Author

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.
House explores launch of $10 million grant program to boost health of rural hospitals
By: Tim Carpenter - March 16, 2021
Kansas House explores idea of financing $10 million in innovation grants for rural hospitals struggling with financial future.
Senate majority leader arrested, released after allegedly driving wrong way on I-70
By: Sherman Smith and Tim Carpenter - March 16, 2021
Kansas Senate's No. 2 Republican arrested on DUI charge after allegedly driving wrong direction on Interstate 70 in Topeka.
In-person teaching debate triggers House altercation on parochial vs. public education
By: Tim Carpenter - March 15, 2021
Kansas bill forcing public school districts to return to full-time, in-person classes raises ruckus about Catholic v. public education.
Senate rookie says Kansas needs to think bigger on economic front to counter brain drain
By: Tim Carpenter - March 15, 2021
Democratic senator uneasy with GOP's quest to once again pass Kansas tax cuts threatening school, highway investments.
Public university tuition rebates demanded by House GOP could top $150 million
By: Tim Carpenter - March 12, 2021
TOPEKA — The Kansas Board of Regents is pushing back against a budget amendment adopted by a Kansas House committee requiring public universities to refund students more than $150 million in tuition for canceled classes and courses shifted online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Blake Flanders, president of the state Board of Regents, appeared with university […]
Senate building case for county, state payouts to businesses undercut by COVID-19 mandates
By: Tim Carpenter - March 11, 2021
Kansas Senate committee developing bills to force county and state government to compensate businesses for COVID-19 mandates.
Kansas prison system reports 16th inmate fatality tied to COVID-19
By: Tim Carpenter - March 11, 2021
Death of Winfield Correctional Facility inmate brings to 16 the number of prisoners to die after infected with COVID-19 during the pandemic.
Bill calls for body camera recording of conversations between lobbyists and legislators
By: Tim Carpenter - March 11, 2021
Kansas House member wants to require body camera recordings of all lobbyist-legislator conversations and make the video available to the public.
House pumps brakes on tweak to Kansas law allowing toll on new highway express lanes
By: Tim Carpenter - March 10, 2021
Kansas House forces detour of KDOT's plan to modify 2019 law authorizing use of tolls to pay for new highway construction.
Kansas legislative session by the numbers: House passes 124 bills, Senate adopts 88, Kelly signs four
By: Tim Carpenter - March 10, 2021
House and Senate gets breather after tallying 212 bills and pushing through abortion amendment and city utility aid program.
Attorney General Derek Schmidt to campaign for GOP gubernatorial nomination in 2022
By: Tim Carpenter - March 9, 2021
A 2022 gubernatorial showdown is already brewing between Attorney General Derek Schmidt and former Gov. Jeff Colyer.
Kansas Jayhawks part ways with football coach Les Miles amid allegations of misconduct at LSU
By: Sherman Smith and Tim Carpenter - March 8, 2021
Reports emerging from LSU about former football coach Les Miles' alleged misconduct with women ends his coaching career at KU.