mcre Media .......[Henry McClure Publisher]

Opening: Topeka is Kansas’s capital. That status brings prestige, jobs, and visitors—and a large volume of property that never appears on the tax rolls. The exemption reality Under Kansas law, property used exclusively by the state is exempt. So are qualifying hospital and charitable properties. Stormont Vail Health, a major nonprofit system with substantial assets, owns multiple parcels that qualify. The practical effect is a smaller taxable base that still funds local services used by everyone, including state agencies and large nonprofits. What other capitals do Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts have statutory PILOT programs that send money back to communities hosting state property. Montpelier receives meaningful annual payments. Kansas has no comparable requirement. Federal PILOT payments for federal land exist but are minimal in Shawnee County. How the remaining dollars have been used Public reporting on Hotel Topeka shows a multi-year investment in the $14–17 million r...

Yes. The primary mechanism is straightforward federal authority over the border itself. A Democratic governor (in this case, Texas Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa, and similarly the new or continuing Democratic governors in California, Arizona, and New Mexico) cannot unilaterally “open the border.” Immigration enforcement, border control, and related operations are federal responsibilities under the Constitution. What a governor can and cannot do A governor can withdraw state resources that previous Republican governors (especially Greg Abbott in Texas) had committed: state National Guard troops under state control, state troopers, state-funded barriers or operations like Operation Lone Star, and voluntary local law-enforcement cooperation (e.g., ending or limiting 287(g) agreements). They can also pursue sanctuary-style policies and challenge federal actions in court. A governor cannot stop federal agents (Border Patrol/CBP, ICE) from operating on the border or in the interior, alte...

**Leigha Boling** (Director of Economic Development for the City of Topeka). As of January 2026, the city appointed her to this role (she previously served as Procurement Director). She handles economic development priorities including redevelopment projects, incentive programs (such as TIF, CID, and RHID), and related partnerships. Note that economic development is now a standalone director-level function (separate from Planning). Dan Warner is the Director of Planning, Development, and Housing Services. Previously, Rhiannon Friedman held overlapping roles as Director of Development and Economic Growth and then Planning and Development Director (she left in mid-2025). Boling remains in the economic development role based on 2026 meeting records. For the most current contact details, check the City of Topeka website or main line (785-368-3728). Henry McClure 785.383.9994  Sent from my T-Mobile 5G Device Get Outlook for Android

  Here are three of the strongest arguments commonly made for why continued U.S. involvement in the 2026 Iran conflict serves American interests, framed from the perspective of an average American who mainly cares about personal safety, gas prices, and not getting dragged into endless wars for vague reasons. 1. Stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons The Islamic Republic has spent decades chanting “Death to America,” funding groups that attack U.S. forces and allies, and advancing a nuclear program that inspectors and U.S. officials have repeatedly called a serious threat. Once a regime like that has nuclear weapons, the risk calculation changes for everyone—deterrence becomes harder, regional proliferation becomes more likely (Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, and others have signaled they won’t sit still), and the chance of a crisis involving U.S. troops or cities rises. Supporters of the war argue that the February 2026 strikes (and earlier 2025 ones) set the program back, and tha...

  The City of Topeka says we have a housing crisis. Their own updated housing study (released September 2026) says the city needs 4,220 additional housing units over the next 20 years — roughly 210 units a year. Median home values jumped 63% between 2019 and 2025. Rents are up. Inventory is tight. As of the June 2026 Point-in-Time count, 460 people in Topeka/Shawnee County were still experiencing homelessness. So how is the city responding? By writing checks to Columbia Capital Management totaling approximately $1.85 million in municipal advisory and consulting fees across 95 invoices dating back more than a decade. Of that, $136,500 was specifically for RHID consulting — nine separate invoices, eight of them at $16,000 and one at $8,500, for projects including Riverstone (Meier’s Place), Sherwood Village Park, Union at Tower District, Project View, 3D Homes, Johnson-Betts Meadows, and Windward Estates. These aren’t small administrative fees. They’re the price of admission to...

Henry McClure 785.383.9994  Sent from my T-Mobile 5G Device Get Outlook for Android From: Megan J. Brunson <mjbrunson@topeka.org> Sent: Tuesday, 03 November 2026 08:46:04 To: Henry McClure <mcre13@gmail.com>; Mary E. Kuckelman Spinelli <mespinelli@topeka.org> Cc: City Clerk <cclerk@Topeka.org>; Bonnie Williams <bowilliams@topeka.org> Subject: RE: The But-For Test Is the Failure: Topeka Should Retire It   Good Morning,   Henry stopped by the office and paid the $36.00 for his records.   Thank you!   Megan Brunson Administrative Officer, Special Events mjbrunson@topeka.org 785-368-3940   “The preceding email message (including any attachments) contains information that may be confidential, protected by the attorney/client or other applicable privileges or that may constitute non-public information. This message is intended to be c...

Bettis Asphalt & Construction (Topeka-based, family-owned, major local paving/road contractor) is a frequent low bidder on Shawnee County road, culvert, pavement, and parking-lot projects. Awards go through the normal process: Public Works staff (Director Curt Niehaus) recommend acceptance of the low bid, and the Board of County Commissioners approves them (typically 3-0). Examples of recent Shawnee County awards to Bettis March 2025 : ~$10+ million low bid for NW 46th Street improvements (Fielding to Rochester). Engineer's estimate was higher (~$13M); funded from half-cent sales tax. Staff recommended; 3-0 vote. 2025 : $1.82 million multi-culvert replacement on SE Barrington Road. 2025 : $432k pavement replacement on SE Croco Road; $70k courthouse parking lot sealcoat/curb work. 2025 : Low bid (~$423k) for SW Westport Drive / SW 55th Terrace street improvements; low bid (~$2.3M) for SE Berryton Road culvert replacement (rebid). Earlier : Multiple smaller jobs (parking lot...