It's not a big media company or formal political group—just a handful of local writers and contributors putting out daily articles on local news, crime, arts/entertainment, food, events, sports, history, and a lot of satire. They launched around late 2024 (they had a launch party), and it seems designed to fill a gap in hyper-local coverage with a casual, opinionated voice that the bigger papers might not have.
Who runs it / key people
The main figure is Jeffery W. Fogg II (often credited as Jeff Fogg or This Is Topeka Staff). He's the one most tied to the site—writer, storyteller, and apparently the registered agent for the LLC. Background: He grew up or spent time in Colorado (B.A. in Religious Studies from University of Colorado, with a thesis on rural religious movements), then came to Topeka for his J.D. at Washburn University School of Law. He's now a local resident focused on narrative journalism, research, and "uncovering compelling narratives" about the human experience and community issues. The LLC is registered at an address in Topeka (1428 SW Washburn Ave.).
Other regular contributors (all local Topekans or Kansas-based):
- Mack Callahan (most prolific on the "Police Beat" and satire): Writes the snarky "Catch and Release" series on arrests, repeat offenders, and the justice system—often with a tone criticizing lenient policies or "bad decisions." He's described elsewhere as a retired political reporter; no big public bio, but his email and posts are tied directly to the site.
- Bob Cutler: Handles music/live scene stuff; he also runs the related Dystopeka.com (edgier, watchdog-style local commentary that powers some of the site's music content).
- Others like Lila Marquez (arts, food, news), Andrew Evans (reviews), and occasional pieces from Kansas News Service or Kansas Reflector (statewide public-affairs reporting). Some "staff" bylines for breaking news. One former contributor, Tevyn Harmon, announced a mayoral run on the site.
No giant "team" page or corporate staff list—it's a shoestring, contributor-driven blog/LLC.
Mission / goals / what they do
From their own About page:
"We are dedicated to shining a light on the vibrancy, creativity, and spirit of our city. Our mission is to celebrate the best of Topeka by connecting our community with events, local news, fresh places to eat, and new experiences that make Topeka a great place to live, work, and explore. We believe in fostering a sense of pride and community by highlighting the diversity of our city... Let's continue to build a positive, inclusive space where the pulse of our city comes alive for all to enjoy!"
In practice, they do straightforward local coverage plus heavy doses of:
- Crime/police beat with sarcastic headlines (e.g., "CATCH AND RELEASE: STAB A WOMAN — DOOR NEVER STAYS CLOSED").
- Food guides, book/film reviews, music venue spotlights, event calendars, sports, and history pieces.
- Some political/news roundups (including reprints) and satire that pokes at local and national figures.
They push subscriptions to "stay informed" and run sponsored content. It's not investigative deep dives or a nonprofit—more like a lively, unfiltered community blog/newsletter for people who live in Topeka and want the daily pulse (good, bad, and ridiculous).
Political vibe / "liberal Democrats always backbiting"?
You're not wrong that the tone can feel opinionated and critical ("backbiting"). The About page leans into "inclusive," "diversity," and positive community pride language, and they reprint from outlets like Kansas Reflector (generally seen as center-left/public media). Satire sometimes targets Republican figures (e.g., an April Fools piece on Rubio). At the same time, the heavy "Catch and Release" crime coverage is often blunt about repeat offenders and the justice system in a way that sounds frustrated with leniency—not exactly classic liberal framing. It's a mixed bag: progressive-leaning on diversity/culture stuff, watchdog/critical on local crime and governance. No evidence they're a formal Democratic outfit or activist group—just locals with strong opinions running a scrappy independent site. That mix probably comes off as "backbiting" depending on what side of a local issue you're on.
Bottom line: They're Topeka locals (mostly), running a small, recent online hub for news + snark because they like telling stories about their city. Not a grand political mission—just "here's what's happening in Topeka, with our take on it." If you've been following their crime or political posts, the sarcastic edge is intentional and part of the brand.
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