Impact journalism: Capital-Journal stories made an impression on Topeka and Kansas in 2023

Reporters at The Topeka Capital-Journal push for transparency in local and state government. They hold elected officials accountable for their words and actions.

They explain to readers how their lives will be affected by what happens under the Capitol dome or at city hall.

They celebrate community successes, explore entertainment opportunities and reveal new business openings.

They give voices to residents who might not be heard, neighbors who might be overlooked.

And sometimes, they have to cover a story that hits with an emotional left hook.

Our entire news reporting team in early October covered a story about the rape and killing of Zoey Felix, 5, who had recently become homeless. The Capital-Journal broke stories about why former neighbors had taken care of Zoey and what led to her being unsheltered; detailed the horrible living conditions at her former home; revealed that power and water had been turned off there; found the reason Zoey's mother was on probation; shared why Zoey had dropped out of preschool last year; talked to a relative saying people had vandalized the home; gave analysis on how passage of a DCF-proposed bill in 2021 would have enabled leaders to share more publicly sooner; showed how preschool had been Zoey’s refuge and covered many other angles as well.

And through aggressive questioning, our team learned the city of Topeka didn't send a report about Zoey to the Kansas Department of Children and Families until after Zoey's death — despite the city announcing it had done so. Human error led to the report stalling at the Topeka Police Department, which says it has since taken measures to prevent future delays.

Would that information have made a difference? Possibly. DCF continued calling and knocking on a door where Zoey no longer resided. Had the report been shared, DCF likely would have known Zoey was living in a homeless camp and not in her mother's home.

Here are a few of the other stories that made a difference in 2023.

Hill's Pet Nutrition relocates headquarters from Topeka to Overland Park

Through an open records request, Capital-Journal reporters learned Kansas taxpayers were giving $3 million in economic development incentives to Hill's Pet Nutrition as part of the company's relocation of its headquarters from Topeka to Overland Park.

Hill's didn't mention the taxpayer-funded incentives when it announced Jan. 11, 2023, it was moving its headquarters, although a contract provision required them to do so. And Gov. Laura Kelly and Lt. Gov David Toland didn't publicly promote the incentive package as they had with other Hill's projects.

Ex-city manager shares struggles with mental health and depression

After Stephen Wade was unanimously fired as city manager July 11, he agreed to sit down with a Capital-Journal reporter and photographer to talk about his decades-long battle with mental illness. Wade, who was publisher at the newspaper from 2018-2020, said his goal wasn't to explain himself but to share a powerful message — that "it's OK to not be OK" — and encourage others who might be struggling with their mental health to seek help.

He also spoke about how difficult it was to get help in the mental health system despite his connections. During the interview, Wade revealed a suicide attempt that precipitated a leave of absence.

In November, The Capital-Journal learned Wade sent a demand letter to the city demanding $100 million from the city in an apparent wrongful termination claim. City officials fired back, alleging in a fiercely worded statement that Wade engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate.

Stories unveiled legal maneuvers on natural gas price lawsuit

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach terminated the state's contract with a Florida-based law firm investigating alleged natural gas price gouging during a 2021 winter storm, claiming Morgan & Morgan, which had been hired by his Republican predecessor Derek Schmidt, was politically biased and produced subpar work.

Kobach sought to rebid the contract. The AG's office then lost the natural gas lawsuit on a technicality but could refile. Some of The Capital-Journal stories were cited in court documents. Kobach is now having — and could continue to have — a difficult time finding bidders on new contracts.

Kris Kobach used private email for official state business

The Capital-Journal received almost 1,000 pages of documents from the Kansas Attorney General's Office showing Kris Kobach is using a private email address for government work purposes. An open records request resulted in eight PDFs totaling 940 pages of emails and attachments.

A list indicates 169 separate emails sent to Kobach's private email account, plus 39 sent by that Gmail. The request cost the newspaper $209.13. But the KORA response also indicates there was an unspecified number of additional pages that weren't released, deemed confidential enough to excluded entirely from the responsive records. A handful of the released documents contained redactions.

Documents show KDOT paid millions for downtown Topeka properties

Open records requests showed the Kansas Department of Transportation paid nearly $4.4 million and nearly $4 million, respectively, to buy properties formerly owned by Let's Help Inc. and TFI LLC in the future path of the Polk-Quincy Viaduct in downtown Topeka.

Those amounts were well above the appraisal values Shawnee County determined of $1,698,400 for the former Let's Help property at 200 S. Kansas Ave. and $583,000 for the former TFI property at 129 S.E. Quincy.

Reporting about lucrative consulting contract could bring change

Kansas lawmakers are expected to push to reform contracting laws this legislative session after the Department of Commerce gave a lucrative consulting contract to a top official. The Capital-Journal reported July 30 that Paul Hughes — while still employed by the state as the deputy secretary of business development — formed his own company, Catapult Kansas LLC.

Hughes then bid on and was awarded a contract to consult for the Commerce Department on megaprojects. His contract went into effect two and a half weeks before he left his government job.

State officials maintain there was no conflict of interest in awarding the consulting contract.

Here's how you can help ensure impactful journalism continues

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We're also looking for your ideas. Email your story suggestions and news tips to news@cjonline.com. You can also reach out to our reporters at cjonline.com/contact/staff.

Tomari Quinn is The Capital-Journal editor. Please share your questions, concerns and suggestions by calling 785-295-1212 or emailing tquinn@cjonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Capital-Journal stories made impression on Topeka and Kansas in 2023