#749 | Monday, October 12, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

October 12th, 2026  |  1 hr 28 mins

2027 election, 2027 mayoral race, breaking news, citizen engagement, citizen power, city hall, dan ridenour, delaware county, delaware county indiana, delaware county politics, east central indiana, government accountability, indiana politics, local government, local politics, mayor dan ridenour, mayor retirement, muncie, muncie city hall, muncie indiana, muncie mayor, muncie mayoral race, muncie politics, municipal elections, political announcement, political breaking news, political developments, third term

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey breaks down major political news from Muncie, Indiana, after Mayor Dan Ridenour announced he will not seek a third term in 2027. Mayor Ridenour says he will retire at the end of his current term on Friday, December 31, 2027, ending his tenure as Muncie mayor. Bilbrey shares his thoughts on the announcement, the timing, and what it could mean for Muncie and Delaware County politics, City Hall, and the 2027 mayoral race. Bilbrey also hits a few other political odds and ends that have been circulating and deserve a moment in the spotlight. #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

#747 | Thursday, October 08, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

October 8th, 2026  |  1 hr 45 mins

2026 election, First Amendment, Jail, boss hogs of liberty, candidate forum, citizen engagement, county government, david bockover, democrat david bockover, democratic candidate, east central indiana, election 2026, flock camera, freedom, henry county, henry county indiana, henry county politics, henry county sheriff, indiana politics, investigations, jim nicholson, john sproles, law enforcement, local elections, local government, local politics, new castle indiana, political candidates, public safety, republican candidate, republican jim nicholson, sheriff candidates, sheriff election

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey jumps on the Boss Hogs of Liberty feed for our first real look at the two candidates for Henry County Sheriff: Republican Jim Nicholson and Democrat David Bockover. Let's see how this goes! #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

#744 | Sunday, October 04, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

October 4th, 2026  |  1 hr 50 mins

citizen engagement, citizen power, city council leadership, city council meeting, east central indiana, government accountability, government transparency, indiana politics, local government, local political figures, local politics, muncie, muncie city council, muncie indiana, muncie politics, october 5 2026, political buzz, political controversy, political developments, political rumors, social media politics

In this 744th episode, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey discusses the upcoming Muncie City Council meeting on Monday, October 5, 2026. Will this meeting remain calm, or will it continue down the path of insanity seen in the last several? Then, Bilbrey examines the recent buzz on social media about several local political figures. Is something significant developing—or is it much ado about nothing? Bilbrey breaks down what's being said, what may actually matter, and what to watch for as Muncie politics heats up. #ThePoliticalSpotlight

#743 | Thursday, October 01, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

October 1st, 2026  |  1 hr 45 mins

2026 election, 2026 general election, campaign questions, candidate accountability, citizen engagement, david bockover, democratic candidate, democratic sheriff candidate, east central indiana, government accountability, henry county, henry county indiana, henry county sheriff, indiana politics, local elections, local government, muncie, muncie city council, muncie government, muncie indiana, muncie politics, new castle indiana, september 14 2026 meeting, sheriff election

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey shares an update on the upcoming Muncie City Council meeting held Monday, September 14, 2026. Bilbrey also updates listeners on Democratic candidate for Henry County Sheriff David Bockover and his continued refusal to answer questions about his campaign. #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

#740 | Sunday, September 27, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

September 27th, 2026  |  2 hrs 6 mins

2027, 2027 muncie budget, Contract, acting mayor, bob mccoy, carl malone, city budget, city contracts, city leadership, city of muncie, city of winchester, conflicting statements, contract employee, dale basham, dan ridenour, december 31, deputy mayor, east central indiana, end of the term, facebook, facebook post, finance committee, government accountability, government confusion, government transparency, indiana politics, jeff howe, jerry dishman, local government, local politics, mayor bob mccoy, mayor dan ridenour, mrc director, muncie, muncie city council, muncie government, muncie indiana, muncie parks board, muncie parks department, muncie politics, muncie redevelopment commission, parks superintendent carl malone, public administration, public oversight, randolph county, social media controversy, taxpayer accountability, term, tuhey, tuhey pool, william mcintosh, winchester, winchester government, winchester indiana, winchester politics

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey examines a bizarre dispute over who is actually running the City of Muncie, Indiana's Tuhey Pool. During the September 24, 2026, Finance Committee meeting, Parks Superintendent Carl Malone said he was no longer in control of Tuhey Pool and that responsibility had shifted to contract employee Jeff Howe. After Bilbrey sought clarification, Mayor Dan Ridenour gave a completely different account, saying nothing had changed and that Tuhey remained under Malone and the Parks Department. Bilbrey breaks down the conflicting statements, questions Howe's expanding role within city government, what the Parks Board and Finance Committee knew, and how councilors can responsibly build a budget when city officials apparently cannot agree on something as basic as who is in charge. The spotlight then turns east to Winchester, Indiana, where Bilbrey examines a controversial September 25, 2026, social media post that may involve Mayor Bob McCoy and has angered local residents. Muncie. Winchester. Conflicting accounts. Confused government. And one simple question: Who the hell is actually in charge? #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