#764 | Wednesday, November 04, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

November 4th, 2026  |  3 hrs 19 mins

2026 election, 2026 general election, board of works, board of zoning appeals, bza, campaign promises, citizen oversight, citizen power, delaware muncie metropolitan board of zoning appeals, east central indiana, election aftermath, gaslighting, government accountability, government transparency, henry county indiana, henry county politics, henry county sheriff, henry county sheriff elect, indiana politics, jim nicholson, john sproles, local government, local politics, muncie, muncie board of works, muncie city council, muncie indiana, november 2 2026, november 4 2026, october 29 2026, political accountability, political controversy, sheriff elect jim nicholson, sheriff transition, team nicholson

In Episode #764 of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey opens with what he calls the first major blunder by newly elected Republican Henry County Sheriff-Elect Jim Nicholson—less than 24 hours after the election. Bilbrey lays out why he believes Nicholson and his team were caught in a lie almost immediately after the win, why he sees the attempted cleanup and pushback as even worse than the original issue, and why he is drawing a line now before that kind of behavior becomes the norm in Henry County. From there, Bilbrey returns to Muncie to review the November 4, 2026, Board of Works meeting, the November 2, 2026, Muncie City Council meeting, and the October 29, 2026, Delaware-Muncie Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals meeting as several local-government stories continue to develop. There is a lot to cover—and Bilbrey is not letting any of it slide. #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#758 | Tuesday, October 27, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

October 27th, 2026  |  1 hr 43 mins

administrative leave, arrest, bobby lackey, citizen oversight, citizen power, class a misdemeanor, criminal charges, east central indiana, fraud, ghost employment, government accountability, henry county, henry county indiana, henry county politics, henry county sheriff, henry county sheriff department, indiana politics, john sproles, law enforcement accountability, level 6 felony, local government, new castle indiana, official misconduct, paid leave, public corruption, resignation, ryan burns, sergeant bobby lackey, sergeant ryan burns, sheriff department accountability, sheriff john sproles, special prosecutor, taxpayer money, theft

In this 758th episode of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey examines major developments in Henry County after a special prosecutor filed criminal charges against former Henry County Sheriff's Sergeant Ryan Burns on October 27, 2026. Burns faces charges of theft, fraud, official misconduct, and ghost employment. Henry County Sheriff John Sproles later announced Burns's arrest and resignation from the Sheriff's Department. Bilbrey breaks down what happened, what may come next, and turns to another major unresolved question: what happens to Sgt. Bobby Lackey, the other HCSD sergeant who has remained on paid leave for more than five months? From there, Bilbrey works through several other political and governmental odds and ends. #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#757 | Monday, October 26, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

October 26th, 2026  |  1 hr 23 mins

2026 election, 2026 general election, absentee ballot, absentee voting, academy of model aeronautics, ama, body camera footage, citizen engagement, citizen involvement, citizen oversight, citizen power, data center controversy, data center town hall, data centers, delaware county, delaware county indiana, dog shooting, east central indiana, election concerns, election day, government accountability, government transparency, hoosier voters, indiana elections, indiana politics, local government, mail in ballot, mail voting, midterm election, muncie, muncie indiana, muncie police, muncie police department, police accountability, police body camera, public records request, unanswered questions

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey is back in the studio after attending the AMA/Data Center Town Hall in Delaware County. The event was livestreamed here on The Political Spotlight. In this 757th episode of The Political Spotlight, Bilbrey examines what happened at the AMA/Data Center Town Hall. Where does everything stand? Were any new details learned? What questions remain unanswered? And, most importantly, what happens next? With the 2026 midterm general election just over a week away, Bilbrey has MAJOR concerns about Hoosiers who have requested mail-in ballots. If you have requested an absentee ballot by mail in Indiana, you will want to hear this discussion. This is an IMPORTANT topic you will not want to miss! Lastly, Bilbrey has an update on his request for records related to the Muncie Police body camera footage of the officer who shot a dog that was acting aggressively. #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#755 | Thursday, October 22, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

October 22nd, 2026  |  1 hr 55 mins

Indianapolis, aclu of indiana, ai generated news, ai slop, artificial intelligence, attorneys resign, candidate debate, citizen oversight, citizen power, dog shooting, east central indiana, education policy, gabe whitley, government accountability, government transparency, hoosier enquirer, indiana aclu, indiana elections, indiana government, indiana legislature, indiana politics, indiana schools, indiana secretary of state, legal challenge, legal controversy, local media, media credibility, muncie, muncie indiana, muncie police, muncie police department, police accountability, police allegations, police controversy, political misinformation, sb1, school corporation, school funding, sea 1, secretary of state candidates debate, senate bill 1, senate enrolled act 1

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey works through a bizarre assortment of political and governmental oddities from across Indiana. Bilbrey covers allegations involving Muncie Police, including claims that one officer ran over a person and another shot a dog without justification. He also covers what he calls a half-assed attempt at the Indiana Secretary of State candidates' debate, a legal fight involving a small school corporation and Senate Enrolled Act 1, and breaking news from Indianapolis about several attorneys leaving the ACLU of Indiana. Bilbrey also warns about the Hoosier Enquirer and owner Gabe Whitley, arguing that local readers should be cautious about relying on what he calls an "AI slop machine" for political information. There's a lot of ground to cover, a lot of BS to sort through, and in this episode, nothing is off the table. #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#754 | Wednesday, October 21, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

October 21st, 2026  |  2 hrs 11 mins

2026 candidate interview series, 2026 election, 2026 general election, board election, board meetings, board of works, candidate interviews, citizen engagement, citizen oversight, citizen power, east central indiana, election coverage, government accountability, government meetings, henry county, henry county indiana, henry county township trustees board, indiana politics, local elections, local government, muncie, muncie board of works, muncie indiana, muncie parks board, parks board, political candidates, township government, township trustees

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey begins by reviewing two recent Muncie government meetings: the Muncie Parks Board meeting on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, and the Muncie Board of Works meeting on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Bilbrey then heads to Henry County, where a concerning situation is unfolding involving the Henry County Township Trustees Board, its meetings, and the upcoming board election. YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS THIS! Finally, Bilbrey turns to The Political Spotlight's "2026 Candidate Interview" series and discusses what's ahead as election coverage kicks into high gear. #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#748 | Sunday, October 11, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

October 11th, 2026  |  2 hrs 1 min

2026 election, appearance of impropriety, candidate interviews, citizen oversight, citizen power, county owned vehicle, delaware county, delaware county indiana, delaware county republican party, deputies on paid leave, east central indiana, government accountability, government transparency, henry county, henry county indiana, henry county merit commission, henry county prosecutor, henry county sheriff department, indiana politics, john sproles, lame duck sheriff, local candidates, local government, local politics, local republican politics, merit commission, paid administrative leave, political accountability, political candidate series, political controversy, political fallout, prosecutor office, public accountability, public servants, republican party chairman, sheriff john sproles, sheriffs department, sproles watch, taxpayer accountability, taxpayer money, tim overton, unresolved investigation, vehicle sale

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey breaks down the latest political drama in Delaware and Henry Counties. In Delaware County, Bilbrey focuses on Republican Party Chairman Tim Overton and what Bilbrey views as a series of poor decisions creating controversy, confusion, and political fallout for Overton and those around him.
Then it's back to Henry County, where a #SprolesWatch is officially in effect. Bilbrey examines questions surrounding a previously county-owned vehicle now apparently being offered for sale from the property of lame-duck Sheriff John Sproles' parents, while stressing that the situation may ultimately prove to be legitimate. Bilbrey also revisits the still-unresolved case of two Henry County Sheriff's Department deputies on paid leave for more than five months, asking how long taxpayers will continue paying the bill and why the matter remains unresolved. He also raises concerns about the Henry County Merit Commission. To close, Bilbrey lays out his vision for the upcoming Political Candidate Series on The Political Spotlight and previews what viewers can expect in the week ahead. #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#746 | Wednesday, October 07, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

October 7th, 2026  |  1 hr 53 mins

appointed officials, citizen accountability, citizen oversight, citizen power, delaware county, east central indiana, elected officials, government accountability, government communication, government transparency, henry county, inappropriate text messages, indiana politics, lack of accountability, lack of transparency, local government, local government accountability, local political controversy, local politics, muncie, political candidates, political fallout, political frustration, political slop, political text messages, public servants, public service, randolph county, winchester

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey dives into the day's 'political slop' in East Central Indiana on Wednesday, October 7, 2026... It's not even worth naming it all; it's just slop! Entitled, self-important elected and appointed officials and candidates running around, not giving a shit! Public servants who DO NOT serve the public! Doing whatever they please, with no communication, transparency, or accountability! Bilbrey talks freeform for a bit, then gets into the latest developments regarding the inappropriate text messages sent among four men in the local communities. #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#745 | Tuesday, October 06, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

October 6th, 2026  |  3 hrs 5 mins

Brandon Garrett, citizen oversight, citizen power, city council public hearing, city council votes, council leadership, dale basham, dan ridenour, delaware county republican party, east central indiana, government accountability, government transparency, indiana politics, jerry dishman, leaked text messages, local government, local political figures, local politics, mayor dan ridenour, muncie, muncie city council, muncie city council meeting, muncie democrats, muncie indiana, muncie politics, muncie republicans, october 5 2026, political controversy, political fallout, political maneuvering, public meetings, ro selvey, shifting political power, text messages, tim overton, william mcintosh

ThePoliticalSpotlight

#742 | Wednesday, September 30, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

September 30th, 2026  |  1 hr 56 mins

2027 muncie budget, budget oversight, budget review, citizen oversight, citizen power, city budget, city council leadership, clerk treasurer kerry sayre, delaware county, delaware county indiana, delaware county republican party, east central indiana, finance committee, government accountability, government spending, government transparency, indiana politics, kerry sayre, local government, local politics, local republican party, muncie, muncie city council, muncie finance committee, muncie government, muncie indiana, muncie politics, october 5 2026, political influence, prairie creek reservoir, prairie creek reservoir budget, public meetings, public records, public records request, randolph county, taxpayer money, voa, volunteers of america, winchester, winchester house, winchester house controversy, winchester indiana, winchester politics

In this 742nd episode of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey reviews the third and final meeting of the Muncie City Council's Finance Committee, held Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Bilbrey highlights several revealing moments from the discussion of the proposed 2027 budget for Prairie Creek Reservoir. He also offers more on the Delaware County Republican Party and what he views as its ongoing effort to influence Muncie City Council leadership ahead of the October 5, 2026, meeting. Finally, the spotlight returns to Winchester, Indiana, where Bilbrey reviews public records he received from City Clerk-Treasurer Kerry Sayre and explains what they reveal about the VOA "Winchester House" disaster. #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#739 | Thursday, September 24, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

September 24th, 2026  |  2 hrs 20 mins

2027 muncie budget, amber green, budget meeting, budget review, citizen oversight, city budget, city clerk, city court, city court judge, communications, communications director, council leadership, councilor dale basham, councilor jerry dishman, councilor william mcintosh, east central indiana, elected officials, finance committee, flock, flock cameras, frustration, government accountability, government spending, government transparency, human rights ccommission, idiots, indiana politics, judge, kristopher h bilbrey, local government, local politics, muncie, muncie city council, muncie city police department, muncie finance committee, muncie indiana, municipal government, proposed 2027 budget, public access, public servants, ridiculous, taxpayer money, the political spotlight

Piggybacking off the last episode... In this 739th episode, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey shows why he is so bloody frustrated with our elected public servants by reviewing the second meeting of the Muncie City Council's Finance Committee. It was, AGAIN, a difficult watch! #ThePoliticalSpotlight