Local Politics

[SubGod22]

I know some think that party affiliation shouldn't matter much but it does to me. Which of the candidates have conservative values and won't turn us into Minneapolis? Honest question.

That's why you follow what they say and do. There are plenty of bog government politicians with an R next to their name. A letter guarantees nothing either way

[1972Shocker]

My wife and I will be voting for LIly Wu.

[pinstripers]

That's why you follow what they say and do. There are plenty of bog government politicians with an R next to their name. A letter guarantees nothing either way

Just because they have an R next to their name, doesn't mean they are a conservative. Just because they have a D next to their name, doesn't mean............. well, yes it does.

[SubGod22]

Saw something from KWCH where they were talking to some guy that I'm guessing is a political "expert" at one of the local colleges. The question was who moves on to the general and he gave his overview and said there are four that have strong chances. He mentioned Wu, Frye, Whipple and Racette.

Just an FYI. I believe official voting is today.

I am curious to see what Wichita decides, but I do believe Wu will be one of the two.

[shocktheheart]

Saw something from KWCH where they were talking to some guy that I'm guessing is a political "expert" at one of the local colleges. The question was who moves on to the general and he gave his overview and said there are four that have strong chances. He mentioned Wu, Frye, Whipple and Racette.

Just an FYI. I believe official voting is today.

I am curious to see what Wichita decides, but I do believe Wu will be one of the two.

I believe it will be Wu and Whipple, but hope Frye makes the cut. He seems to be the most qualified. Wu has no experience, but a ton of money in her campaign.

[shocktown]

Go Wu!

I would have to believe Frye will endorse Wu, which will give her a leg up on the squeezably soft mayor.

[WstateU]

Go Wu!

I would have to believe Frye will endorse Wu, which will give her a leg up on the squeezably soft mayor.

Yep, I like the marketing potential… Wu Wu!

[wichshock65]

Yep, I like the marketing potential… Wu Wu!

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Wu, Whipple are winners in Wichita primary election results

A total 41,221 votes were cast in the primary. Voter turnout stood at approximately 15.3% of registered voters, which is up from the 10.2% turnout in the previous primary election for Wichita's mayor in 2019.

Here's a look at the result breakdown for mayor:

1. Lily Wu, 11,763
2. Brandon Whipple, 9,253
3. Bryan Frye, 8,855
4. Celeste Racette, 6,594
5. Jared Cerullo, 1,815
6. Julie Rose Stroud, 236
7. Shelia Davis, 230
8. Tom Kane, 206
9. Anthony Gallardo, 168

Davis didn't finish dead last? Ouch.

I'm not sure how much of this can be forecast into the general, but one would think most of the Frye and Cerullo supporters would vote for Wu. I'd guess the Racette supporters probably lean more towards Whipple but I'm not 100 on that.

I still think this is Wu's to lose.

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Evergy reports year-over-year earnings dip as rate case process continues

Last month's hearings included one in Wichita, where multiple individuals and groups — including Mayor Brandon Whipple — voiced concern about the rate case's impact.

While in the Evergy Central area the company is requesting a net revenue increase of $204 million (up nearly 10%), in the Evergy Kansas Metro service area, which includes Kansas City's Kansas suburbs, it is requesting a net revenue increase of $14 million.




That means Evergy Kansas Metro residential customers could see an average rate increase of about $3.47 per month — markedly lower than Wichita.

"This is going to hurt us economically, when it comes to being competitive with other areas of the state, including Kansas City," Whipple said on July 27, according to WBJ news partner KAKE News. "It's going to hurt us when it comes to attracting jobs, and more importantly, it's going to hurt citizens."

Is there logic that I'm simply not privy to that would explain why the central region is set to get 4x the rate increase as the KC Metro area?

[Veritas]

1. Will we see a positive momentum shift if Wu is elected mayor?
haven’t seen much news under Whipple about Riverwalk. Just kicking the can down the road it seems.
Was Riverwalk even discussed during the campaigns?

2. Wichita crime is embarrassingly high. More cops needed. More enforcement, and yes the city needs to use the broken window model to fight crime. Drug use drives crime as well. Do they have a plan?

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/02/busin...sas/index.html

[SubGod22]

Marion County getting some national pub and not for a good cause. Police raided a newspaper office and the home of the publisher recently. Some local restaurant had a political meeting of some kind. Someone tipped off the newspaper that the owner of the restaurant didn't have a drivers license and had a felony DUI conviction. Both would prevent her from getting a liquor license, which the city council was about to vote to give her. The newspaper dug into that and didn't plan to publish anything on it, they did say that they sent what they had found to the police and the vice mayor had asked for the information as it was important to the upcoming vote. The owner found out and alleged they stole her identity to gather that information or something. I'm pretty sure that info is available to the public if they choose to dig, but I'm not 100 on that.

It's making national headlines as one would expect when the government raids a newspaper in what seems to be politically motivated on some level. The owner still got her liquor license in a 4-1 vote. Anyway, it's interesting and I'm sure we'll be hearing/seeing more about it.

KWCH - Timeline breakdown: Marion police raid newspaper office, owner's home

Timeline:


12 News confirmed with Meyer, Newell and the Marion Police Department a timeline of the events leading up to the raid Friday.

• Tuesday, August 1: Marion Police posted to Facebook about a public forum for Congressman Jake LaTurner at a local Marion restaurant, Kari’s Kitchen.
• Marion County Record owner Eric Meyer said he and staff were told to leave public forum by Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody at the request of restaurant owner Kari Newell.
• Wednesday, August 2: Meyer said Record’s reporter received Facebook message from a source alleging Newell was driving without a license and had a prior DUI conviction. Paper said it looked into these claims due to an upcoming vote on Newell garnering a liquor license. Kansas law states you can’t have a felony DUI conviction to obtain a liquor license. You must also have a state driver’s license.
• Friday, August 4: Meyer said he sent a note with the Record’s findings to Chief Cody. Meyer said the paper didn’t plan on publishing the findings.
• Meyer said City of Marion Vice Mayor Ruth Herbal asked the Record to send her the information they had obtained about Newell because the city council was set to vote on the approval of her liquor license.
• Monday, August 7: City council approves liquor license in four to one vote.
• At the meeting, Newell claims the Record obtained her personal information illegally and shared it with the Vice Mayor. In her official statement to 12 News, Newell said she believes the paper accessed her information through a piece of her mail from the Kansas Department of Revenue. She reported that to police.
• Wednesday, August 9: The Record published article about the accusations and council meeting.
• Friday, August 11: Marion County Court Magistrate Judge Laura Viar signed search warrant that alleges violations of identity theft and “unlawful acts concerning computers” regarding Newell.
• The Marion Police Department, with assistance from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, raid Meyer’s home, Herbal’s home and the Marion County Record’s office obtaining computers, cell phones and reporting materials.

There are responses from the KBI, the newspaper, the restaurant owner and the police department as well as a DC based group called Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

[SubGod22]

Apparently there was also an investigation ongoing about the police chief, which could possibly play a part in this as well.

Washington Post - After a police raid on a Kansas newspaper, questions mount

Eric Meyer went further in a Record news story on Saturday, describing the seizure of the paper’s computers and cellphones as “Gestapo tactics.”

The Record had been actively investigating Police Chief Gideon Cody at the time of the raid after receiving tips that he had left his previous job in Kansas City, Mo., to avoid repercussions for alleged sexual misconduct charges, Meyer said in an interview published Saturday on the Handbasket, a newsletter by journalist Marisa Kabas. Though the paper never ran the information, details about the investigation — including the identities of those who made the allegations against Cody — were in a computer seized by police.

Meyer, a former Milwaukee Journal reporter for 20 years and professor at the University of Illinois for 26, is the son of the Record’s late editor in chief, Bill Meyer. His family bought the paper in 1998.

[Shockm]

Marion County getting some national pub and not for a good cause. Police raided a newspaper office and the home of the publisher recently. Some local restaurant had a political meeting of some kind. Someone tipped off the newspaper that the owner of the restaurant didn't have a drivers license and had a felony DUI conviction. Both would prevent her from getting a liquor license, which the city council was about to vote to give her. The newspaper dug into that and didn't plan to publish anything on it, they did say that they sent what they had found to the police and the vice mayor had asked for the information as it was important to the upcoming vote. The owner found out and alleged they stole her identity to gather that information or something. I'm pretty sure that info is available to the public if they choose to dig, but I'm not 100 on that.

It's making national headlines as one would expect when the government raids a newspaper in what seems to be politically motivated on some level. The owner still got her liquor license in a 4-1 vote. Anyway, it's interesting and I'm sure we'll be hearing/seeing more about it.

KWCH - Timeline breakdown: Marion police raid newspaper office, owner's home[/LIST]There are responses from the KBI, the newspaper, the restaurant owner and the police department as well as a DC based group called Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

If the newspaper obtained the information legally, why wouldn't they state that publicly? Are they claiming to be protecting a source? If so, that should be stated too. From the information you gave, the Marion Record hasn't been forthcoming either.

Small town politics can be dirty too.

[SubGod22]

If the newspaper obtained the information legally, why wouldn't they state that publicly? Are they claiming to be protecting a source? If so, that should be stated too. From the information you gave, the Marion Record hasn't been forthcoming either.

Small town politics can be dirty too.

From what I've read, they weren't sure how the source came about it, but they were able to legally confirm the data. The owner has also confirmed that their information is correct. She doesn't even actually accuse the paper of illegally obtaining the information from what I've read, but accuses her ex husband as being the source and obtaining data illegally using information he may have.

Raiding a newspaper is a very rare move and illegal in many/most cases. And the paper did say that there were certain things they wouldn't share for fear that it would identify the source.