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.

Shawnee County Sheriff's Office reports say a middle-of-the-night brawl sent to the hospital one of two women guests at the Topeka home of a Kansas lobbyist who declined to tell a deputy and detective investigating allegations of battery and prostitution how he knew the women. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Prominent Kansas lobbyist’s house scene of mysterious late-night brawl between female guests
By: - October 29, 2020

Bizarre saga features fight between two women at a Topeka lobbyist's house and guest appearances by Kansas House member and politically prominent attorney.

GOP 2nd District Republican Jake LaTurner again fails to substantiate claim Democratic candidate Michelle De La Isla "defunded" Topeka Police Department while serving on the city council and as mayor. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

LaTurner renews suspect claim Democratic opponent strives to ‘defund’ police
By: - October 28, 2020

Kansas GOP congressional candidate Jake LaTurner fails in new ad to prove claim Democratic nominee Michelle De La Isla "defunded" Topeka Police Department.

Charlie Cook, of the Cook Political Report, says Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden appears to be closing in on victory against President Donald Trump. He spoke during an online event with the Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Political prognosticator Charlie Cook puts money on Biden, GOP on verge of losing U.S. Senate
By: - October 27, 2020

Cook Political Report founder Charlie Cook says Democrat Joe Biden on verge of winning presidency, while GOP majority in U.S. Senate is in real jeopardy.

U.S. Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran, Kansas Republicans, joined with former U.S. Sen. Robert Dole to endorse GOP U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall for Roberts' seat in the U.S. Senate. (Submitted/Kansas Reflector)

Moran, Roberts join GOP brethren to affirm Supreme Court nominee
By: - October 27, 2020

TOPEKA — Republican U.S. Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran cast votes as expected for confirmation of federal Court of Appeals Judge Amy Coney Barrett to a vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court. The 52-48 result Monday was a foregone conclusion after President Donald Trump and Republican allies rushed the nomination of Barrett to cement […]

Law enforcement supporters and Black Lives Matter activists converged outside Topeka's city hall during August. Fort Hays State University's statewide survey shows 49% of Kansans believe Black Lives Matter sharpened the racial divide in the United States. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

FHSU survey finds Trump leading in Kansas, half say BLM deepens racial divide
By: - October 27, 2020

Annual poll by Fort Hays State University shows support for Trump, frustration with Black Lives Matter and desire to legalize recreational marijuana.

Lyle Butler, chairman of Gov. Laura Kelly's task force working with federal COVID-19 aid, said Kansas should have dramatically expanded testing statewide as far back as five months ago. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas prepares to spend $52 million to broaden COVID-19 testing, get quicker results
By: - October 26, 2020

Kansas is on the cusp of spending at least $52 million to expand scope of COVID-19 testing and speed production of results.

Democratic state Senate candidate Lindsey Constance, left, at an event with Sen. Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, denounced as false GOP claims she sought to deflate funding for police while on the Shawnee City Council. (Submitted)

Senate candidate rejects GOP mailers distorting her votes on police budget
By: - October 26, 2020

Kansas Senate candidate Lindsey Constance rips GOP mailers falsely claiming she supported defunding Shawnee police department.

From left: Former Sedgwick County Commissioner Michael O'Donnell, soon-to-be replaced Kansas House Rep. Michael Capps and ouster-target Wichita City Councilman James Clendenin are part of a bizarre conspiracy to derail Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple that blew up in their faces. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Secret recording exposes three Wichita politicians to demands for their resignation
By: - October 26, 2020

Sedgwick County commissioner, Wichita city councilman and state legislator face demand for resignation as secret recording exposes coverup.

KC Freedom Project’s Latahra Smith answers call for justice from wrongfully convicted
By: - October 26, 2020

Lataruh Smith leads KC Freedom Project, a ministry working for people allegedly wrongfully imprisoned. Her fight is personal and professional.

Kansas politicians have different attitudes about wearing masks to prevent spread of COVID-19. At this event in El Dorado, Rep. Will Carpenter, left, chose not to wear a mask, while Attorney General Derek Schmidt, center, Kansas House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins and U.S. Rep. Ron Estes wore a mask. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

University of Kansas research: County mask mandates stall major rise in COVID-19
By: - October 25, 2020

University of Kansas researchers say countywide mask mandates — not popular with people — can prevent dramatic expansion of COVID-19.

The Kansas Department of Transportation reports the rate of traffic fatalities in Kanssa increased from January throuugh September 2020 compared to the first nine months of 2019, despite a 10.2% reduction in highway miles traveled in the state due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas highway fatality rate surges despite fewer miles traveled in 2020
By: - October 23, 2020

Kansas' traffic fatality rate increased from January to September 2020 despite a 10.2% reduction in highway miles traveled during the period.

U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, appeared in a televised debate Thursday night with Democratic nominee Barbara Bollier, a state senator from Johnson County. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

U.S. Senate debate draws out Marshall, Bollier on health care, guns, abortion
By: - October 22, 2020

U.S. Senate nominees Barbara Bollier and Roger Marshall lit up the TV debate stage with criticisms and allegations ahead of the Nov. 3 vote.

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