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.

Kansas Supreme Court Justice Caleb Stegall, center in blue mask, wrote a separate opinion in the disciplinary case of a retired Russell County magistrate challenging the state's authority to assess morality of legal, private conduct occurring outside a judge's judicial responsibilities. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Retired judge’s X-rated case inspires thesis linking Orwell, Snowden and Austin Powers
By: - January 29, 2022

Kansas Supreme Court sanctions retired judge who posted nude images to a website, but one justice challenges court's moral judgment of private conduct.

Buttigieg points to Pittsburgh bridge collapse as blunt reminder of infrastructure spending needs
By: - January 28, 2022

U.S. transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg says federal infrastructure funding will help Kansas and Missouri improve safety of bridges, roadways.

Amber Shultz, secretary of the Kansas Department of Labor, acknowledged huge challenges in delivering unemployment aid during the COVID-19 pandemic, but was convinced the state was in a better position in 2022. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)

Unemployment insurance fraudsters circling back to Kansas in renewed quest for quick cash
By: - January 27, 2022

Criminals seeking to fraudulently claim Kansas unemployment benefits again hitting state agency, but upgraded firewall better able to resist attack.

Gov. Laura Kelly, Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Ron Ryckman urge Kansans to submit recommendations for spending federal COVID-19 economic recover aid from Congress. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)

Kansans lawmakers seeking ideas for spending federal COVID-19 recovery aid
By: - January 27, 2022

Kansas' governor and legislative leaders ask the public to offer suggestions on how to spend federal COVID-19 recovery funding.

Hospital chief medical directors in Salina, Topeka, Lawrence and Kansas City, Kansas, responded negatively to a Kansas Senate bill giving doctors greater leeway to provide patients off-label drugs and requiring pharmacists to fill those prescriptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)

Hospital medical officers lament bill mandating risky off-label use of drugs against COVID-19
By: - January 27, 2022

Kansas hospital medical officers take dim view of state senator's bill opening door wider to unproven off-label use of medicines against COVID-19.

Attorney General Derek Schmidt recommended the state respond to school gun violence by placing more law enforcement officers and mental health professionals in schools. He also wants to increase grants to school districts for security projects and draw upon federal COVID-19 funding to expand budgets for security priorities. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas court, attorney general urge $887,000 payment to wrongfully convicted man
By: - January 26, 2022

Kansan wrongfully convicted of sex crime who served more than 13 years in prison deserves nearly $900,000 in compensation under state law.

Sen. Renee Erickson, a Wichita Republican and chairwoman of the Senate Commerce Committee, ushered through the committee a bill creating a unique incentive package aimed at attracting a manufacturing company willing to make a $4 billion investment in the state. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Senate committee approves amended economic incentive bill for Kansas’ megaproject bid
By: - January 26, 2022

Kansas Senate committee passed an amended incentive package designed to entice a manufacturing company willing to make a $4 billion investment in the state.

Lt. Gov. David Toland, who also serves as secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce, said the Kansas Legislature needed to adopt an unprecedented package of economic development incentives to help the state solidify its bid for a manufacturing company willing to invest $4 billion in the state. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas governor, Legislature wrestling economic and political forces on $4B development project
By: - January 25, 2022

Kansas Department of Commerce makes pitch to GOP-led Legislature on economic incentives to attract manufacturer making $4 billion investment in state.

during House floor debates. He wanted to lower the recorded-vote threshold from a showing of 15 hands to 10 hands. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Law enforcement officers, legislators resist House bill banning no-knock warrants
By: - January 24, 2022

Kansas legislators, law enforcement officers want to arrest development of a House bill placing into state law a prohibition on no-knock search warrants.

The Kansas Board of Healing Arts issued a response to the "unprecedented" letter on treatment of COVID-19 patients sent to about 250 health care providers by Sen. Mark Steffen, a Hutchinson Republican who has advocated off-label use of ivermectin in the pandemic. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas Senate panel may lower scrutiny of doctors approving off-label use of drugs for COVID-19
By: - January 24, 2022

Senate committee explores allowing doctors to prescribe drugs for off-label use against COVID-19 without risk of licensing backlash for bad outcomes.

The Americans for Prosperity Foundation of Kansas filed a complaint with the attorney general alleging the Kansas Department of Commerce wasn't sufficiently forthcoming with documents related to issuance of STAR bonds for economic development projects tied to tourism during the past 15 years. (Screen capture/Kansas Department of Commerce report)

Legislative auditors skeptical Prairiefire development can pay off $64.8M in bond debt
By: - January 22, 2022

Auditors say Prairiefire in Overland Park in jeopardy of defaulting on $65 million in STAR bond debt given modest tourism draw, weak sales tax growth.

Kansas unemployment dropped to 3.3% in December, the lowest rate since the April 2020 surge to 12.6% at outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It remained under 4% throughout 2021. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas unemployment rate dips to 3.3% in December, returning to pre-COVID-19 levels
By: - January 22, 2022

The Kansas unemployment rate dropped to 3.3% in December, marking a return to pre-COVID-19 levels disrupted by a surge to 12.6% in April 2020.

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