The Topeka Capital-Journal
Lawmaker tries to push back against secretary
Kansas Department of Parks and Wildlife Secretary Christopher Kennedy recently nixed a plan that would have reshaped the agency’s law enforcement apparatus by stripping dozens of officers of their official classifications. Some lawmakers contend that...
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Angel investor tax credit eyed
Kansas lawmakers are moving toward extending a decades-old tax incentives program that’s designed to boost the prospects of upstart entrepreneurs by reducing early financial barriers. The Department of Commerce bills its Angel Investor Tax Credit...
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New polarizing bill mandates cooperation with ICE agents
A bill that advanced from a Kansas House committee on Feb. 26 would mandate county sheriffs to cooperate with ICE agents in facilitating the transfer of suspected “criminal aliens” into federal custody. The hyper-polarizing legislation comes amid...
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SALES TAX COULD JUMPSTART PROJECT
Topeka city leaders have differing opinions on next steps for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The trust fund was created in July 2019 to financially “encourage and support the acquisition, rehabilitation and development of affordable housing and/...
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Clinton depositions show changed Democratic Party
WASHINGTON – In late February 2016, Hillary Clinton cruised to an overwhelming victory in the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary – an unambiguous statement of the former first lady and secretary of state’s dominance over her party as she...
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A look inside new GOP headquarters
As President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address, Kansas Republicans held a watch party that doubled as a grand opening for the state and local GOP headquarters in Topeka. The Kansas Republican Party and Shawnee County Republican...
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Democrats propose legalizing marijuana
Although the prospects of marijuana legalization remain dim in the Sunflower State, Kansas House Democrats are holding out hope that Kansas will soon join 46 other states that have made the drug legal in some form. Rep. Ford Carr, D-Wichita, unveiled...
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Farm bill may save Food for Peace
Congress may use the farm bill to save Food for Peace, a foreign food assistance program with a Kansas legacy that President Donald Trump’s administration largely shuttered. Food for Peace program was a part of the U.S. Agency for International...
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Shunganunga Creek gets federal boost for flood study
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, got $500,000 in an appropriations bill for Topeka to do a study on Shunganunga Creek. “I worked to secure federal support in the FY26 appropriations legislation to help improve and modernize critical water...
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Marshall calls Alma center the ‘best solution I’ve seen’
ALMA — With his adult frame sitting on a blue child-sized chair, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall joined a circle of children and senior citizens in singing the alphabet and nursery rhymes. After his ABCs, “Baa Baa Black Sheep” and more, Marshall got back to...
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Before this land was KANSAS
Thomas Jefferson wanted land. Napoleon Bonaparte needed money. They both got what they wanted in 1803 when the U.S. and France entered into the Louisiana Purchase. Bonaparte, France’s leader, helped finance an imminent war with Great Britain by...
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Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s tariffs
WASHINGTON − The Supreme Court dealt a major blow to President Donald Trump’s economic agenda, ruling that he does not have the authority to impose sweeping tariffs at the stroke of a pen. The court on Feb. 20 tossed the tariffs that are the...
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Republicans override veto of anti-trans bill
Despite warnings from Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly of unintended consequences, the Republican supermajorities in the Kansas Legislature overrode a veto to enact anti-transgender legislation restricting bathroom use and banning gender marker changes. In...
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Costs for prison double
Gov. Laura Kelly’s budget recommendation to bankroll a new correctional facility in Hutchinson was snubbed by Republicans in 2024, some of whom are now lamenting the funding offer as a lost opportunity. Upgrades are urgently needed for the state’s...
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‘We have something to contribute’
Topeka Mayor Spencer Duncan wants Kansas lawmakers to listen to city leaders as they debate property tax changes that could significantly affect local government budgets. Duncan was one of several officials from cities across the state who testified...
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STORE PACKED WITH FUN
After two successful decades in Lawrence, Game Nut Entertainment has expanded its reach to the capital city. The gaming and pop-culture retailer has operated at 2329 SW Iowa St. in Lawrence for more than 20 years. Customers can now shop at its new...
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Lawmakers want snack bar but threaten child food aid
Kansas lawmakers on a budget committee want a more robust snack bar closer to their chambers, complete with fountain drinks and popcorn. Those same lawmakers are also threatening child food assistance to motivate faster work to ban food stamps from...
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BREWING UP COMMUNITY
Topeka leaders kicked off a statewide trend when they lobbied to alter alcohol laws to allow for permanent common consumption areas. Mayor Spencer Duncan said the idea started with a trip to an arts district in Arkansas that had a permanent common...
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Veteran shares fight for Kansas
Abi Boatman got her start in public service in August 2001 when she enlisted in the Air Force as a C-130 crew chief, which is an aircraft mechanic. Two years after moving to Kansas to serve at the McConnell Air Force Base, Boatman was honorably...
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Kansas lawmakers risk SNAP penalties
Kansas lawmakers are ignoring the recommendation from their auditors that backs the governor’s request to spend more money now to address a problem that could cost taxpayers far more in the future. The budget request from Gov. Laura Kelly and the...
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Kelly says partisan politics are to blame
After making Medicaid expansion one of her top priorities throughout her time in office, Gov. Laura Kelly has acknowledged defeat. “There’s no way in hell we’re going to get Medicaid expansion this year,” Kelly said. For seven years in a row, Kelly...
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Florist turns online negativity into success
Personalized bouquets at Ravishing Florals are crafted with a unique touch of care by Marycruz Delreal, the shop’s creator and owner. Delreal has been creating uniquely made arrangements for her customers for the past three years. After seeing her...
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MAKING THE CUT
When Brandon McDonnell was a high schooler at Topeka High, he would sneak out of class on game days. There was only one place he needed to go — the barber shop. Growing up, McDonnell loved getting a trim. He needed to look fresh for every varsity...
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From quitting TO WINNING
When Sophia Johnson was 4 years old, she thought her babysitter was cool. Her sitter played the violin, which inspired Johnson to give it a try. But Johnson repeatedly talked about quitting lessons, claiming she hated it. Almost 10 years later, she’s...
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MAGA vs. Bad Bunny splits Super Bowl
Sen. Tommy Tuberville was thrilled to attend the Super Bowl in 2025 when he hitched a ride on Air Force One, joining President Donald Trump and several other Republican lawmakers for the big game. “Happy Super Bowl Sunday,” the Republican senator for...
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A look inside Link Innovation Labs
Link Innovation Labs — 220 SE 6th St. in Topeka — is ready to open its doors to entrepreneurs in the community. Serving as a space where startups and small businesses can access resources, collaborate and work on commercializing their ideas and...
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Kobach pushes bill on SNAP data sharing
Attorney General Kris Kobach is asking Kansas lawmakers to pass a law intended to explicitly require Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration to turn over food stamp data to the federal government. The move is the latest development in the conflict between...
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Airport leaders pitch passenger service
Topeka airport officials are pitching an airline this week on reestablishing passenger flights out of Forbes Field after efforts to get commercial air service in the capital city were derailed by the ripple effect of a political boycott of a different...
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Evergy exported power during winter storm
When Winter Storm Fern hit last month, electric utility monopoly Evergy had enough energy generation that it was able to export power to other states — which will mean a financial benefit for Kansans. With snow still on the ground surrounding the...
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Airport closer to building hangar
Plans are moving forward with the development of a hangar project at Forbes Field. Economic development director Curtis Sneden said Topeka Regional Airport has signed a lease agreement with Davcon Aviation. Davcon specializes in designing...
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‘An amazing story and an amazing man’
It was Nov. 2, 1950. h A U.S. Army chaplain had just negotiated the surrender to Chinese soldiers of himself and more than 50 U.S. soldiers who had been wounded while fighting in the Korean War and were gathered in a dugout. h Nearby, a Chinese soldier...
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DOJ releases 3M more pages of Epstein files
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Jan. 30 that the Justice Department was releasing 3 million more pages of Jeffrey Epstein files, including 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. The releases include redactions, Blanche said at a news...
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Department updates body camera policies
The Topeka Police Department has new policies about body camera footage after years of community debate following police-involved fatal shootings. On Jan. 28, police chief Chris Vallejo announced two new policies: Policy 434 Body-Worn Cameras and...
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City gets maternity shelter
A maternity shelter is opening in Topeka that will be the third of its kind in the entire state. The Villages Inc. on Jan. 28 was to host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil its homeless shelter for expecting mothers. “We felt like it was a big need,...
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State will sell old KDHE lab
The Kansas government will sell about 34 acres of land near Forbes Field that used to house a state laboratory. The Kansas Department of Administration notified lawmakers on the Joint Committee on State Building Construction at a Jan. 21 meeting of...
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Area experiences snow, chills, death
Kansans endured their fourth straight day of sub-zero wind chills Monday, Jan. 26, after a weekend that brought as much as 12.5 inches of snow and a woman’s death in Emporia from apparent hypothermia after she left a bar. The Sunflower State was among...
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Prior authorization at issue
The Kansas insurance commissioner criticized the prior authorization process in health care, but advised lawmakers that lobbyists may mobilize against state legislative efforts to reform it. “The PA process is definitely broken,” said Insurance...
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CIVILITY
When Gov. Laura Kelly delivered her last State of the State address to the Kansas Legislature, she attributed the state’s successes to one word: civility. “It’s conducting ourselves with a sense of decency,” Kelly said. “It’s disagreeing on issues but...
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Temps plummet amid major U.S. winter storm
As part of a major winter storm that is forecast to spread heavy snow, sleet and dangerous ice and affect tens of millions of Americans across two dozen states through the weekend, cold air blasted into the central United States on Jan. 23, sending...
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Curly Top Customs keeps growing
Curly Top Customs might sound like a hair salon to new or curious customers, but it’s actually a business for personalized, custom-styled apparel. h Every item is created by its curly haired owner, Wendy Money, who creates every customized item...
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KDHE rejects CDC guidelines
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment won’t be adopting the updated vaccine schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. On Jan. 16, KDHE said that it won’t change its clinical guidelines on childhood vaccines with the new...
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Club to decide future of downtown Topeka site
Chris Schultz, owner of Cosmos Court in downtown Topeka, wants to ensure long-term stability of his business by giving the community an opportunity to be involved in the process. That opportunity follows with a new initiative Schultz has created...
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Lawmakers urged to ban gender marker changes
Kansas lawmakers have new legislation under consideration to ban gender marker changes on state identification. The introduction of House Bill 2426 comes after the Kansas Supreme Court denied a petition for review filed by Attorney General Kris Kobach...
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Racing return could be boost
New property acquisitions and developments are creating fresh opportunities for tourism and economic growth in Topeka. The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) announced the acquisition of the former Heartland Motorsports Park on Dec. 30, The...
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Candidates pull in donations
The Republicans running for governor in 2026 are raising significant amounts of money to spend on their campaigns, but a lot of those contributions are coming from the candidates themselves. Four of the nine Republican candidates running for governor...
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Flu cases spike in Kansas
Are you coughing, running a fever and feeling a headache, achy muscles or sore throat? You might have the flu. Influenza-like illness activity levels in Kansas have recently become “very high,” says the federal Centers for Disease Control and...
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MORE PAY, LESS WORK?
Lawmakers are returning to Topeka for the start of the 2026 legislative session, but they will be in the capital city for less time than they normally are. After following a compressed timeline in 2025, the Legislature will again have a...
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Furor continues over ICE shootings
Tensions remained high Jan. 9 as shootings involving immigration agents in Minneapolis and in Portland, Oregon, drew protesters to the streets and deepened fractures between federal and state officials. In Portland, a U.S. Border Patrol officer shot...
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Topeka accepting applications for District 8 council seat
Spencer Duncan on Jan. 6 took his oath and officially became mayor. The moment he was sworn into office, his District 8 seat was vacated. “It’s surreal when you become the mayor of your hometown, and so that’s kind of an odd feeling, but in the best...
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Kansas sites named for slavery advocates
President Donald Trump has been restoring names of military bases changed earlier this decade because they honored Confederate soldiers. Nine bases switched back last year to their former names but with new namesakes, said Stars & Stripes. It cited...
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New Kansas transmission line will benefit Missouri
Evergy is planning to build a power transmission line across the land of hundreds of Kansas landowners to send electricity to Oklahoma and Missouri. The extra-high voltage transmission line will start near Wichita at a major connection point for power...
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The Pilgrim’s Keep in St. Marys goes back in time
Giuesseppe Vanderputton drew upon his stonemason and plastering skills to bring a touch of old European and medieval charm for his customers to enjoy. Vanderputton opened Pilgrim’s Keep in St. Marys at 518 W. Bertrand St., after a friend suggested the...
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Mayor Zohran Mamdani promises new era for NYC
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Jan. 1 inauguration and block party reflected a diverse city looking to make good on the 34-year-old democratic socialist’s promises to address affordability. On a freezing New Year’s Day, the Democratic mayor took...
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Governor Kelly rejects reignition of border war
Gov. Laura Kelly doesn’t believe that using economic development incentives to get the Kansas City Chiefs to move from Missouri to Kansas will reignite the border war. In 2019, the leaders of Kansas and Missouri agreed to a truce to end the economic...
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Mamdani captures America’s attention
NEW YORK – He’s Google’s No. 1 “People” trending search for 2025, and his Wikipedia page was among the 10 most-read. Republicans have called for him to be deported, while some Democrats say he reminds them of a young Barack Obama. Fashion magazines...
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Topeka and tariffs?
From January to November 2025, the effective tariff rate in the U.S. rose 17%, reaching the highest it’s been since 1935, according to Yale University’s Budget Lab. Apparel, beef and products with high metal content, such as electronics, computers and...
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Big Kansas’ plan fell short
The Kansas Territory stretched all the way west to the Continental Divide in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains when federal lawmakers created it in 1854. But Kansas gave up roughly half of that land when it gained statehood in 1861. In the wake of a...
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Risky business
Are machines found offering cash payouts in convenience stores, bars and restaurants across the state games of skill or chance? That’s the unanswered question that has allowed the machines to proliferate across the state without regulations or...
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‘DEEP CONNECTION’
The places Indigenous peoples call home have intertwined with their ways of life for millennia. Their stories, foodways and cultures relate directly to their homelands. Lands, waters, plants and animals, the creatures that inhabit the waters below and...
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CHIEFS HEADING TO KANSAS
The Kansas City Chiefs will move across state lines from Missouri to Kansas after the team made a deal to build a new football stadium in the Sunflower State with the help of government tax revenue. A committee of top Kansas lawmakers approved the...
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Penny presses aren’t going away
Robert Hoff was amazed the first time he saw a coin press machine in action in the 1970s. Hoff was in his twenties when a person passed him while carrying the machine and watched as they pressed pennies for a quarter a piece. That moment created a...
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Chama brings taste of Venezuela to Topeka
A sweet and rich taste of coffee is now part of the Topeka coffee scene. Chama at 5005 SW 29th St. — owned by Claudia Osechas and Isabel Godoy — are offering Venezuelan coffee to their new customers. Osechas said she and Godoy have been friends for a...
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RATES GOING UP
Students who live and eat on campus at most of the state’s public universities will have to pay more for housing and dining plans next school year. The Kansas Board of Regents on Dec. 17 approved housing and food service rate adjustments for fiscal...
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Topekans celebrate winter holidays
Tis the season to be jolly. But Christmas isn’t the only season of celebration happening this December. h Each year, billions of people come together to celebrate winter holidays, whether it’s Chanukah, Kwanzaa Christmas or Yuletide. h While these...
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Brown shooting suspect found dead
PROVIDENCE, RI – Though the suspect connected to the deadly Brown University attack and the fatal shooting of an MIT professor was found dead in New Hampshire, the questions and fallout have only begun. Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez...
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Smell worsening across Oakland
Residents have been complaining of a persistent odor around the Oakland Wastewater Treatment Plant for months — it’s getting worse. Robert Soria, Oakland Neighborhood Improvement Association president, said he’s heard complaints calling the smell...
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Topeka schools expand partnership with Walmart
What started off as a small partnership with one Walmart and Highland Park High School has blossomed. The Topeka Public Schools Foundation and all of the Walmarts in Topeka have come together to create a partnership. “So many of the employees at...
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Police gets ‘bomb squad truck’
The Topeka Police Department unveiled its new “bomb squad truck” purchased via a federal grant. The truck will respond to instances where either deliberately or accidentally there is hazardous material that could ignite. Previously, the TPD’s unit...
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‘PART OF THE FAMILY’
When Bingo first joined forces with the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s in 2017, she was young, had an overabundance of energy and was paired with her partner special agent Chris Mercer. Nine years later — longer than most K9 dogs remain in service —...
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These tips can help keep the ‘happy’ in your holidays
“There’s no place like home for the holidays,” says Perry Como’s classic 1954 Christmas song, echoing a sentiment felt by tens of millions who travel at this time of year to reconnect with their roots. But traffic snarls, airport delays and bad...
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Noem asked to explain deportation of veteran
WASHINGTON – Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was grilled on Capitol Hill, facing questions related to her department’s immigration efforts, including whether United States military veterans have been deported under the Trump administration’s...
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Lettuce Feed You is taking off
Lettuce Feed You owners Michael and Laura Mallory sit with their 6-year-old daughter Mya Mallory at a table at their new location at the Docking State Office Building on Dec. 6. Since Kansas legalized sports wagering on Sept. 1, 2022, it has attracted...
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Prairie Band LLC gets $29.9M ICE contract
A company owned by Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation has landed a contract with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement department. The Department of Homeland Security gave a $29.9 million contract to Prairie Band LLC, which is used as a revenue...
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From Model UN to real deal
Emma Brace was in Model UN as a Topeka High School student in the early to mid-2000s. Twenty years later, her life would come full circle and she was invited to go to an actual United Nations summit. “I applied to be part of BC’s (Boston College’s)...
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Love, redemption and giving
Bringing a different point of view to the Christmas spirit and how everyone celebrates is what Gary Piland is focused on portraying this season. h Piland, owner of Umbrella, a local website design and video production company, is bringing his new stage...
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