#540 | There Is Nothing More That Can Be Sacrificed! | The Political Spotlight

October 9th, 2025  |  1 hr 47 mins

2026 budget, contributing correspondent dr. katherine callahan, council meeting, indiana, madison county, madison county chief deputy prosecutor andrew hanna, madison county politics, politics, released on her own recognizance, sharon bailey barker, steven sumner, us marshals

Muncie is still Muncie... Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey is on a mission to find the local newspaper—more on that soon! But for this 540th episode, Bilbrey invites Dr. Katherine Callahan back to the program to discuss the current situation in Madison County government. The Council continues to double down on its outdated, backwards thinking, and members of the Madison County Sheriff's Department have had enough! The president of the FOP, a deputy who has served for several years, resigned his position while speaking to the Council on Thursday evening, October 9, 2025. He is the first of many, Bilbrey is afraid. Things could get really, really bad before they ever get better—if they ever get better! #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#538 | Muncie City Government Is on Cruise (OUT OF) Control! | The Political Spotlight

October 6th, 2025  |  2 hrs 13 mins

a wildly intense muncie city council meeting, councilor brandon garrett, councilor nora powell, indiana politics, muncie city council, muncie mayor dan ridenour, muncie politics, political commentary, proposed 2026 budget, vacation

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey breaks down a wildly intense Muncie City Council meeting that took place on October 6, 2025. The meeting just concluded, and it was truly extraordinary! Bilbrey offers the best political commentary around! #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#537 | NFL First Amendment Blunder! & Muncie City Council Meeting Eve! | The Political Spotlight

October 5th, 2025  |  1 hr 45 mins

2026 budget, audie barber, billie ingles, brandon garrett, city council showdown, cops, first amendment, howdy doody, ice, indiana politics, indianapolis colts, muncie mayor dan ridenour, muncie politics, nfl, proposed budget, racial slur

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey and contributing correspondent Audie Barber delve into a contentious First Amendment clash involving Audie and police at the Colts vs. Raiders NFL game on Sunday, October 5, 2025. Then, with less than 24 hours until a pivotal Muncie City Council meeting, Bilbrey previews the high-stakes showdown between Mayor Dan Ridenour and the Muncie City Council over the proposed 2026 budget. #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#536 | Will He, Won't He? - All Elected Officials SUCK! | The Political Spotlight

October 3rd, 2025  |  1 hr 42 mins

2026 budget process, brandon garrett, city council meeting, city of muncie, deadline, emails, finance committee, indiana, insurance, muncie city councilor nora powell, muncie mayor dan ridenour, muncie politics, vacation

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey provides the final update before the Muncie City Council meeting on Monday, October 6, 2025. Tune in to find out if Councilor Brandon Garrett will be in attendance at the meeting and whether the Council will pass the proposed budget, or not. Crazy Times! #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#535 | Ones & Zeros... On/OFF... Heads & Tails! | The Political Spotlight

October 1st, 2025  |  1 hr 57 mins

2026 budget process, brandon garrett, city of muncie, deadline, emails, federal government shutdown, finance committee, indiana, insurance, muncie city councilor nora powell, muncie mayor dan ridenour, muncie politics, vacation

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey continues his exploration of the ongoing back-and-forth between Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour and various members of the Muncie City Council, specifically Finance Committee chair, Councilor Nora Powell. The wild thing is, it all comes down to a simple matter of ones and zeros, on/off, heads and tails. (2+2=4) However, it is being promoted as something much bigger! Be sure to tune in live or via replay, as you do not want to miss any of it! #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#534 | Dan Said, Nora Said! | The Political Spotlight

September 30th, 2025  |  2 hrs 19 mins

2026 budget process, breaking news, city of muncie, deadline, emails, engaged, finance committee, grant county commissioner ron stewart, grant county government, indiana, insurance, madison county commissioner oliva pratt, madison county government, muncie city councilor nora powell, muncie mayor dan ridenour, muncie politics

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey continues to examine the back-and-forth "he said, she said" between Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour (R) and Muncie City Councilor Nora Powell (D) over the proposed 2026 budget process. Bilbrey shares the latest emails exchanged between the two sides. #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#533 | Building the Benches! + Free Speech Battles Continue! + The PAC! | The Political Spotlight

September 29th, 2025  |  1 hr 58 mins

ball state university, charlie kirk, democrats, first amendment, free speech, gop, government accountability, indiana access to public record act, indiana politics, jennifer ruby, lincoln day dinner, local parties, midterm elections, midterms 2026, muncie resists, open door laws, public records, republicans, transparency matters

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey discusses the local GOP and Democratic parties ahead of the 2026 midterms, the growing battles over free speech in America, and then addresses a few public records request issues, sharing his thoughts about Indiana's record request laws and open-door laws. This is a must-listen episode you won’t want to miss! #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#532 | A Demand & a Deadline in Muncie! | The Political Spotlight

September 28th, 2025  |  1 hr 47 mins

accountability, communication, councilor nora powell, emails, muncie city council, muncie fire department, muncie indiana, muncie mayor dan ridenour, muncie politics, proposed 2026 budget, record requests, transparency

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey provides an update on the situation in Muncie, Indiana, following the city council's demand that the mayor give them a letter or email from the new insurance provider, detailing the latest figures and proposed savings for the city. That demand also had a deadline — Friday, September 26, 2025, which passed. Did Mayor Ridenour meet the deadline, or did he resist the Council's request? Where does everything currently stand, and what are the next steps for both sides? Tune in to find out! #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#531 | And Then Mayor Ridenour Replied! (Muncie's 2026 Budget Battle) | The Political Spotlight

September 25th, 2025  |  1 hr 56 mins

city council, councilor nora powell, dan ridenour, emails, health insurance, muncie indiana, muncie mayor, muncie politics, proposed 2026 budget process

As the 2026 Budget process for the City of Muncie wraps up in these last few months of 2025, tensions seem to be rising instead of easing. While Muncie City Councilor Nora Powell (D - District 2) has been questioning and criticizing the Mayor and his administration over the past few weeks, Mayor Dan Ridenour now appears ready to push back against the Council and Powell specifically. Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey discusses the Mayor's recent remarks and shares his perspective on how this situation might develop. #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#530 | Madison County Budget 2026 Update! | The Political Spotlight

September 24th, 2025  |  2 hrs 34 mins

2026 budget process, indiana, madison county, madison county commissioners, madison county council, madison county politics, madison county sheriff's department

We've reviewed the 2026 budget processes for Muncie and Delaware County. Now, let's take a look at what's happening in Madison County, with a focus on their 2026 budget. Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey welcomes contributing correspondent Dr. Katherine Callahan to the show to discuss it! #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#529 | It's Going to Be Tight! | The Political Spotlight

September 23rd, 2025  |  2 hrs 4 mins

2026 budget process, city of muncie indiana, delaware county commissioners, delaware county council, delaware county indiana, delaware county politics, finance committee meeting, mayor dan ridenour, muncie city council, muncie politics

The 2026 budget processes for both the City of Muncie and Delaware County, Indiana, are nearing completion, and it's going to be tight. Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey discusses the issues related to the processes happening in both Muncie and Delaware County. #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#528 | How Do We Keep Them Engaged? | The Political Spotlight

September 22nd, 2025  |  1 hr 47 mins

2026 budget process, article, civil rights, courier-times newspaper, emails, federal lawsuit, first amendment, henry county sheriff john m. sproles, how do we keep them engaged, muncie city council, muncie mayor dan ridenour, new castle

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey reviews two emails from Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour to the Muncie City Council about the 2026 Budget Process. Bilbrey believes the emails highlight a larger issue. Then, Bilbrey pulls up an article from the New Castle Courier-Times and reads their summary of the end of the federal lawsuit between Bilbrey and Henry County Sheriff John M. Sproles. Finally, everyone is talking about how there's "something in the air." It seems like more people are waking up to what's happening in our "political world" — but this has happened before, so Bilbrey asks, "How do we keep them engaged?" #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#527 | It's OK to Be Confused! | The Political Spotlight

September 21st, 2025  |  1 hr 38 mins

back from holiday, charlie kirk, community violence, current events, first amendment, indiana politics, indianapolis, its ok to be confused, muncie indiana, muncie politics, national politics, shootings

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey has returned from his holiday. While he enjoyed it, he doesn’t feel reset and senses that he’s waiting for the other shoe to drop. Bilbrey discusses the recent increase in violence in Muncie and Indianapolis. He’s disappointed that there’s little discussion about it in Muncie. He also covers the upcoming busy week before touching on the uneasy feelings many are sharing right now, all across the nation. Bilbrey reminds the audience that it's okay to be confused! #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#526 | Madison County's Plan to: MAX THE TAX! | The Political Spotlight

September 18th, 2025  |  1 hr 33 mins

bilbrey on holiday, contributing correspondent, dr. katherine callahan, indiana, madison county, madison county politics, max the tax

Contributing correspondent Dr. Katherine Callahan guest hosts for Kristopher H. Bilbrey, who is away on holiday!

Katherine will be examining the Madison County Government's plan to MAX THE TAX on all of their citizens!

If you live in Madison County, Indiana, or if you're a citizen interested in government and politics... then this is an episode you won't want to miss! #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#525 | Bullying Bullies, and the Bullied Bulls they Bull and Katherine! | The Political Spotlight

September 17th, 2025  |  2 hrs 10 mins

bilbrey's holiday break, election integrity, election laws, election security, guest host, indiana, katherine callahan, larry savage, local politics, madison county politics, plea deal, political bullies, politics and bullying, producer kate, prosecution, surprise show, taxes

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey is on autopilot as he prepares for his big holiday break. So, he called Dr. Katherine Callahan to help Producer Kate keep everything on track. The show focuses on bullies and bullying in politics. Additionally, this episode sets the stage for part two, where Katherine will guest-host in Episode 526. #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#524 | Solar Ordinance Delay & Voter List Fiasco! | The Political Spotlight

September 15th, 2025  |  2 hrs 1 min

accountability, bluestate49, city council, commissioners meeting, delaware county, delaware county commissioners, delaware county politics, diego morales, first amendment, freaks, hoosier politics, indiana, indiana politics, indiana secretary of state diego morales, indiana state house, liberals, local government, solar ordinance, transparency, voter data

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey summarizes the Delaware County Commissioners’ meeting, where the Solar Ordinance was tabled yet again.

From there, Bilbrey then shifts his focus to Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales, who recently provided the federal government with the personal information of 5 million registered voters from Indiana. Of course, Bilbrey is upset about that.

And finally, Bilbrey gives a shoutout to superfan “Bluestate49.” #ThePoliticalSpotlight