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.

Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin, an Overland Park Democrat, said a new law allowing 15-year-olds with instructional permits to drive to religious activities but not comparable school gatherings raised interesting legal questions. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

New driving privilege for 15-year-olds opens preferential path to religious activities
By: - April 20, 2022

Gov. Laura Kelly signs bill enabling 15-year-olds with a restricted driver's license to pilot vehicles to any type of religious activity.

Gov. Laura Kelly got the attention of Republican legislators by vetoing bills imposing a school sports participation ban on transgender girls or women as well as a bill imposing a parental bill of rights in terms of K-12 public education (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Democrat Kelly dangles vetoes in front of GOP legislators eager for fresh fight
By: - April 19, 2022

TOPEKA — The legislative process in Kansas is a numbers game that folks conveniently boil down to the trifecta of 63, 21 and one. This odd set of figures represents the narrowest margin in which bills can be passed in the House and Senate — 63 in the House and 21 in the Senate. The […]

Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bipartisan bill removing regulatory hurdles in Kansas to advanced practice registered nurses working more independently of physicians, including prescribing of medication. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)

Kelly signs bill expanding authority of Kansas advanced practice RNs
By: - April 18, 2022

Gov. Laura Kelly signed bipartisan legislation removing regulatory hurdles to advanced practice registered nurses operating more independently.

Former Kansas State University president Jon Wefald died Saturday in Minnesota at age 84. This student residence hall on the K-State campus in Manhattan is named in his honor. (Submitted by Kansas State University)

Former Kansas State president Jon Wefald, 84, passes away in Minnesota
By: - April 18, 2022

Former Kansas State University president Jon Wefald, a fan of Wildcat football, dies in Minnesota at age 84.

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: - 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: - 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: - 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: - 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: - 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: - 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: - 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: - 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.

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