Lenexa church revival to consider how best to advance an anti-vaccination agenda in state's political process.

The former general counsel to two Kansas governors argued it cannot be assumed the U.S. Supreme Court will reject President Joe Biden's vaccination mandates related to COVID-19. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)

Views from Kansas: Predicting Supreme Court’s attitude on COVID-19 mandates tricky business
By: - September 20, 2021

Kansas legal gurus not eager to predict U.S. Supreme Court's interpretation of state or federal mandates in response to COVID-19.

Steven Soper, distinguished professor at University of Kansas, is leading a research team in development of an in-home, saliva-based COVID-19 testing device capable of delivering results in 15 minutes. It will be submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval later this year for possible marketing in early 2022. (Meg Kumin of KU/Kansas Reflector)

KU researchers optimistic about bringing in-home COVID-19 test to market
By: - September 18, 2021

University of Kansas researchers are closer to submitted for FDA approval an in-home, saliva-based testing tool for COVID-19. The unit could be on the market in early 2022.

Cheryl Harrison-Lee, chairwoman of the Kansas Board of Regents, said the higher education system's $161 million budget request can drive student success and drive economic growth. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

The big ask: Higher education seeks $161 million budget increase from lawmakers
By: - September 17, 2021

Kansas Board of Regents outlines for governor and legislators a $161 million budget request tied to tuition, scholarships, inflation and IT upgrades.

U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, the 2nd District Republican, joined U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall in demanding thorough vetting of Afghan refugees before any were relocated to Kansas. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas lawmakers demand rigorous vetting of Afghan refugees
By: - September 16, 2021

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall and U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, both Kansas Republicans, want Afghan refugees subject to vetting before relocated to Kansas.

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