The Topeka Capital-Journal
‘CARE AND SUPPORT’
Mayetta resident Laura Moore hopes sharing her story of suffering a traumatic brain injury while she was a teenager will help others cope in similar situations. International food assistance programs with a long history of support from Kansas farmers...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Artemis II crew awestruck by trip
The four astronauts on the Artemis II mission that took them around the moon spent years preparing for the historic flight, practicing operating the Orion spacecraft, learning how to observe the moon’s geography and even training in photography. The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Boulevard gets bookish
Abookstore in Seabrook Shopping Center offers Topeka readers more than just a place to buy literature. Ivy and Ink, located at 2005 SW Gage Blvd., is a romantasy booktique specializing in romantic fantasy fiction. h “It’s kind of like Harry Potter for...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Justice Sotomayor pays visit to Kansas
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor visited Kansas and spoke at the Lied Center. On April 7, Sotomayor participated in a “fireside chat” about her career and the current state of the federal legal system. Sotomayor was nominated by former...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
NASA chief visits Kansas
HUTCHINSON — Houston, Cape Canaveral and Hutchinson, Kansas. Those are the three cities that NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will spend time in while the Artemis II mission heads to and from the Moon, the first crewed flight there in more than 50...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Judge releases immigrants in habeas corpus cases
At least 23 times in the past eight months, a federal judge in Kansas has released immigrants who were being indefinitely detained in violation of the U.S. Constitution after immigration officials failed to deport them within a reasonable time. The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Marshall says cable news is designed ‘to make you mad’
Nick Xidis hosted U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall at Hazel Hill Chocolate for a roundtable discussion with local business owners in Topeka on April 1. Gary L. Hermesch, charged in last April’s fatal shooting of Seneca Catholic priest Arul Carasala, last...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Journey of faith, conflict and retirement
In the mid- to late 1990s, Cecil Washington Jr., the Kansas House’s chaplain at the time, faced national controversy for praying in the name of Jesus Christ. “In fact, there was a group, a small group that actually decided to boycott the prayer,”...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Skirmish over replacing Bondi looming in Senate
Pam Bondi is out at the Justice Department. And all roads to replace her lead through one place: the U.S. Senate. The impending political brawl on Capitol Hill to supplant the embattled attorney general, fired by President Donald Trump on April 2, is...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Member subbed out to advance bill
When Kansas Republican Sen. Tory Marie Blew voiced her unwillingness to advance a controversial voter ID measure from committee, she was promptly swapped from her leadership role for a GOP colleague who would. “I told them that: ‘This is a hill I’ll...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Why transgender activist broke Kansas bathroom law
Transgender activist Samantha Boucher washed her hands in a Kansas Statehouse women’s restroom knowing she was violating the law. Boucher alone in the restroom with a Capital-Journal reporter making small talk about her act of civic disobedience. She...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Kelly vetoes health care bill
Kansas Republican leaders have promised to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s recent veto of a bill that would enable Kansans enrolled in nontraditional health care plans to receive tax breaks. Under Senate Bill 368, nonprofit organizations known as health...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Attraction shares Eisenhower legacy
Decades after Americans declared “I like Ike,” tourists love the Kansas attraction that preserves the legacy of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home was voted “Best Kansas Attraction” in the 2017...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘BEAUTIFUL TRADITION’
Fiesta Topeka is stepping into a more modern era. On March 27, Fiesta committee chair Raul Guevara had a press conference for Fiesta-related announcements, including a new app and to name a new generation of leaders and volunteers. “I told this...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BATHED IN BLOOD
Kansas was born from the pre-civil war slavery conflict and baptized by the blood it spilled. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 — known as one of the most consequential pieces of legislation in national history — formed the territory we know as Kansas...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Trump delays strikes on Iran power plants
The Pentagon is weighing sending an additional 10,000 troops to the Middle East as the war with Iran rages, multiple news outlets reported. It remained unclear when a decision will be made on whether to send the additional combat soldiers, according...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
A look at Topeka’s most dangerous intersections
What are Topeka’s most dangerous intersections? Topeka saw a 5% decrease in accident reports in 2025, which saw 3,373 reports compared to 3,560 made in 2024. The Capital-Journal got that information after filing an open requests request with the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Proposed ban would impact school sports
Kansas high school coaches and other athletics officials are raising the alarm at an attempt by lawmakers to ban practices and games on Wednesday evenings and Sundays. The proposed moratorium was added to a bill as a floor amendment, meaning there was...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Anniversary event to feature Ben Crump
The Brown v. Board Anniversary Coalition and the Brown Foundation are co-sponsoring a commemoration of the 72nd anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling. This year’s celebration aims to strengthen the relationship between the Brown...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Couple each diagnosed with colon cancer months apart
Atlee and Chrissy Reetz have been married for 15 years and are raising their two sons, ages 8 and 13, in Topeka. The Reetzes were each diagnosed with colon cancer three months apart while in their 40s. Atlee Reetz was diagnosed with colon cancer at...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Marshall defends ICE
As airports and travelers across the country feel the effects of a partial government shutdown, a Kansas Republican senator is opposed to compromising on two key demands from Democrats. U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, told reporters in a March 18...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘KIND OF LIKE PARROTS’
Julie Beach’s job requires her to talk really fast. As a court reporting “voice writer” for Shawnee County District Court, Beach quickly repeats into a microphone the words she hears spoken at court hearings to create a verbatim transcript providing...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TROOPS DEPLOYED TO MIDDLE EAST REGION
Despite President Donald Trump’s promises of the war with Iran ending soon and broad domestic disapproval of further involvement, the United States is sending more troops to the region, a defense official said. The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
State sells old KDHE lab, land
The state government has sold an old laboratory and 34 acres of land near Forbes Field, despite objections to the sale price being significantly lower than the appraisal. The State Finance Council, comprised of the governor and top lawmakers, voted...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
190th has seen heroes and tragedies
The Kansas Air National Guard’s 190th Air Refueling Wing has a distinguished history that includes heroes, tragedies and service in multiple wars. That unit, which is taking part in the war in Iran, has seen three of its members die in plane crashes...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Developer touts community support
With the Meadow Acres Inn that was located at 2950 SW Topeka Blvd. now demolished, space is clearing out for a planned $15.04 million redevelopment at the northeast corner of SW 30th and Topeka Boulevard. The developer recently shared an update on the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Lawmakers fail to agree on plan for property tax relief
With only two weeks left in the regular legislative session, Kansas Republicans have yet to find a property tax relief plan that can pass the House and Senate. After the House on March 12 voted down the Senate’s plan for property tax relief, the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Bar and grill is small town hub
When a small town in Kansas has a population of about 150 people, there’s no denying it takes the helping hands of everyone to keep the wheels turning. h In Denison, a big part of that helping hand comes from one of its local businesses — Finer than a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
6 U.S. service members killed in crash over Iraq
Six more U.S. service members were killed when their refueling aircraft crashed after a midair collision over western Iraq, officials said March 13, as the joint U.S.-Israeli war on Iran reached the two-week mark with few signs of slowing down. The...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
State lawmakers cut river cleanup funds
State lawmakers are cutting funding for cleaning up trash in the Kansas River in the capital city and farther upstream in northeast Kansas. The House and Senate each cut $100,000 in reappropriations to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Judge allows transgender bathroom ban to continue
A new Kansas law that regulates where transgender people can use the restroom and that invalidated their identification records will remain in effect. On March 10, Douglas County District Judge James McCabria denied a requested temporary restraining...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Hemp shop raids trigger lawsuits
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and KBI director Tony Mattivi were among numerous defendants named in a federal lawsuit stemming from raids conducted in October on businesses they alleged were illegally selling THCinfused products. Vape and CBD...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Gov. Kelly, Marshall clash at officer event
LYNDON — A gathering to honor law enforcement officers wounded in the line of duty turned into a power struggle between the Kansas governor and a U.S. senator. U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, announced he would be in Lyndon to present...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Schmidt urges more transparency for ICE
Topeka’s representative in Congress is urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to be more transparent with the public about immigration enforcement operations in Kansas and elsewhere. U.S. Rep. Derek Schmidt, R-Kansas, is a member of the House...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘GOOD BONES’
What might look like just another home in Topeka’s Boswell neighborhood is actually a long-standing gem that has been serving the community for quite some time. This year, the building at 1300 SW Boswell Ave. turns 100 years old. Over the years, it...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TRUMP DEMANDS IRAN’S SURRENDER
President Donald Trump demanded Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” in a social media post the morning of March 6, insisting “there will be no deal” to end his 7-day-old war with the battered Persian Gulf power. The president added in a social media post...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Bill proposes penalties for student protests
Kansas politicians are trying to use the state budget to punish students and public schools over protests after several recent walkouts to protest Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. Sen. Michael Murphy, R-Sylvia, was the one who proposed the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
KS lawmakers said Iran nuclear efforts ‘obliterated’
Eight months after multiple Kansas congressmen said the Iranian nuclear program was obliterated, the U.S. military has again attacked Iran with President Donald Trump using the country’s nuclear ambitions as justification. Trump indicated the latest...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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/...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
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...
Read Full Story (Page 1)