Author

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.

Richard Linton, president of Kansas State University, Jeff Wolf, founder of Heat Biologics, and Gov. Laura Kelly chat after announcement Monday of a $650 million, 500-job economic development project to bring Scorpion Biological Services' commercial vaccination biomanufacturing facility to Manhattan. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas lands deal for construction of $650 million, 500-job biomanufacturing facility

By: Tim Carpenter - April 18, 2022

Kansas economic development: Manhattan to be site of Scorpion Biological Services' $650 million, 500,000-square-foot, 500-worker biomanufacturing facility.

Attorney General Derek Schmidt said he would recommend the Kansas Supreme Court approve new legislative district boundary maps after the redistricting bill was signed into law by Gov. Laura Kelly. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Attorney general to seek prompt Kansas Supreme Court approval of legislative district maps

By: Tim Carpenter - April 16, 2022

Gov. Laura Kelly signed bill creating new legislative district boundaries and AG Derek Schmidt will ask Supreme Court to approve both maps.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed four pieces of legislation prized by Republican members of the House and Senate related to transgender sports, food stamps, COVID-19 and public school education. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kelly vetoes transgender sports ban, parental bill of rights touted by Republicans

By: Tim Carpenter - April 15, 2022

Gov. Laura Kelly vetoes Republican bills banning trans girls from sports, adopting a parents bill of rights and limiting food stamp eligibility.

Sen. Rick Kloos, R-Topeka, demanded the superintendent of Shawnee Heights school district remove the book "Gender Queer" without going through established process in the district for review of book complaints. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas GOP senator demands immediate removal of ‘Gender Queer’ book from school library

By: Tim Carpenter - April 15, 2022

Sen. Rick Kloos insisted the Shawnee Heights superintendent immediately remove the autobiography "Gender Queer" from the high school library.

A national survey indicated 36.1% of long-term care facilities in Kansas were experiencing staffing shortages that worsened since 2020. The state ranked fourth worst in terms of the staffing shortfalls. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas unemployment holds at 2.5% in March, inflation leaves a mark

By: Tim Carpenter - April 15, 2022

The Kansas unemployment rate held steady at 2.5% in March, but inflation surpassed wage gains during the month.

Psychologist Shawna Wright, far right, recommended the judicial system reforms aimed at helping individuals with mental illness should avoid reinventing the wheel in favor of modifying proven ideas to the target city or county. She spoke at a mental health summit in Topeka. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas’ shortage of behavioral health experts exacerbates community treatment challenges

By: Tim Carpenter - April 15, 2022

A psychologist, judge, prosecutor and legislator blend insights into meeting needs of mentally ill people entangled with the Kansas judicial system.

The Medicaid inspector general forwarded a report to Janet Stanek, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, as well as other executive and legislative branch officials, raising concerns about administrative oversight of the KanCare program. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas inspector general’s report identifies weakness in financial oversight of Medicaid

By: Tim Carpenter - April 14, 2022

Kansas Medicaid auditor faults state agencies and Medicaid contractors for potential overpayments and failure to track ineligible beneficiaries.

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Kansas Democrat seeking re-election in November, is benefactor of health advocacy organization's $5 million advertising push in support of her and seven other swing-state Democrats in the U.S. House. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)

Health care advocacy group spending $5 million to aid Davids, seven other swing-district Democrats

By: Tim Carpenter - April 14, 2022

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids and seven other swing-district Democrats benefit from $5 million ad push emphasizing votes on quality health care.

Gov. Laura Kelly signed legislation Wednesday granting liability protections to businesses helping to train high school students and creating a child lifetime hunting and fishing license. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas offers liability protection to businesses engaged in high school work training programs

By: Tim Carpenter - April 13, 2022

Gov. Laura Kelly signs bills granting liability protection to businesses training high school students and creating a youth lifetime hunting licenses.