The Political Spotlight - Episodes Tagged with “Local Politics”

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

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 21:00:00 -0400

In this 749th episode of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey dives into today's (Monday, October 12, 2026) major political BREAKING NEWS from Muncie, Indiana.

Mayor Dan Ridenour has officially announced that he will NOT seek a third term in 2027!

Mayor Ridenour said he will retire from public office 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, its timing, and what it means for Muncie/Delaware County politics, City Hall, and the 2027 mayoral race.

Bilbrey also touches on a few other odds and ends that have been circulating recently and merit a moment in the spotlight.

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VIDEO version of Ep 749: https://youtube.com/live/PrcaUa70RL8

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

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 21:00:00 -0400

In this 748th episode of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey dives into the latest political drama unfolding in Delaware and Herny Counties.

DELAWARE COUNTY:

At the center of the latest mess in Delaware County is the Delaware County Republican Party Chairman Tim Overton, who, in Bilbrey's view, can't seem to make the right call. One wrong turn after another is creating controversy, confusion, and political fallout, not only for Tim but also for those around him.

HENRY COUNTY:

From there, Bilbrey heads to Henry County, where it appears a #SprolesWatch is officially in effect.

Lame-duck Sheriff John Sproles appears to have a newer, previously county-owned vehicle for sale in his parents' yard. While everything may ultimately prove to be above board, many questions remain about how the vehicle ended up there, how the sale came about, and why Sproles keeps putting himself in situations that at least create the appearance of impropriety.

Staying in Henry County, Bilbrey examines the still-unresolved issue involving two Henry County Sheriff's Department deputies on paid leave for more than five months.

How long will taxpayers continue to foot the bill for their "staycation"? When will the situation finally be resolved? And why is the Henry County Prosecutor's Office dragging its feet?

Lastly, regarding Henry County, Bilbrey has a couple of concerns about the Henry County Merit Commission.

WRAP-UP:

To close out the show, Bilbrey shares his vision for the upcoming Political Candidate Series on The Political Spotlight and outlines what viewers can expect from the program in the week ahead.

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VIDEO version of Ep 748: https://youtube.com/live/AI5SNGNPkzw

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

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 21:00:00 -0400

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!

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VIDEO version of Ep 747: https://youtube.com/live/RyfL2Eqntv0

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The Political Spotlight Airs LIVE
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePoliticalSpotlight

Audio Podcast: https://ThePoliticalSpotlight.fireside.fm
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#746 | Wednesday, October 07, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 21:00:00 -0400

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.

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VIDEO version of Ep 746: https://youtube.com/live/i5TdXMC6vfE

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePoliticalSpotlight

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

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey breaks down the October 5, 2026, Muncie City Council public hearing and regular meeting—a meeting that proved anything but routine.

The public hearing began at 645 p.m. and ended almost immediately, making it one of the quickest Bilbrey has ever witnessed. The regular City Council meeting followed at 7:00 p.m.

But two absences completely altered the meeting's political makeup.

Councilor Brandon Garrett (D/R-District 3) was absent for his annual October vacation, and Councilor Ro Selvey (R-At Large) missed the meeting due to a health issue.

That left only seven councilors present: three Republicans—including Councilor Jerry Dishman (D/R-District 5), a Trans-Republican—and four Democrats.

That shift in the political makeup mattered!

What Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour and Delaware County Republican Chairman Tim Overton may have hoped would be a relatively quiet meeting turned out to be very different.

It wasn't as long as some recent council meetings, but it was packed with surprises, political maneuvering, unexpected votes, and plenty to discuss.

Bilbrey provides a comprehensive overview of both the public hearing and the council meeting—what happened, why it mattered, and what it may mean going forward.

Bilbrey also discusses recent developments in the fallout involving four local figures following the release of several group and two-way text-message exchanges—messages that are now raising new questions and sparking extensive local political conversation.

Muncie City Council! Shifting power! Political maneuvering! Text messages! Fallout! Accountability!

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VIDEO version of Ep 745: https://youtube.com/live/_ouOi8qGrhw

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

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 21:00:00 -0400

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.

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VIDEO version of Ep 744: https://youtube.com/live/SMKgpYUESys

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePoliticalSpotlight

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

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

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.

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VIDEO version of Ep 742: https://youtube.com/live/jQJU7lEv33k

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#741 | Tuesday, September 29, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey covers political developments in three communities across east-central Indiana in this 741st episode of The Political Spotlight.

If you live, work, or play in Muncie, Winchester, and/or Henry County, this episode is for you! If you're tired of political nonsense and want to hear how others are fighting back, this episode is for you! Or if you like it when someone calls the balls and strikes as they should be, tune in; this episode is for you!

First up, Bilbrey examines an unusual social media post from the Delaware County Republican Party promoting the upcoming Muncie City Council meeting on Monday, October 5, 2026.

It's not just a meeting reminder; it reads more like a "call to action"! Bilbrey views the post as the latest sign of what he believes has been a yearlong effort by the local Republican Party to influence—and potentially take control of—the Muncie City Council's leadership.

From there, Bilbrey turns to emails he received from Muncie City Councilors Nora Powell (D-District 2) and Sara Gullion (D-District 4) regarding the two recent Finance Committee meetings on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, and Thursday, September 24, 2026.

He also reminds citizens that the committee has one final budget meeting on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, before the full council takes up the proposed 2027 budget at its Monday, October 5, 2026, meeting.

Then, once again, the spotlight shifts east to Winchester, Indiana, as Bilbrey shares the response to a public-records request he sent to Clerk-Treasurer Kerry Sayre seeking answers about who controls the city's official Facebook page—and, more specifically, who was responsible for a controversial post last week that left citizens up in arms.

Bilbrey shares what he learned and explains why, in his view, the response confirms what he has long known about Mayor Bob McCoy.

Finally, Bilbrey wraps up the program in Henry County by sharing a list of questions he sent to Democratic sheriff candidate David Bockover, as The Political Spotlight continues preparing for the upcoming 2026 general election season.

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VIDEO version of Ep 741: https://youtube.com/live/IA1VfHdl8Pg

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

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey explores a bizarre and increasingly confusing situation in the City of Muncie, Indiana, involving Mayor Dan Ridenour, Parks Superintendent Carl Malone, contract employee Jeff Howe, and Tuhey Pool.

The issue arose during Parks Superintendent Carl Malone's appearance before the Finance Committee (comprising Muncie City Councilors Dale Basham, Jerry Dishman, and William McIntosh) on Thursday, September 24, 2026.

While discussing Tuhey Pool and the disastrous 2026 pool season, Parks Superintendent Carl Malone told the committee he was no longer in charge of the facility.

Malone explained that, because of his illness and absence, he could not speak in detail about much of what happened this year. That is understandable. However, Bilbrey believed that upon his return, Malone would have received a full debriefing on what took place so he could try to correct issues going forward.

That did not happen; Malone continued to offer little information about what went wrong, what would change, and how Tuhey Pool could improve for next year and beyond.

Then came the surprise.

Malone said control of Tuhey Pool had shifted to Jeff Howe—a city contract employee who serves as Director of the Muncie Redevelopment Commission. He has also been named Deputy Mayor and served as the "Acting Mayor" during Mayor Ridenour's medical leave. All of this, despite many still questioning the legality of his contracts with the city.

Malone also said Howe now has a team working on the pool.

That was news to Bilbrey. Honestly, it came as a shock!

Apparently, it was news to members of the Muncie Parks Board, too.

So Bilbrey started asking questions.

He emailed Mayor Ridenour and several others for clarification.

The Mayor responded quickly—and the answers directly contradicted what Malone told the Finance Committee.

According to Mayor Ridenour, nothing had changed. Tuhey Pool remained under the Parks Department and under the authority of Parks Superintendent Carl Malone.

So what the hell is going on?

Who is actually running Tuhey Pool?

Did responsibility shift to Jeff Howe?

Why did the Parks Superintendent tell the Finance Committee one thing while the mayor says something completely different?

Which story is the Finance Committee and the council as a whole supposed to use to build the Parks Department's budget?

How do they know who is telling the truth about this or anything else?

What do the other City Council members think?

What does the Parks Board know?

How can anyone responsibly budget, plan, or hold anyone accountable when city officials apparently cannot even agree on who is in charge?

Bilbrey walks through the backstory, the conflicting statements, the unanswered questions, and what he believes is really happening behind the scenes.

Then Bilbrey heads east toward Winchester, Indiana, where a controversy has been brewing for several days.

He examines what appears to be a political and social-media faux pas posted on Friday, September 25, 2026, that may involve Mayor Bob McCoy. Let's just say Winchester residents are NOT happy.

This episode covers the Muncie and Winchester governments, questions about city leadership, conflicting accounts, budgets, and the bigger question of who the hell is actually responsible for what.

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VIDEO version of Ep 740: https://youtube.com/live/_TNl-DBTIcE

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

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

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!

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VIDEO version of Ep 739: https://youtube.com/live/9yWEHFMRsAE

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The Political Spotlight Airs LIVE
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePoliticalSpotlight

Audio Podcast: https://ThePoliticalSpotlight.fireside.fm
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#738 | Wednesday, September 23, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey is nearing his breaking point...

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VIDEO version of Ep 738: https://youtube.com/live/6nrU7B7sc8I

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#737 | Tuesday, September 22, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

In this 737th episode of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey takes a close look at several local-government meetings across East Central Indiana — and there is plenty to discuss!

Bilbrey begins with the first Muncie City Council Finance Committee meeting, held earlier this evening, Tuesday, September 22, 2026, as councilors began reviewing the proposed 2027 city budget.

Before delving into the meeting itself, a few questions need answering.

Who knew what, and when did they know it? Who was informed about the meeting, how were they informed, and who might have been left out of the loop?

Bilbrey offers insight into what he believes is ongoing "game play" by the Ridenour Administration and inept Council leadership.

Then there is the meeting itself.

What should have been an opportunity for serious discussion of Muncie's financial future became, in Bilbrey's view, an absolute MOCKERY of the budget process!

From there, Bilbrey turns to the Delaware County Commissioners' meeting on Monday morning, September 21, 2026, where he shares his thoughts on the county's "letter of intent" for nuclear energy, specifically small modular reactors (SMRs).

Finally, the spotlight returns to Winchester, Indiana, where Monday evening's Winchester City Council meeting addressed the former Volunteers of America (VOA) Winchester House facility at 313 South Meridian Street.

Bilbrey shares his thoughts on the latest development and what he has done since the last show.

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VIDEO version of Ep 737: https://youtube.com/live/l6QcTa2dIfo

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The Political Spotlight Airs LIVE
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePoliticalSpotlight

Audio Podcast: https://ThePoliticalSpotlight.fireside.fm
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#736 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 20 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

In this 736th episode of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey brings back an old favorite right up front: Winchester, Indiana!

It all began with a Winchester Board of Works meeting that two sources sent to Bilbrey for very different reasons. While reviewing the meeting, something caught his attention—and suddenly, an old controversy came back to mind.

That's right. Bilbrey revisits former Winchester Mayor Shon Byrum (D), the five bumbling Republicans who served on the Winchester City Council, and the disastrous decision that brought the "Winchester House" drug treatment facility to Winchester.

Bilbrey recounts what he sees as Byrum's attempt to jump-start his political career by putting Volunteers of America (VOA)'s interests ahead of his responsibility to Winchester's citizens.

But that was roughly TEN YEARS AGO! VOA has been gone from Winchester for years.

So what brought all this back now?

Bilbrey shares what caught his attention at the Winchester Board of Works meeting and takes a well-deserved, long-awaited victory lap!

From there, the spotlight shifts back to Muncie, where the City Council is preparing for three key meetings about the proposed 2027 budget.

All three meetings are scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. ET:

Meeting 1 - Tuesday, September 22, 2026...
Meeting 2 - Thursday, September 24, 2026...
Meeting 3 - Wednesday, September 30, 2026...

The next couple of weeks in Muncie will be critical, and Bilbrey explains why citizens need to pay attention!

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VIDEO version of Ep 736: https://youtube.com/live/Dx0F4IssGXE

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#735 | Thursday, September 17, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

In this 735th episode of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey is at his wit's end over what he sees as the complete breakdown of "public service" among far too many local public servants across East Central Indiana and beyond.

Muncie, Delaware County.
Anderson, Madison County.
Winchester, Randolph County.
New Castle, Henry County.
Indianapolis, Marion County.

Different communities. Different offices. Same recurring problem:

Too many people in public office seem to have forgotten who they work for... and too many citizens aren't involved and can't be bothered. It's only getting worse!

Bilbrey begins with a brief review of the most recent Muncie Board of Works meeting from Wednesday, September 16, 2026, then turns to the Muncie Redevelopment Commission meeting from earlier today, Thursday, September 17, 2026.

This is where the frustration really mounts.

As calmly as he can, Bilbrey attempts to explain the problems citizens face with the Redevelopment Commission — the decisions being made, the way business is conducted, the lack of accountability, and the larger question of whether the public is truly being served by those exercising public power: Mayor Dan Ridenour and Jeff Howe.

Then, for the rest of the episode, Bilbrey heads straight down the rabbit hole:

It is time for more people to run for local office! Republicans, Democrats, and Libertarians!

Not someday! Not after the next disaster! Not after another four years of complaining! Now! Starting now, because the next election cycle begins in January 2027!

If citizens are tired of the same miserable mopes making the same bad decisions, someone has to step up and challenge them.

Bilbrey spends the rest of the show talking directly to the people who keep saying local government is broken — and asking the obvious question:

Are you willing to do something about it?

If better people never file, organize, campaign, or put their names on the ballot, nothing changes.

This episode is about local government, public service, accountability, citizen power, and finding the next generation of people willing to step forward and run for office.

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VIDEO version of Ep 735: https://youtube.com/live/qIRUU2HHGAM

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#734 | Wednesday, September 16, 2026 - (PART 2) | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

This is Episode 734, Part 2, the conclusion, of The Political Spotlight's two-part look at the completely "OFF THE RAILS" Muncie City Council meeting.

In this episode, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey will conclude his detailed commentary and analysis of everything that happened—including the highs and lows, the winners and losers, the status of major issues, and what comes next for Muncie. Specifically, Bilbrey will cover:

The Council's discussion, public input, and first vote on Ordinance 19-26, which would amend Ordinance 16-25, the City of Muncie's salary ordinance.
The Council's discussion, public input, and first votes on Ordinances 20-26, 21-26, and 22-26, the three proposed budget ordinances for MITS, the MSD, and the city.
The Council's discussion, public input, and vote on Resolutions 13-26 and 14-26. Resolution 13-26 asks the Council to investigate how the city and George-Jeffrey Howe handled his contract. Resolution 14-26 is a memorial resolution honoring Craig Wright, who passed away.
The Public Comments portion of the meeting.

That concludes Part 2 - Episode 734. As a reminder, in Part 1, Episode 733, which aired on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, Bilbrey covered the following topics:

The Public Hearing before the regular meeting, during which Ordinances 20-26, 21-26, and 22-26 were made public "on the record," and citizens were allowed to speak on each ordinance if they wished!
The start of the regular meeting and the housekeeping issues addressed before the Ordinances and Resolutions were discussed.
The Council's discussion, public input, and first vote on Ordinance 16-26, a zoning issue.
The Council's discussion, public input, and first vote on Ordinance 17-26, which seeks to expand the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas in Downtown Muncie. A nonissue the Council spent too much time on, unlike serious issues they try to push through with little time or thought.
The Council's discussion, public input, and first vote on Ordinance 18-26, the "In God We Trust" Ordinance, the meeting's first major issue. Citizens and the Council trade blows, and, of course, Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour shows up with an attitude. The Council continues to show just how backward they are on nearly everything.

Episode 733 - Part 1 LINK: https://youtube.com/live/Qnl-61qySz8 . . .

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VIDEO version of Ep 734: https://youtube.com/live/BBNSXba_8_w

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#733 | Tuesday, September 15, 2026 - (PART 1) | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey reviews the completely "OFF THE RAILS" Muncie City Council meeting, including a public hearing held before the regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Monday, September 14, 2026.

Bilbrey analyzes the meeting's proceedings in this two-part series: Part 1 - Episode 733, aired Tuesday, September 15, 2026, and Part 2 - Episode 734, aired Wednesday, September 16, 2026.

In this 733rd episode (Part 1), Bilbrey provides a comprehensive breakdown of the important September 14, 2026, Muncie City Council meeting, beginning with the Public Hearing on the three "Budget Ordinances" 20-26 for the Muncie Indiana Transit System (MITS), 21-26 for the Muncie Sanitary District (MSD), and 22-26 for the City of Muncie. Bilbrey has been concerned that the council's current leadership would strip six of the nine councilors from the Finance Committee, returning to the old 3-person Finance Committee, which makes no sense and would be an extremely partisan move.

Bilbrey and City Councilor William McIntosh both support keeping the entire council involved in the budget process. But not everyone on the council sees it the same way.

From there, Bilbrey's review turns to the regular meeting, where he explains the document the council's attorney presents to the council and the public at the start. Bilbrey fully supports it!

Next, Bilbrey covers the discussion of Ordinances 16-26, 17-26, and 18-26.

Ordinance 16-26 is pretty simple, yet the council, being as incompetent as they are, manages to screw it up.

Ordinance 17-26 is another non-issue; however, the council spends a good amount of time discussing it, and Bilbrey shares his thoughts.

To wrap up Part 1 - Episode 733, Bilbrey covers Ordinance 18-26, the "In God We Trust" Ordinance, the meeting's first major issue. Citizens and the Council trade blows, and, of course, Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour shows up with an attitude. The Council continues to show just how backward they are on nearly everything.

This concludes Part 1 - Episode 733.

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In Part 2 - Episode 734, Bilbrey will conclude his analysis and commentary on the September 14, 2026, Muncie City Council Meeting, including:

The Council's discussion, public input, and first vote on Ordinance 19-26, which would amend Ordinance 16-25, the City of Muncie's salary ordinance.
The Council's discussion, public input, and first votes on Ordinances 20-26, 21-26, and 22-26, the three proposed budget ordinances for MITS, the MSD, and the city.
The Council's discussion, public input, and vote on Resolutions 13-26 and 14-26. Resolution 13-26 asks the Council to investigate how the city and George-Jeffrey Howe handled his contract. Resolution 14-26 is a memorial resolution honoring Craig Wright, who passed away.
The Public Comments portion of the meeting.

Episode 734 - Part 2 LINK: https://youtube.com/live/BBNSXba_8_w . . .

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VIDEO version of Ep 733: https://youtube.com/live/Qnl-61qySz8

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#732 | Sunday, September 13, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey looks ahead to a busy week in local politics — starting with the Muncie City Council meeting on Monday, September 14, 2026.

Bilbrey previews what to expect, shares his thoughts on several issues likely to shape the meeting, and offers a broader look at the current state of Muncie City Council leadership.

How will the council conduct itself during the meeting?

How will current leadership address the issues at hand?

What should citizens expect from the council as the budget season and the city's day-to-day operations continue?

Only time will tell!

From there, Bilbrey turns to the ongoing issues involving Delaware Township Trustee Denise Thornburg and Attorney John Brooke.

A lot is going on in Delaware Township, and Bilbrey breaks down the latest developments, the personalities involved, the broader questions about local government, legal strategy, and accountability, and how strange the situation has been.

Then the show heads south to Henry County, where Bilbrey offers commentary on the two sheriff candidates and what voters should watch for as the race unfolds.

Finally, as election season rapidly approaches, Bilbrey begins outlining how The Political Spotlight plans to cover candidates from across the region and beyond.

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VIDEO version of Ep 732: https://youtube.com/live/gwP1CcKMZ2M

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#731 | Thursday, September 10, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey kicks off episode 731 with a deep dive into Todd Beamer — A TRUE AMERICAN HERO! (If that name does not immediately ring a bell, this episode is absolutely for you.)

Bilbrey reflects on Beamer's courage, sacrifice, and role aboard United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11, 2001.

THIS IS A MUST-SEE FOR EVERY AMERICAN.

From there, the show returns to the City of Muncie, Indiana, and the fallout from Mayor Dan Ridenour's "love letter" to Flock cameras.

It is safe to say the reaction did not go as the mayor likely expected.

This may now be turning into a real line in the sand over surveillance, privacy, government power, and how far Muncie is willing to go in embracing Flock's license-plate reader network.

Soon, Muncie City Council members will have to make a tough decision.

Which side will they take?

Will they back the mayor's push for Flock cameras?

Or will they draw a line when it comes to government surveillance and tracking citizens?

This one could get very interesting.

Finally, Bilbrey heads to Winchester, Indiana, where greed, poor decisions, and sheer ignorance may have finally killed 'The Journey Home' — something Bilbrey and Producer Kate warned could happen long ago.

This episode shifts from heroism and sacrifice to local government, surveillance, political accountability, and the consequences of poor leadership and bad decisions.

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VIDEO version of Ep 731: https://youtube.com/live/42Z5o56WenQ

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#730 | Wednesday, September 09, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

In this 730th episode of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey turns his attention back to Muncie City government and several developments from Wednesday, September 9, 2026.

He begins with a review of this morning's Muncie Board of Works meeting. At 11 and a half minutes, the meeting was longer than usual, and there are likely a few points of interest that need to be covered, or uncovered!

Next, Bilbrey shares his thoughts on Ordinance 18-26 (the "In God We Trust" Ordinance), which the council will consider at the Monday, September 14, 2026, meeting.

From there, Bilbrey reviews Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour's community update from this afternoon — particularly the mayor's strong support for Flock license-plate reader cameras and his declaration that the City of Muncie intends to embrace the technology.

Bilbrey, of course, takes issue with that position, arguing that Ridenour approaches the surveillance question from an extremely unconservative perspective.

At a time when communities across the country, including in Indiana, are raising serious questions about privacy, government surveillance, data sharing, abuse, oversight, and constitutional liberty, Bilbrey asks why Muncie seems determined to move in the opposite direction.

The discussion then turns to the proposed 2027 Muncie budget.

For the past several years, all nine members of the Muncie City Council have participated in a series of budget meetings to work through the mayor's proposed spending plan. Will that process continue this year?

Given the current council leadership structure — and the political dynamics surrounding it — Bilbrey is not convinced the process will play out the same way.

Speaking of City Council leadership, Bilbrey shares his thoughts on what the council may look like next year. Who should hold the leadership positions, and who does Bilbrey believe will? What will those choices mean for the council's direction?

Finally, Bilbrey shares a quick update on a development related to the ongoing McKinley neighborhood situation that occurred today.

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VIDEO version of Ep 730: https://youtube.com/live/DqDETItnSVU

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#729 | Tuesday, September 08, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey is back from the Labor Day 2026 holiday for the 729th episode of The Political Spotlight!

The program gets back on track as the 2026 general election season approaches; there's work to be done concerning the election and all the insanity in local, state, and national government.

Bilbrey begins with a look at the City of Muncie's proposed 2027 budget and the ongoing Delaware County Budget meetings. This is just a teaser, as a more in-depth episode is coming.

Also, as another teaser, Bilbrey again mentions the McKinley Neighborhood ordeal currently underway in Muncie. As he has always known, this is going to be a bigger story than it has already been made out to be.

From there, Bilbrey turns to Henry County, where he has heard of another concerning situation involving a former employee of the Henry County Sheriff's Office.

The conversation then shifts to candidates, campaigns, and political behavior.

Bilbrey wants people to understand what they need to know before they file to run for public office. It seems like many don't fully understand the responsibilities that come with becoming a candidate and, if elected, a public servant.

That discussion includes the latest round of craziness involving Randy Howard and what his behavior says about candidates, campaigns, and the people who decide to put their names on the ballot.

Finally, Bilbrey heads west to Madison County, where tonight's County Council meeting became heated — giving us one more example of why local government deserves far more attention than it usually receives.

Episode 729 is a bit of a catch-all:

Muncie budgets. Delaware County government. Henry County concerns. Candidates behaving badly. Randy Howard. Madison County politics.

As election season 2026 comes into focus, The Political Spotlight is back on track and moving onward and upward.

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VIDEO version of Ep 729: https://youtube.com/live/R2hVEciBVvc

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#728 | Friday, September 04, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

(Part 2 of 2) :

Once again, Dr. Katherine Callahan, a contributing correspondent from Madison County, Indiana, joins Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey for this 728th episode (part 2 of 2) of The Political Spotlight to discuss the past couple of weeks of political and governmental developments in and around Madison County!

From residency issues involving a Lapel Councilor to the insanity of the recent Madison County Commissioners meeting, and the open-door violations and more involving the Madison County Parks Board... this is going to be an informative show, as always!

(This is part 2 of a 2-part series)

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VIDEO version of Ep 728: https://youtube.com/live/14YZzeQfkuM

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Special Guest: Dr. Katherine Callahan.

#727 | Thursday, September 03, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

(Part 1 of 2) :

Dr. Katherine Callahan, a contributing correspondent from Madison County, Indiana, joins Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey for this 727th episode (part 1 of 2) of The Political Spotlight to discuss the past couple of weeks of political and governmental developments in and around Madison County!

(This is part 1 of a 2-part series)

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VIDEO version of Ep 727: https://youtube.com/live/ZulXq0fwr-w

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The Political Spotlight Airs LIVE
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Special Guest: Dr. Katherine Callahan.

#726 | Wednesday, September 02, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The Political Spotlight examines Grant County Commissioner Chuck Poling and the investigation his local government requested into his WILD behavior over the past couple of years, both before and during his tenure as Commissioner.

The investigation ran for roughly five weeks, from late July 2026 through September 2, 2026, but it examined allegations and incidents dating back at least to 2025 — and, in some witness accounts, even earlier.

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey outlines serious allegations against Grant County Commissioner Chuck Poling and details his conduct in county government.

According to the investigation, former Grant County Treasurer Tiffany Griffith described an atmosphere of fear, intimidation, political pressure, and concerns about possible retaliation—concerns she says were significant enough to prompt her to leave county government after years of public service.

Grant County Recorder Kathy Foy has described alleged aggressive behavior, political pressure, retaliation after disagreements, workplace incidents, employee concerns, and attempts to influence decisions within county government.

In this episode, Bilbrey lays out the timeline, examines the accounts, and begins connecting the events, personalities, political relationships, and government actions surrounding this developing story in Grant County.

What happened?

Who knew what — and when?

Were county employees intimidated or pressured?

Were political relationships influencing county government operations?

What records, security footage, public meeting minutes, written statements, and other documentation could help establish exactly what happened?

And perhaps most importantly:

Is Grant County government operating in a way that citizens should accept from those entrusted with public power?

These are serious allegations, but as Bilbrey often says, "allegations are not automatically facts." When multiple current and former elected officials describe troubling experiences in the same county government, those claims deserve scrutiny — and the public deserves answers.

Grant County and Commissioner Poling are under the white-hot spotlight in this episode. As Bilbrey said in April and May 2025, "something is up with Commissioner Poling; it's just a matter of time until it hits the fan!"

Well, surprise, surprise... Bilbrey was right again, and he discusses it all tonight!

Also, Bilbrey begins with a brief word about Henry and Madison Counties!

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VIDEO version of Ep 726: https://youtube.com/live/Z09tLy-LEVU

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#725 | Monday, August 31, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey is broadcasting from Southern Command for Episode 725 of The Political Spotlight.

Bilbrey shares additional thoughts on the violence and mayhem that rocked Muncie over the weekend — including troubling reports that the victim and witnesses in one of the major incidents are not cooperating with police.

What does that mean for the investigation? More importantly, could unresolved tensions lead to further violence in the coming days or weeks?

Bilbrey believes that possibility cannot be ignored.

What is being done to protect the public? What are police and other public-safety officials preparing for? What are Muncie's elected leaders thinking about the incident? Are they fully aware of the seriousness of the situation — and are they paying attention to what could come next?

Bilbrey then shares his take on the latest political gossip circulating in Henry County.

We might be close to another #SprolesWatch!

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VIDEO version of Ep 725: https://youtube.com/live/Wg-6c9fjwWk

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#724 | Sunday, August 30, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

In this 724th episode of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey first updates listeners on the status of the tech issues.

From there, Bilbrey shares his thoughts on the wild weekend in the City of Muncie. Both Friday, August 28, and Saturday, August 29, 2026, saw heavy police activity across the city—particularly downtown and on the Southside—with Saturday night by far the worst.

The night began with violence at a boxing event at the Cornerstone Center for the Arts, where five people reportedly jumped on and brutally attacked one man.

From there, attention shifted to a large gathering at Southway Plaza on Madison Street, which quickly got out of control. The response expanded beyond the Muncie Police Department to include Delaware County sheriff's deputies, Indiana State Police, officers from several smaller Delaware County departments, and even the Henry County Sheriff's Department.

And it didn't stop there.

Police spent much of the early morning hours responding to calls involving armed individuals, vehicles moving around Muncie, reports of people displaying high-powered firearms from car windows, disturbances at gas stations, and multiple shots-fired calls.

Bilbrey shares his thoughts on what happened, what it indicates about the public-safety situation in Muncie, and what city officials need to focus on going forward.

Then we head north to Fort Wayne, where the fight over Flock surveillance cameras took another major turn.

Last week, Fort Wayne officials voted to end the city's Flock contract. Questions then arose about whether police might try to preserve the system. However, Mayor Sharon Tucker ultimately made it clear: the contract is ending, and the Flock cameras are coming down.

That matters for Muncie.

As Muncie continues to grapple with serious crime and public-safety concerns, there will inevitably be pressure to adopt more technology, more surveillance, and more government tools to fight crime.

Yet public safety and constitutional liberty are not mutually exclusive.

Muncie officials should closely watch what happened in Fort Wayne before expanding surveillance systems here.

Bilbrey also turns his attention to Henry County, including the county's budget situation and last week's Henry County Commissioners meeting.

Finally, Bilbrey looks ahead to the upcoming Muncie City Council meeting on Monday, September 14, 2026 — what's coming before the council, what citizens should watch, and why local government deserves just as much scrutiny as anything happening in Washington.

Crime. Public safety. Government surveillance. County budgets. City government. Accountability.

Because what happens in your community matters!

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VIDEO version of Ep 724: https://youtube.com/live/A5Keu_fUvIM

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#723 | Thursday, August 27, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey ends the week (Sunday, August 23, 2026, through Thursday, August 27, 2026) with optimism that he'll be back in the studio sometime next week!

Bilbrey is feeling better than he did on Wednesday, August 26, 2026 (episode 722), and things are going to get back to normal SOON!

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VIDEO version of Ep 723: https://youtube.com/live/iHZXnY5-WBc

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#722 | Wednesday, August 26, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

This was a different kind of episode of The Political Spotlight.

While dealing with ongoing technical issues, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey broadcasts this 722nd episode from outside Mud Creek Studio. As major internet and studio problems persist, Bilbrey begins with a brief emotional breakdown, discussing several stressful weeks—including a health scare that turned out all right, thank God! Bilbrey then talks candidly about exhaustion, loss, stress, and everything he has been dealing with behind the scenes.

From there, Bilbrey gets down to business.

MUNCIE & DELAWARE COUNTY'S 2027 BUDGET PICTURE:

The State of Indiana has released its estimated 2027 Local Income Tax distributions, providing the city, the county, and The Political Spotlight with one of the first important benchmarks for the upcoming budget meetings for the City of Muncie and Delaware County.

FORT WAYNE CITY COUNCIL SAYS NO TO FLOCK — BY A VOTE OF 9 TO 0:

The Republican-led Fort Wayne City Council voted UNANIMOUSLY, 9–0, to end funding for the city's Flock Safety license-plate-reader system.

Six Republicans... Three Democrats... Nine NO votes...

Council members raised concerns about mass surveillance, constitutional rights, privacy, civil liberties, government overreach, data sharing, transparency, and public trust.

While this is great for Fort Wayne, Bilbrey mentions it because he believes the Muncie City Council needs to investigate what happened there. He hopes this vote will draw the attention of every member of the Muncie City Council.

Muncie already has more than 20 Flock cameras, and Bilbrey makes his position clear: the Muncie City Council should reject further expansion, end funding for the program, and begin removing the existing cameras.

Public safety matters! So does liberty!

KNIGHTSTOWN'S TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2026, SPECIAL ELECTION — THE NUMBERS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY:

Knightstown's unusual 2026 Republican primary saga culminated in a special election on Tuesday, August 25, 2026—and the results looked very different from those of the May primary.

The original May primary was marred by a ballot-programming error that allowed some voters outside Knightstown to receive ballots that included Knightstown races. Litigation followed, and a judge ordered a new election. Voters returned to the polls in August.

In May, Karla R. Easton Gorman narrowly defeated incumbent Clerk-Treasurer Barton Joe Whitesitt by two votes in the certified results, 238 (Gorman) to 236 (Whitesitt).

In the August special election?

Incumbent Clerk-Treasurer Barton Joe Whitesitt reversed his two-vote loss, defeating Karla R. Easton Gorman by a vote of 123 (Whitesitt) to 83 (Gorman).

A race decided by two votes in May shifted to a 40-vote Whitesitt advantage in August.

Turnout also fell sharply.

The Town Council results shifted as well, though Guy Louks and David Mattix remained the two winners.

What caused the differences?

The numbers alone cannot tell us how much was attributable to the May ballot problem versus to dramatically different participation in a standalone August special election—but the contrast still warrants examination.

Bilbrey breaks down the timeline, the numbers, the election controversy, the allegations that circulated during the campaign, and why accusations of election-law violations still require actual evidence.

This is a heavy episode... but Bilbrey also covers local politics, constitutional liberty, elections, government funding—and a little bit of life behind the microphone.

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VIDEO version of Ep 722: https://youtube.com/live/1q3Mr_-XsKU

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#721 | Monday, August 24, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey is starting to feel hopeful that there is a light at the end of this LONG tunnel, which has been filled with nearly a month of HORRIBLE TECHNICAL ISSUES!

He's hoping to cover a few odds and ends from across East Central Indiana.

He'll cover political and governmental topics from Muncie and Delaware County to New Castle and Henry County, along with some sad news from Indiana's conservative talk radio world. If time allows, Bilbrey even asks what the heck is going on in "the region" (Northwest Indiana).

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VIDEO version of Ep 721: https://youtube.com/live/GtF5Zs5KfIo

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#719 | Wednesday, August 19, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Due to ongoing technical issues, this episode was cut short. Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey did not complete the full show. What was NOT covered here will be covered in a future program!

In this 719th episode of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey discusses the latest email from Delaware County Commissioner Stephen Brand regarding the "Delaware County-City of Muncie Dispatch Communications Issues," a topic that has been discussed for the past week.

The City of Muncie still has not responded to The Political Spotlight with answers to the questions Bilbrey has been trying to get answered. Bilbrey highlights what Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour has done over the past several days, which leads to a discussion of the Special meeting of the Muncie City Council set for tomorrow, Thursday, August 20, 2026, at 145 p.m.

Lastly, Bilbrey reviews a few meetings held in Muncie over the past couple of days:

Muncie Parks Board Meeting (Tuesday, August 18, 2026)...
Muncie Board of Works Meeting (Wednesday, August 19, 2026)...
Muncie Sanitary District Board Meeting (Wednesday, August 19, 2026)...

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VIDEO version of Ep 719: https://youtube.com/live/mvJVQX2HwM4

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#718 | Monday, August 17, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

This 718th episode will be a free-for-all!

First up, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey welcomes back Madison County's contributing correspondent, Dr. Katherine Callahan. Callahan joins Bilbrey to break down several major developments in Madison County and the City of Anderson over the past month and a half, including:

The most recent Election Board meeting on July 30, 2026...
The recent historic weather event—Callahan shares her thoughts on the flooding in her neck of the woods and how she feels public servants and elected officials have handled the situation...
The "emergency" Madison County Council meeting, held today, Monday, August 17, 2026. The meeting concerned appropriating funds from the Rainy Day Fund — 1186 for flood relief — to the Madison County Emergency Management Agency and the Office of Homeland Security...

Then, from Madison County to Delaware County... the focus shifts back to the ongoing discussion of the issues faced by the Delaware County (City of Muncie) 911 Emergency Communications Center during the historic flooding on August 12-13, 2026.

During a regularly scheduled meeting of the Delaware County Commissioners today, Monday, August 17, 2026, Delaware County 911 Director Fred Cummings addressed the Commissioners and the public regarding the ongoing public-safety communications situation. His latest remarks appeared to walk back several statements he made at last week's "emergency" meeting while also offering significant new claims about the system's current status.

Bilbrey examines what has changed, what has been clarified, and what questions still remain—and oh yes, there are still plenty of questions. That said, it appears that The Political Spotlight is making some headway!

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VIDEO version of Ep 718: https://youtube.com/live/3eGK_NigSIs

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Special Guest: Dr. Katherine Callahan.

#717 | Sunday, August 16, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

In this 717th episode, The Political Spotlight continues its coverage of last week's historic flooding in Muncie, Delaware County, and elsewhere across East Central Indiana, focusing on the lives lost and the major property damage.

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey also continues to investigate the serious public-safety communications problems reported during the event. We now have more information — but we also have two very different accounts of what happened.

The Political Spotlight obtained firsthand accounts from Muncie police, fire, and EMS personnel, along with an end-of-shift report from MPD Lt. Justin Peters detailing intermittent police radio issues, problems with Fire/EMS paging, flooding at the Sampson Avenue communications site, alternative methods of dispatching officers, Priority 1-only responses, and concerns about the availability of a fully operational backup system.

Delaware County Commissioner Stephen Brand has now responded, stating that the county's backup and failover communication processes worked, emergency communications continued despite flooding at the Sampson Avenue tower control building, backup channels were used, and he is not aware of any critical communication failures or public consequences.

So which description is correct?

Possibly both — which is exactly why more answers are needed.

In this episode, Bilbrey examines what we KNOW, what we DON'T KNOW, and the critical questions that remain:

Was MPD limited to Priority 1 calls — and for how long?

What exactly failed or degraded?

What backup systems were activated, and what capabilities did they provide?

How do the county's claims of a successful failover align with what Muncie first responders reported in real time?

Is the communications system fully back to normal today?

What equipment was damaged, what will repairs or replacement cost, and who will ultimately pay?

And perhaps most importantly: What will Muncie and Delaware County do differently before the next catastrophic emergency?

This is not about manufacturing a controversy. It is about establishing the facts surrounding one of the most important pieces of public-safety infrastructure in Delaware County.

If the backup system worked exactly as intended, the public deserves to understand how.

If weaknesses were exposed, the public deserves to know how they will be corrected.

And if The Political Spotlight reported something incorrectly, officials have been invited to identify exactly what was wrong and provide the correct information.

In this episode, Bilbrey lays out the entire timeline and follows the evidence wherever it leads.

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VIDEO version of Ep 717: https://youtube.com/live/SfLBHkFIUJU

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#716 | Thursday, August 13, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey explores the extraordinary weather emergency and disaster that has struck East Central Indiana, particularly the southern portions of Muncie and Delaware County, extending into Henry and Randolph counties, as historic flooding — reportedly the worst in more than 113 years — has overwhelmed roads, neighborhoods, infrastructure, and emergency services.

As police, firefighters, EMS personnel, emergency management officials, and first responders worked to protect the public during the flooding, the Muncie City–Delaware County 911 Dispatch Center and the public-safety communications system faced an emergency of their own.

The dispatch center handles emergency and non-emergency communications for police, fire, and EMS throughout the City of Muncie, Delaware County, and the smaller communities and departments across the county. During one of the area's most serious weather emergencies in generations, critical radio communications encountered major problems.

The Political Spotlight obtained information from within the Muncie Police Department indicating that city police radios went in and out throughout much of the overnight shift from Wednesday, August 12, through the morning hours of Thursday, August 13, 2026. Officers were reportedly informed that the primary Motorola communications tower near 18th Street and Sampson Avenue in Muncie had been found underwater.

By approximately 4:45 a.m., the paging-tone system used for Fire and EMS was reportedly down, with no estimated time for restoration.

Personnel were further advised that there was no fully operational “Plan B” to replace the affected tower if it failed completely. AEP was expected to shut off power to the tower to protect whatever equipment could still be salvaged — a move that would further disrupt MPD radio and dispatch operations.

With communications compromised, MPD personnel were reportedly responding only to Priority 1 calls at the time, while dispatchers and supervisors relied on alternative communication methods to coordinate officer responses.

In this 716th episode, The Political Spotlight examines what happened, how severe the communications failure was, what contingency measures were — or were not — available, and the questions that Muncie and Delaware County officials will now have to answer about the reliability and redundancy of one of the county's most critical public-safety systems.

Questions have been asked; have answers been provided yet? Tune in for more.

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VIDEO version of Ep 716: https://youtube.com/live/AOGJS1RpZaA

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#715 | Tuesday, August 11, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

After initial rumors in early 2026 that something was amiss at the Delaware County EMS office, the story began to unfold publicly on March 12, 2026, when The Political Spotlight reported that longtime Delaware County EMS Office Manager Meagan R. Coutinho was no longer employed by Delaware County amid allegations of an internal theft investigation.

On March 23, 2026, the situation escalated dramatically when Delaware County Commissioners announced the suspension of County EMA Director John Coutinho — Meagan Coutinho’s husband — and County EMS Director Mike Ashley, as the Indiana State Police investigation into the alleged theft continued.

The investigation ultimately led to the arrest of Meagan R. Coutinho on June 3, 2026, and to the public release of the Probable Cause Affidavit, which detailed what Indiana State Police investigators alleged had occurred within Delaware County government and beyond.

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More than five months after The Political Spotlight first publicly reported that something was happening inside the Delaware County EMS office, and more than two months after the arrest, the case has reached another major milestone.

On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office formally filed 10 felony counts against Meagan R. Coutinho, including multiple counts of Theft and Fraud, as well as one count each of Conflict of Interest and Official Misconduct.

The formal charges stem from allegations involving approximately $181,749.93 in unauthorized compensation, thousands of hours of allegedly unauthorized overtime, money allegedly taken or diverted from a Delaware County EMS-related account, undeposited checks payable to Delaware County EMS, allegations related to retirement funds or benefits, an alleged conflict of interest involving a private cleaning company that received money from Delaware County, and, last but not least, allegations of theft from the Delta High School Girls Golf Boosters.

In this 715th episode of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey takes viewers through a recap of the entire timeline — from the first rumblings of trouble inside Delaware County EMS to the Indiana State Police investigation, the June arrest, and the official filing of 10 felony charges by Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman.

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Beyond the criminal allegations, several important questions remain for Delaware County Government:

If the allegations are true, how could this have persisted for years without detection?

Who was responsible for reviewing payroll?

Who authorized — or failed to question — thousands of hours of overtime?

What internal controls were in place?

Who was overseeing the funds?

What changes, if any, have been made to ensure that something like this cannot happen again?

And one of the most important questions of all:

Was Husband John Coutinho, or anyone else, involved?

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Meagan R. Coutinho is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The allegations in the charging documents and Probable Cause Affidavit remain allegations unless established through the judicial process.

In this 715th episode of The Political Spotlight, Bilbrey leads the audience through the paper trail, examines the charges, breaks down the potential penalties, and continues to ask the questions Delaware County taxpayers deserve answers to.

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Timeline of other episodes connected to this topic:

First Mention: Episode 618 (03.12.26):
https://youtube.com/live/KHsZo1vua7A . . .

Commissioners Suspend EMA & EMS Directors (03.23.26):
https://youtube.com/live/GAKNvIVHY_o . . .

Arrest of Meagan R. Coutinho (06.03.26):
https://youtube.com/live/oa9h375x6QM . . .

News Relating to John Coutinho (06.10.26):
https://youtube.com/live/peN24gRaVfc . . .

Commissioners Terminate John Coutinho (06.16.26):
https://youtube.com/live/631ScX-qidM . . .

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VIDEO version of Ep 715: https://youtube.com/live/jx3z8xsN2mM

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#713 | Sunday, August 09, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey is hearing rumors that the Muncie Police Department has been meeting with various members of the Muncie City Council about FLOCK CAMERAS!

At this time, the content and context of those meetings remain unknown. Questions have been asked, but answers have not yet been provided.

This needs to be an ALL SKATE — ALL HANDS ON DECK.

Citizens need to start asking questions, demanding answers, and finding out exactly what the City of Muncie may be planning regarding Flock cameras and expanded surveillance.

Freedom-loving citizens of Muncie, Delaware County, and across Indiana need to pay attention and push back against the ongoing “BIG BROTHERING” of our communities.

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VIDEO version of Ep 713: https://youtube.com/live/kOxSkMXt4hE

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#712 | Thursday, August 06, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey continues battling the tech gremlins in this 712th episode of The Political Spotlight. Bilbrey also explains an email he sent to the Muncie City Council on Thursday, August 6, 2026.

It's a new day, looking forward! Now to see if everyone else agrees!

All of the above, plus a few other bits and bobs, round out what has been a hectic and chaotic week for Bilbrey and The Political Spotlight.

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VIDEO version of Ep 712: https://youtube.com/live/8MgQHr9vr4Q

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#711 | Wednesday, August 05, 2026 - (PART 2) | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

This is Episode 711, Part 2, the conclusion, of The Political Spotlight's two-part look at the highly anticipated August 3, 2026, Muncie City Council meeting.

The Council's discussion, public input, and final vote on Ordinance 14-26, which aims to prevent current and future mayors from appointing their staff and other city employees to various governmental boards and commissions.
The Council's discussion, public input, and final vote on Resolutions 10-26 and 11-26, both of which relate to Ordinance 9-26 regarding the proposed construction of a new Station 5 for the Muncie City Fire Department.
The Public Comments portion of the meeting.

That may not seem like much, but those three points convey a lot of information.

That concludes Part 2 - Episode 711. As a reminder, in Part 1, Episode 710, which aired on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, Bilbrey covered the following topics:

The Public Hearing on Ordinance 9-26, which concerns the proposed construction of a new Station 5 for the Muncie City Fire Department.
The start of the regular meeting, including the Committee Reports and an unusual mid-meeting "public hearing" on Resolution 8-26, the Council's investigation into the City Controller's office's financial operations and internal controls.
The Council's discussion, public input, and final vote on Ordinance 9-26, which concerns the proposed construction of a new Station 5 for the Muncie City Fire Department.
The Council's handling of Ordinance 15-26 (the watered-down version of the vetoed Ordinance 13-26 concerning the McKinley neighborhood's overlay district). Bilbrey shared what went unsaid at the meeting, explaining why no action was taken on the vetoed Ordinance 13-26, why Councilor Jerry Dishman quietly withdrew Ordinance 15-26, why the rest of the Council went along with it, and why, at least for now, both sides are happy and working together.

Episode 710 - Part 1 LINK: https://thepoliticalspotlight.fireside.fm/710

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VIDEO version of Ep 711: https://youtube.com/live/Phf2TfbNq8A

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#710 | Tuesday, August 04, 2026 - (PART 1) | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The dust has settled after the highly anticipated August 3, 2026, Muncie City Council meeting. Now it is time for the full postmortem.

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey offers detailed commentary and analysis of everything that happened—including the highs and lows, the winners and losers, the status of major issues, and what comes next for Muncie—in this two-part series: Part 1 - Episode 710, airing Tuesday, August 4, 2026, and Part 2 - Episode 711, airing Wednesday, August 5, 2026.

In this 710th episode (Part 1), Bilbrey provides a complete breakdown of the important August 3, 2026, Muncie City Council meeting, beginning with the Public Hearing on Ordinance 9-26, which concerns the proposed construction of a new Station 5 for the Muncie City Fire Department.

Amazingly, issues began right away in the meeting, ranging from audio problems to Council President Jeff Green's attempt to silence Bilbrey during the public hearing. Hang on; it only gets worse from here.

Next, Bilbrey covers the start of the regular meeting. He details the Committee Reports and the unusual mid-meeting "public hearing" on Resolution 8-26, which concerns the Council's investigation into the financial operations and internal controls of the City Controller's office.

From there, Bilbrey covers the discussion of Ordinance 9-26, which concerns the proposed construction of a new Station 5 for the Muncie City Fire Department. This was the final discussion before the final vote. It was a serious issue, deserving everyone's full attention (wake up from your siesta, Bilbrey - IYKYK).

To wrap up Part 1 - Episode 710, Bilbrey covers the Council's handling of Ordinance 15-26, the watered-down version of the vetoed Ordinance 13-26 concerning the McKinley neighborhood's overlay district. Bilbrey shares what went unsaid during the meeting, explaining why no action was taken on the vetoed Ordinance 13-26, why Councilor Jerry Dishman quietly withdrew Ordinance 15-26, why the rest of the Council went along with it, and why, at least for now, both sides are happy and working together.

This concludes Part 1 - Episode 710.

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In Part 2 - Episode 711, Bilbrey will conclude his analysis and commentary on the August 3, 2026, Muncie City Council Meeting, covering:

The Council's discussion, public input, and final vote on Ordinance 14-26, which aims to prevent current and future mayors from appointing members of their staff and other city employees to various governmental boards and commissions.
The Council's discussion, public input, and final vote on Resolutions 10-26 and 11-26, both of which relate to Ordinance 9-26 regarding the proposed construction of a new Station 5 for the Muncie City Fire Department.
The Public Comments portion of the meeting.

Episode 711 - Part 2 LINK: https://thepoliticalspotlight.fireside.fm/711

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VIDEO version of Ep 710: https://youtube.com/live/Mg1_cMiye6g

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#709 | Sunday, August 02, 2026 | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 21:00:00 -0400

This is the calm before the storm! In the 709th episode of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey outlines the government events scheduled for tomorrow, Monday, August 3, 2026, in the City of Muncie and Delaware County, Indiana.

This episode airs on the eve of what is certain to be a consequential and potentially contentious Muncie City Council meeting, set to begin at 6:45 p.m. on Monday, August 3, 2026. Bilbrey previews the major issues expected to come before the Council, including:

• The Council’s investigation into the internal operations and financial controls of the Muncie City Controller’s Office, authorized by Resolution 8-26.

• Ordinance 9-26, along with Resolutions 10-26 and 11-26, concerning a proposed construction project for a new fire station at the current Station 5 location.

• The future of the vetoed Ordinance 13-26. Will the Council allow the mayoral veto to stand, effectively killing the ordinance, or will at least six of the nine Council members vote to override it?

• Ordinance 15-26, a watered-down version of Ordinance 13-26, sponsored by District 5 Councilman Jerry Dishman. Bilbrey argues that Dishman should withdraw the ordinance or that the Council should reject it if it overrides the veto of Ordinance 13-26.

• The highly debated vote on Ordinance 14-26, a transparency and accountability measure intended to prevent the mayor from appointing members of the mayor's staff and other city employees to city boards and commissions.

Bilbrey will also share his thoughts ahead of the Delaware County Commissioners' meeting, set for 9:00 a.m. Monday, August 3, 2026.

With multiple controversial ordinances, a possible veto override, an ongoing investigation, and major decisions on public accountability and city operations, Monday could be one of the most significant days in recent Muncie government.

Whatever you do, do not miss episode 709 of The Political Spotlight.

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VIDEO version of Ep 709: https://youtube.com/live/SpmaKWVtb9Q

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#708 | Onward to August 2026 - This Way to Fall & Other Topics! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey attempts to fight off the "tech gremlins" in this "SPECIAL" 708th "FRIDAY NIGHT" episode of the show!

Bilbrey uses this to explain what's going on with the show, since we've been off more than on lately. A SOLUTION IS IN THE WORKS!!!

And if things are running smoothly, he will try to get through a bit of prep for the upcoming Muncie City Council meeting and beyond!

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VIDEO version of Ep 708: https://youtube.com/live/n6juCuA4hhg

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#707 | July 29, 2026: We're Back, Ballin' Bigger Than Ever! Let's Roll! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

We're back, ladies and gentlemen! It's time for the 707th episode of The Political Spotlight! Let's roll!

There is so much going on in the City of Muncie, Indiana... and Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey has so much to say!

Let's get into this!

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VIDEO version of Ep 707: https://youtube.com/live/3LUPPGiQrqw

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#706 | Muncie, Indiana: Meetings, Meetings, & More Meetings! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

In this 706th episode of 'The Political Spotlight,' Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey breaks down two packed days of public meetings in Muncie, Indiana, and growing concerns about transparency, accountability, and the McKinley Overlay District controversy.

Bilbrey begins with the Muncie Board of Public Works and the Muncie Sanitary District meetings, then turns to the highly anticipated Public Service Subcommittee meeting. All three meetings took place on Wednesday, July 22, 2023.

The Public Service Committee, composed of three Muncie City Councilors (Jerry Dishman, Jeff Green, and Sara Gullion), met for the second time to seek answers from the Mayor's Office administration, the Controller's Office, the Muncie Fire Department, City attorneys, and the administration’s bond counsel. Although several questions were addressed, Bilbrey believes important concerns remain unresolved. Mayor Ridenour was not in attendance due to a "Mayor's Conference" and did not send a representative—an absence Bilbrey argues warrants serious scrutiny.

Bilbrey then moves to Thursday, July 23, 2026, when the Muncie Redevelopment Commission held an unusual 8:00 a.m. makeup meeting after failing to reach a quorum the previous week.

Notably, the City's Controller and the Muncie Redevelopment Commission’s attorney did not arrive on time. However, when local newsman and author Rick Yencer mentioned the meeting time and asked whether the meeting had been properly noticed, the Mayor's Secretary, Shareen Wagley, an MRC member, made a snarky remark that the makeup meeting was properly noticed and then some. Bilbrey doesn't exactly buy that claim, however.

That aside, the central issue in the discussion for both the MRC members and the community is the ongoing drama surrounding the McKinley Overlay District ordinance, including decisions, delays, and unanswered questions.

There is a great deal happening within Muncie city government, and citizens deserve to know how these meetings are conducted, who attends, who is absent, and whether the public is receiving the transparency it deserves.

Do not miss this episode of The Political Spotlight.

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VIDEO version of Ep 706: https://youtube.com/live/VAAmmEuO_XY

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#705 | Canceled for Lack of a Quorum or Lack of Leadership? | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

In this 705th episode of 'The Political Spotlight,' Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey examines a continuing trend in Muncie city government: the cancellation of public board meetings.

For example, on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, the Muncie City Parks Board meeting was canceled for a “lack of a quorum.” Bilbrey discusses the cancellation and shares additional information he recently uncovered about the Muncie Parks Department.

Bilbrey then invites the audience to provide feedback on some housekeeping matters regarding the program's future.

Join the conversation and share your thoughts in the comments.

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VIDEO version of Ep 705: https://youtube.com/live/k2-k4JGL7-4

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#704 | Muncie's Financial Folly! & Del-Co Commissioners Mtg (07.20.26)! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey highlights the "Financial Folly" by Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour in relation to the Mayor's most recent "community update" from Friday, July 17, 2026, which references the Muncie Fire Department's proposed plans for a new Fire Station 5.

Then, Bilbrey recaps the Delaware County Commissioners meeting from Monday, July 20, 2026. There were key details from the meeting that citizens of Delaware County need to be aware of.

Lastly, Bilbrey shares what he believes is the start of what will likely be a long period of silence from the Ridenour Administration, as he attempts to get answers to several important questions concerning the City of Muncie!

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VIDEO version of Ep 704: https://youtube.com/live/Sunpyv-gWpo

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#703 | The Week Ahead (July 19 - 25, 2026)! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey prepares for the week ahead (July 19 - 25, 2026)!

Delaware County's 2026 Fair Week. . .
Delaware County Commissioners' meeting. . .
Muncie Parks Board meeting. . .
Muncie City Council (Public Services Committee) meeting. . .
And QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS. . .

It's going to be one of those weeks! Let's Roll!

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VIDEO version of Ep 703: https://youtube.com/live/Bpznl1BIITY

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#702 | The Ridenour Administration Looks Ahead! Current Questions Remain! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey follows up on Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour's first day back as Mayor! He's looking ahead, and the Administration is pushing the message that "all is well." However, Bilbrey just isn't buying it.

In the 702nd episode of The Political Spotlight, Bilbrey covers key developments from the Muncie Board of Works meeting, including the latest appointment to the board.

Next, Bilbrey reviews the Mayor's first community update, which includes additional commentary on the veto of Ordinance 13-26. Bilbrey offers further thoughts on the issue.

From there, Bilbrey shares the latest updates on the upcoming Public Services Committee meeting. This is the second attempt to obtain answers to questions about the financial aspects of the Muncie Fire Department's proposed Station 5.

Of course, questions still remain about the ongoing controversy surrounding George-Jeffrey Howe, his contracts, and his current titles and duties at the City of Muncie.

Join Bilbrey for another look at the decisions shaping the City of Muncie, Indiana.

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VIDEO version of Ep 702: https://youtube.com/live/ylGGOx8a6Es

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#701 | Ridenour's Return & The Veto! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour is returning to City Hall tomorrow (Wednesday, July 15, 2026) after a 43-day medical absence. Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey wonders whether his return was always planned for now or if he is coming back early, because from the outside looking in, things seem to be unraveling.

Bilbrey reviews the court filings that ended the Mayor's temporary absence and terminated George-Jeffrey Howe's role as "Acting Mayor." It is also important to examine what Howe's title(s) and responsibilities will be moving forward. Bilbrey also questions whether the timing of Ridenour's return is an attempt to halt any investigation into the procedural irregularities surrounding Howe's contracts and the nearly $66,000 in payments made to Howe under these questionable circumstances.

Then, Bilbrey shares his thoughts on "Acting" Mayor Howe's veto of Ordinance 13-26, which established the McKinley Neighborhood Overlay District. The Muncie City Council passed the ordinance on July 6, 2026, in three separate 8-0 votes (Councilor Brandon Garrett was absent). It received support from affected property owners, neighborhood residents, and other stakeholders.

Bilbrey explains why he believes the veto was nothing more than political game play and discusses what property owners, neighborhood residents, other stakeholders, and City Councilors can do to fix this situation.

Tune in to the very HOT 701st episode of The Political Spotlight as Bilbrey dives deep to give you the very best in political commentary!

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VIDEO version of Ep 701: https://youtube.com/live/QDkHBzdsS0A

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#700 | The City of Muncie Gets a Social Media Policy! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

The city government in Muncie, Indiana, implemented a new "social media" policy as of today (Monday, July 13, 2026). Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey has been waiting for this policy to take effect for more than two years. But it might not be all it's cracked up to be.

Many are hopeful that this will change the attitudes of certain members of the Administration and how they interact with the public. But will it? Or will nothing change? Or will attitudes just get worse? Time will tell!

Plus, Bilbrey is concerned that this might be a way to target employees who attempt to speak out against wrongdoing within City Hall! This has to be considered!

Bilbrey discusses it all on this 700th episode of The Political Spotlight! It's about to get HOT!

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VIDEO version of Ep 700: https://youtube.com/live/BvEMo0UBVkA

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#699 | Tired of the Attitude! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey is tired of the attitude in government! This isn't new; it's been this way for a while. He talks about it periodically. This is just his "report on the situation" from July 2026!

City of Muncie...
Delaware County...
City of Anderson...
Madison County...
City of New Castle...
Henry County...
City of Indianapolis...
Marion County...
City of Portland...
Jay County...
City of Winchester...
Randolph County... and beyond!

Every time he talks about it, he hopes, "This is the time when change will occur..."

Alas, here we are! Bilbrey is talking about it again!

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VIDEO version of Ep 699: https://youtube.com/live/u78xisyJkrw

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#698 | A Look at Madison County, Indiana, on a Friday Night in July 2026! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey welcomes back contributing correspondent Dr. Katherine V. Callahan to the program for this special Friday night episode.

And look, it's been over a month since Callahan was last here... which means there is NO WAY Bilbrey could even begin to craft a legitimate set of show notes, a description of what Bilbrey and Callahan will cover, in what is almost sure to be a hodgepodge of A.D.D.-fueled thoughts about political and governmental goings-on in Anderson, Indiana... Madison County, Indiana... the State of Indiana... and maybe Bilbrey will get a chance to throw in a few comments or thoughts about Muncie, Indiana... and/or Delaware County, Indiana.

So join the ride. It's bound to be wild!

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VIDEO version of Ep 698: https://youtube.com/live/qXnb6XvVMc0

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Special Guest: Dr. Katherine Callahan.

#697 | Put On Notice! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey attended the Muncie Board of Works meeting on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, where he raised procedural concerns about the Professional Services Contract and the first and second addenda to the contracts between the City of Muncie, under Mayor Dan Ridenour, and George-Jeffrey Howe.

As expected, the Board of Works members offered no response.

Newsman and author Rick Yencer then asked: "How much is Howe getting paid?" Once again, no answer was provided. Howe was not in attendance, and the meeting concluded just 10 minutes and 5 seconds after it began.

Combined with statements by Muncie City Councilor Sara Gullion during Monday's Muncie City Council meeting, today's Board of Works meeting raises even more questions about transparency and accountability within the Ridenour Administration.

Join Kristopher as he breaks down what happened, why it matters, and why this may be the moment the Ridenour Administration is officially put on notice.

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VIDEO version of Ep 697: https://youtube.com/live/R8rNbuRoRUc

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#696 | The BIG Recap of the Commissioners & City Council Mtgs (July 2026)! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey recaps the Delaware County Commissioners' and Muncie City Council meetings, both held on Monday, July 6, 2026.

In the 696th episode of The Political Spotlight, Bilbrey breaks down the key discussions, votes, and decisions from both meetings while offering in-depth analysis and commentary on the issues that matter most to Delaware County and the City of Muncie.

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VIDEO version of Ep 696: https://youtube.com/live/ktJydJw0ucQ

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#695 | Upcoming Commissioners & City Council Mtgs & An Email From Sproles! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey kicks off what will definitely be a busy week with several great episodes. This 695th episode looks at the upcoming Delaware County Commissioners' meeting (Monday, July 6, 2026, at 9 a.m.) and a very busy Muncie City Council meeting (Monday, July 6, 2026, at 630 p.m.).

Bilbrey will share his thoughts on the agendas for both meetings, including the items on those agendas.

Bilbrey wraps up the episode by sharing an interesting email exchange he had over the holiday weekend with Henry County's lame-duck sheriff, John Sproles.

It's time to get back to work! Let's Roll!

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VIDEO version of Ep 695: https://youtube.com/live/xM1ltFwO7Yo

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============================

#694 | The Big 250th Birthday - Week! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey closes the week out the same way it started and the same way it's been rolling... with not much going on!

But it is the United States' 250th Birthday week... so there's that!

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VIDEO version of Ep 694: https://youtube.com/live/mMrBED3AsaA

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============================

#692 | That Time of Year (June 30, 2026)! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

It's that time of year! Summertime, 2026, and Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey explains what it means while having a chinwag with the audience! (Tuesday, June 30, 2026).

...this episode turned into a complete disaster!

Not all of them can be bangers!

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VIDEO version of Ep 692: https://youtube.com/live/yt6kIscLDew

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#691 | The Non-Meeting Meeting! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

On this 691st episode of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey breaks down the so-called Muncie City Council Public Service Committee meeting—"non-meeting" last Friday, June 26, 2026. The "meeting" left council members and the public with more questions than answers.

For the second time in one week, the Ridenour Administration has stuck its middle finger up to the council and the citizens of Muncie. The question now is what to do.

At some point, something has to give.

Bilbrey discusses this and more in this episode.

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VIDEO version of Ep 691: https://youtube.com/live/7BTboGPX9bw

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============================

#690 | Winning the War Means Losing Some Battles! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

On this 690th episode of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey breaks down the latest developments across East Central Indiana, including:

• Delaware County / Muncie...
• Madison County / Anderson...
• Henry County / New Castle...

From local government decisions and public meetings to the issues affecting our communities, we'll cover what matters most—and why.

Bilbrey wraps up the show with a discussion of State Representative JD Prescott's "Property Tax Repeal & Replacement Proposal Tour." While Bilbrey is 100% on board with repealing property taxes, he firmly believes it must be done right. Hoosiers owe it to themselves to look beyond the headline and sound bite before deciding whether this proposal is the right path forward.

There's more to this proposal than just "Repealing Property Taxes!" Before forming an opinion, take time to understand what's being proposed, how it would work, who would pay for it, and what the long-term consequences might be.

Join the conversation live or catch the replay. Share your thoughts in the chat, and help spread the word by sharing The Political Spotlight with your friends, family, and neighbors across East Central Indiana and beyond.

Ep 82 of 'The Rob Kendall Show' (06.24.26) Discussion of State Representative JD Prescott's "Property Tax Repeal & Replacement Proposal." Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/C\_uvb\_SO6Qc?si=Rzypa-W6yL\_rGAlM&t=1605 . . .

The Indiana Capital Chronicle article: "Indiana Republican Platform Now Backs Property Tax Elimination, Closed Primaries." Link: https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2026/06/24/indiana-republican-platform-now-backs-property-tax-elimination-closed-primaries . . .

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VIDEO version of Ep 690: https://youtube.com/live/m-9Wbf3trTM

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============================

#689 | LIVE From the Great Outdoors! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey is LIVE from outside of Mud Creek Studio!

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VIDEO version of Ep 689: https://youtube.com/live/wU4Gp87VDKQ

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============================

#688 | It Might Be Cool Outside, But Government Is Heating Up Everywhere! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

In this 688th episode of The Political Spotlight, Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey guides listeners through a whirlwind week of local government controversies, public meetings, political maneuvering, and breaking news across East Central Indiana.

The show opens with the latest developments on the "doomed-from-the-start" Muncie Crisis Center. Originally expected to remain open through December 31, 2026, the City has now announced that the center will close much earlier, with its final day set for Friday, July 3, 2026. Bilbrey examines the implications of the sudden closure, the City of Muncie's response, and why this latest twist continues to show that the Ridenour Administration is a complete dumpster fire!

Next, attention turns to Muncie City Controller Craig Wright and his failure to comply with the first action required by the Muncie City Council's Resolution 8-26. With this deadline missed and information still outstanding, Bilbrey explains why the City Council may be left with few options other than seeking court intervention and issuing subpoenas to compel compliance. While the Council will not want to go that route, the Controller's Office's delay on this first action may leave the Council with no choice.

Bilbrey then previews a couple of upcoming Muncie City Council Committee meetings:

First up is the "Public Service Committee" meeting, scheduled for Friday, June 26, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. This meeting is intended to provide information on Ordinance 9-26 (the proposed Muncie Fire Department Station 5).

Next up is the "Tax Abatement Committee" meeting scheduled for Monday, July 6, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. This meeting is intended to provide information on Resolution 9-26 (the proposed Tax Abatement for a business in Muncie).

Bilbrey then shifts to discuss the upcoming regular Muncie City Council meeting scheduled for Monday, July 6, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. Bilbrey reviews several major agenda items, including:

• A letter from Councilor Nora Powell to Council President Jeff Green on behalf of AFSCME.

• A letter of resignation submitted by Council Attorney Jagan Arnold.

• Ordinance 13-26.

• Ordinance 14-26.

• Resolution 9-26.

• Resolution 10-26.

• Resolution 11-26.

From there, Bilbrey mentions two important upcoming events:

• The hearing on the need for a special election for the Knightstown Clerk and Council At Large positions is scheduled for Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at 2:30 p.m.

• The Madison County Election Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.

The conversation then shifts to Anderson, where City Councilor Jennifer Culp has announced her intention to run for Mayor. Bilbrey examines what the announcement means for Anderson politics and his problem with the "all Culps, all the time" in Madison County and Anderson politics.

Finally, Bilbrey recaps the Delaware County Council meeting held earlier today, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. What began as a routine meeting quickly turned tense as Delaware County Auditor Ed Carroll, 911 Director Fred Cummings, and council members engaged in a heated exchange. Bilbrey breaks down what happened, why it matters, and what could come next.

From crisis center closures and council subpoenas to mayoral ambitions and county government disputes, Episode 688 is packed with developments that citizens across East Central Indiana need to know.

Don't miss Episode 688 of The Political Spotlight: "It Might Be Cool Outside, But Government Is Heating Up Everywhere!"

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VIDEO version of Ep 688: https://youtube.com/live/bGe93gxtS5Q

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#687 | The IN-GOP Convention Is Over! Tuhey Pool Problems! Res 8-26! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey shares his thoughts on the Indiana State Republican Party Convention held this past weekend in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Of course, the results favored the Indiana GOP Establishment!

From there, Bilbrey turns to the issues facing the City of Muncie's Tuhey Pool. On Thursday, June 18, 2026, the City of Muncie praised employees for their work around the pool and noted that the Tuhey Pool season was going wonderfully. But then came Saturday, June 20, 2026, just two days later. The pool closed early due to insufficient staffing, and now The Political Spotlight is aware of even worse issues facing Tuhey Pool.

Lastly, Bilbrey discusses the upcoming deadline for the first part of Resolution 8-26, which concerns the City of Muncie's Controller's Office and the City Council.

=========================

VIDEO version of Ep 687: https://youtube.com/live/auOUkLRqtas

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#686 | Attitudes Not Access! What’s Really Happening Here? | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey reviews the Muncie Redevelopment Commission meeting held earlier today (Thursday, June 18, 2026). What unfolded was low-key, off the chain.

Redevelopment Commission Director George-Jeffrey Howe — who also currently serves as Muncie's "Acting" Mayor and was recently appointed Deputy Mayor of Muncie — provided yet another example of why Bilbrey believes he is unfit for those positions. From his dismissive attitude and rude behavior to the revelation that he apparently lacks access to Muncie City Hall's computer system, Bilbrey asks the obvious question: How can someone serve as "Acting" Mayor and Deputy Mayor without access to the City's computer system?

But Howe wasn't alone.

MRC Board President Isaac Miller once again displayed the behavior that has made him one of the City's biggest yet still nearly unknown assholes! Mayor Dan Ridenour's secretary, Shareen Wagley, also played her part in the drama.

Bilbrey breaks down the clash between city officials and citizens, highlighting the "large" number of McKinley neighborhood residents who attended the meeting to voice concerns about what is happening there. Those citizens held their ground even after Miller tried to limit what the public could say.

After hearing what transpired at the meeting, Bilbrey believes a turning point has been reached — and if this meeting is any indication, things are only going to get more interesting from here.

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VIDEO version of Ep 686: https://youtube.com/live/28gT9E8eSWw

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#685 | The Vulture Eats the Turtle! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey and producer Kate keep a close eye on severe weather in the Midwest, particularly in Illinois and Indiana. The team will be ready to cover and document what comes their way during the live broadcast! The main thing is for everyone to stay vigilant and safe!

Beyond that, Bilbrey has a few points to discuss regarding the current "Acting" Mayor of Muncie, Indiana, George-Jeffrey Howe. With last night's Park Board meeting (Tuesday, June 16, 2026), today's Board of Works meeting (Wednesday, June 17, 2026), and tomorrow's Muncie Redevelopment Commission meeting (Thursday, June 18, 2026) in mind, Bilbrey thinks this is the BEST time to ask Howe a few questions that keep coming up, yet no one seems to want to answer them!

Bilbrey then brings up the situation involving the Dunreith Indiana Volunteer Fire Department (in Henry County, Indiana). There appear to be serious issues here, and The Political Spotlight WILL get it sorted!

Lastly, Bilbrey has BREAKING NEWS about the extremely heartbreaking "death of the 11-year-old child of the Delaware County Sheriff's Deputy who left her in his truck after school on August 14, 2025." You WILL NOT want to miss this information, especially if you have been unhappy with the recent decision.

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VIDEO version of Ep 685: https://youtube.com/live/zoVWxf1JuCw

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#684 | Panem et Circenses! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Nearly 1,926 years ago, the Roman satirist Juvenal issued a warning that still resonates today. "Panem et circenses" (bread and circuses)! Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey explains how this warning applies today just as much as it did in 100 AD. This episode explores topics at the local, state, and national levels.

==========

(LOCAL LEVEL)

First, Bilbrey reviews what occurred at the Delaware County Commissioners Meeting on Monday, June 15, 2026. The main points of interest for Bilbrey were John Coutinho's employment as the Director of Delaware County's Emergency Management Agency and the Commissioners' views on the county's credit cards and employees' compliance with the credit card rules.

Then, Bilbrey turns to the City of Muncie's Parks Board Meeting from earlier today, June 16, 2026. Bilbrey was specifically waiting to see the current "Acting" Mayor George-Jeffrey Howe, the recently appointed "Deputy" Mayor, and the still-acting Director of the Muncie Redevelopment Commission appear at the meeting to address the Parks Board about Tuhey Pool (which is part of his new duties, as outlined in his newest contract, signed on May 21, 2026). But... he didn't appear.

WHY?

Bilbrey shares his thoughts about all that!

Before moving on from Muncie, Bilbrey shares a few other follow-ups on current issues in the city.

==========

(STATE LEVEL)

Next, Bilbrey reviews the recently launched statewide tour by Indiana State Representative J.D. Prescott (R-Union City). Prescott has been traveling across the state to promote his "Property Tax Repeal and Replacement Plan," outlined in House Bill 1288.

Bilbrey has A LOT to say about what Prescott is doing, how he is doing it, and WHY he is doing it. (Spoiler: Bilbrey doesn't think Prescott is doing it for the benefit of the citizens.)

==========

(NATIONAL LEVEL)

The episode closes with a conversation about the recent UFC event at the White House and why Bilbrey wasn't a fan of the idea.

==========

Episode 684 is packed, and you will not want to miss it!

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VIDEO version of Ep 684: https://youtube.com/live/631ScX-qidM

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============================

#683 | Dan's Good News! Questions Remain About Howe! & INGOP's Big Week! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey shares some good news about Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour... (we hope and pray)!

Howe-ever (see what we did there), questions remain about the current "Acting" Mayor George-Jeffrey Howe, the recently appointed "Deputy" Mayor, and the still-acting Director of the Muncie Redevelopment Commission.

Will the Board of Works say or do anything?

Will the City Council?

Who knows? Only time will tell!

What about the Public Services Committee meeting the City Council should hold soon?

Where does everything stand on Resolution 8-26?

It's time the Muncie City Council gets busy!

Bilbrey then discusses the upcoming Indiana Republican Party convention (Friday, June 19, and Saturday, June 20, 2026). Delegates will decide who advances as the party's candidate for Indiana's Secretary of State.

Will it be embattled incumbent Diego Morales, who has been having some pretty major meltdowns at public events lately?

Or will it be the establishment's new wonder boy, Max Engling... or the current Knox County Clerk and county GOP chairman, David Shelton... or the bizarre businesswoman and former gubernatorial candidate, Jamie Reitenour?

Approximately 1,800 Republican delegates elected in the May 2026 primary will decide, and Bilbrey is sure it will be a WILD RIDE! Time will tell!

Whatever kind of insanity unfolds between now and Saturday, 'The Political Spotlight' is here for it!

Finally, Bilbrey hits a few Henry County items the team is working on.

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VIDEO version of Ep 683: https://youtube.com/live/nm0yzGU4Gg0

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#682 | Howe Becomes the Acting Mayor of Muncie, Indiana — INDEFINITELY! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey shares and discusses the BREAKING NEWS of the day (Thursday, June 11, 2026). Current "Acting" Mayor of Muncie, Indiana, George-Jeffrey Howe, who was recently appointed "Deputy" Mayor and remains the Director of the Muncie Redevelopment Commission, has filed legal documents along with Muncie City Council President Jeff Green to continue as "Acting" Mayor INDEFINITELY!

INDEFINITELY could mean anything longer than the original 15-day plan that Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour had discussed, and up to 6 months, as outlined in the Indiana Code.

Bilbrey examines the legal filings and shares his thoughts on what this could mean for Muncie in the long term.

You WILL NOT want to miss this episode!

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VIDEO version of Ep 682: https://youtube.com/live/ss2DZcmhw8I

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============================

#678 | Republicans in BADDER Standing! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey welcomes Katherine Callahan, our contributing correspondent from Madison County, Indiana, to the program for this 678th episode.

Bilbrey and Callahan discuss the events surrounding a hearing held earlier today (Sunday, June 7, 2026) by the Indiana Republican Party's 5th District Kangaroo Court.

Apparently, it wasn't enough that they made Callahan a "Republican in Bad Standing" back in February... they wanted her to be a "Republican in EVEN BADDER Standing!"

They convened the clowns: Chairman Darren Reese, Vice Chairwoman Kelli Heuer, Treasurer Mario Massillamany, and Secretary Jessica Piper. They stacked the deck and played the game their way!

But what they never seem to understand is that there are only two outcomes:

They could do the right thing! Which is all anyone wants! It's what they should be doing! And if they do right, we all win!

They can do what they usually do, which is the wrong thing... and we win in the end!

Bilbrey and Callahan call out the "CLOWN SHOW" that is the Indiana Republican Party, the 5th District GOP Committee, and a majority of the local County Parties.

Best of all... listeners get to hear the actual hearing from start to finish, or at least Bilbrey's finish, because Bilbrey has a full recording. Click the following link for the raw recording of the hearing: https://youtu.be/F8FPynDZLYw . . .

=========================

VIDEO version of Ep 678: https://youtube.com/live/nZjKjqegryE

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============================

Special Guest: Dr. Katherine Callahan.

#677 | End of the Week Review (Sunday 05.31.26 - Thursday 06.04.26)! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey recaps the past week in the 677th episode of 'The Political Spotlight'.

The Delaware County Commissioners' and Muncie City Council's meetings on Monday, June 1, 2026...
Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour's surgery and the temporary transfer of power to Jeff Howe, the recently appointed Deputy Mayor and current Director of the Muncie Redevelopment Commission, who is serving as "Acting" Mayor during Ridenour's absence...
The arrest of former Delaware County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) office manager Meagan Coutinho...
Questions about "Acting" Mayor Jeff Howe's pay...

And more!

=========================

VIDEO version of Ep 677: https://youtube.com/live/tm9DCa9tR08

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============================

#676 | Money Is the Root of All Politics! Politics Is a Synonym for Evil! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey examines the Probable Cause Affidavit for the arrest of former Delaware County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) office manager Meagan Coutinho.

Coutinho was arrested earlier today, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, by the Indiana State Police on six felony charges. She was booked into the Delaware County Jail on a $30,000.00 bond and was able to bond out of jail almost immediately.

Her charges stem from two separate incidents. One involves allegations of theft from the Delaware County Government, and the other involves allegations of theft from a sports booster program at Delta High School.

Coutinho's charges are as follows:

Count 1: Theft
(Delta Golf Boosters)
IC 35-43-4-2 Level 6 Felony...

Count 2: Theft
(Delaware County Government)
IC 35-43-4-2 Level 5 Felony...

Count 3: Theft
(Delaware County EMS)
IC 35-43-4-2 Level 6 Felony...

Count 4: Theft
(Delaware County Government)
IC 35-43-4-2 Level 6 Felony...

Count 5: Official Misconduct
IC 35-44.1-1-1 Level 6 Felony...

Count 6: Conflict of Interest
IC 35-44.1-1-4 Level 5 Felony...

Coutinho is alleged to have taken more than $200,000 over the past four years, during which she was among the 20 highest-paid employees in Delaware County. Bilbrey demands to know how this was possible!

There is much to unpack about Coutinho's actions, but that is only half the story. Her husband, John, is the Director of the Emergency Management Agency of Delaware County. He has been on paid leave while this investigation runs its course. What did he know? How could he not have known? Again, HOW WAS THIS POSSIBLE?

Bilbrey examines the broader implications of this situation.

While keeping the focus on fiscal questions, Bilbrey shifts to the City of Muncie. The Board of Works held its weekly meeting earlier today, Wednesday, June 3, 2026. The meeting raised a serious concern for careful observers.

Did Jeff Howe, the Director of the Muncie Redevelopment Commission and the recently appointed Deputy Mayor, who is also currently the "Acting" Mayor of the City of Muncie, receive a raise around the first of the year (2026) that no one knew about?

All this and more in an ACTION-PACKED episode!

This episode connects to episode 681. Click the following link to listen to that episode: https://youtube.com/live/peN24gRaVfc . . .

=========================

VIDEO version of Ep 676: https://youtube.com/live/oa9h375x6QM

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#675 | Muncie City Council Meeting Review & Mayor Howe's First Day! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey reviews the June 1, 2026, Muncie City Council public hearing and the regularly scheduled monthly City Council meeting.

And of course, today was Jeff Howe's first day in the big seat! How did it go? Who knows...

Bilbrey covers it all in this episode!

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VIDEO version of Ep 675: https://youtube.com/live/SY251wooHz4

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#674 | Muncie's Tomorrow — The Promises, The Problems, & The Truth! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 31 May 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Muncie, Indiana, stands at the precipice of an uncertain and potentially consequential chapter in the city's political future.

As Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour hands the City over to "Acting" Mayor Jeff Howe, the recently appointed Deputy Mayor and current Director of the Muncie Redevelopment Commission, effective at 12 a.m. Monday, June 1, 2026, some wonder what the future holds!

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey breaks down the impending transition of power at Muncie City Hall as Mayor Dan Ridenour prepares to hand over the reins of city government to Acting Mayor Jeff Howe at midnight on June 1, 2026. With Howe recently appointed Deputy Mayor while continuing to serve as Director of the Muncie Redevelopment Commission, questions remain about the legality of the move and what the coming days and weeks could mean for the city's future direction.

Bilbrey also previews what could be a highly attended and potentially controversial night at Muncie City Hall on Monday evening, as the Muncie City Council holds a public hearing at 6:45 p.m., followed immediately by its regularly scheduled monthly meeting at 7:00 p.m., during which the Council will consider several important ordinances and a resolution.

Will the council chambers be packed? Will important questions be answered? Will the Council do what is best for the City or for the Ridenour Administration and itself? And what challenges, surprises, or controversies could arise as Muncie enters this temporary leadership transition?

Then, Bilbrey examines what the city may face over the next several weeks with an acting mayor at the helm and explains why local residents should pay close attention to the decisions being made.

Finally, The Political Spotlight turns to a viral traffic stop by a Palm Beach County, Florida, Sheriff's Office deputy that has sparked outrage nationwide. A law enforcement officer pulled over a woman and accused her of illegally using her cell phone with her right hand while driving.

There was just one problem: The woman didn't have a RIGHT hand!

Bilbrey examines the body camera footage, raising concerns about accountability and professionalism in law enforcement and why this incident should serve as a case study for police training programs and departments across America.

Link to the Body-Cam video: https://youtu.be/PdA1nS5suWQ?si=B_58hDHZiW1McD-r . . .

From local government and city politics to accountability, leadership, and public trust, Episode 674 is packed with the stories that matter.

=========================

VIDEO version of Ep 674: https://youtube.com/live/m7uwj8Sngxs

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#673 | Muncie Flipped the Script! Who’s in Charge Here? | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Fri, 29 May 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey had to do it!

It's Friday night... which is supposed to be a night off, but it just couldn't wait until Sunday... so here he is for a special Friday Night episode! All because the City of Muncie, Indiana, is unlike any other government! At the last minute, they "flipped the script," and boy oh boy, is it a major flip!

Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour is expected to be out for 6 to 8 weeks starting June 1, 2026. The prevailing account was that he would name Muncie City Councilor Jeff Green as the "acting" Mayor. Mayor Ridenour has said as much in interviews over the past few weeks.

Then, at the last minute earlier today (Friday, May 29, 2026), the City of Muncie announced that Muncie Redevelopment Commission Director Jeff Howe has been named "Deputy Mayor," a position that has been unfunded for the past couple of years.

Under Indiana Code 36-4-5-8, Mayor Ridenour has designated the newly named Deputy Mayor Howe to serve as "acting" Mayor starting at 12 a.m. on Monday, June 1, 2026, for 15 days.

What is supposed to happen after those 15 days, given that Ridenour could be absent for 6 to 8 weeks?

What happened to naming Councilor Jeff Green?

Why does the official paperwork show Howe was sworn in on Tuesday, May 5, 2026?

What is really going on?

Bilbrey discusses it ALL right here in episode 673!

Now, do you see why this episode could not wait?

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VIDEO version of Ep 673: https://youtube.com/live/1QHzj7M2bgk

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#672 | Muncie's Failed Transparency! Who, What, Where, When, Why, & How? | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 28 May 2026 21:00:00 -0400

Muncie politics continues to grow more complex by the day!

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey dives headfirst into several major questions about Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour's medical absence and the designation of Muncie City Council President Jeff Green as "Acting Mayor."

Why is the administration refusing to provide greater transparency?
What legal steps are being taken under Indiana Code 36-4-5-8 to designate Councilor Green as "Acting Mayor" during Ridenour's absence?
When does the transfer of authority officially take effect?
Will Councilor Green receive additional compensation for serving as "Acting Mayor"? If so, where will that compensation come from, and what is the process?
Can Councilor Green legally serve as both "Acting Mayor" AND City Councilor?
Could this create separation-of-powers concerns or constitutional questions?

Bilbrey breaks down what is known, what is not known, and why the public deserves REAL answers!

PLUS...

⚠️ More bad press for a local first responder and for emergency services as a whole.

A former Muncie firefighter now faces multiple serious criminal charges alleging misconduct involving a minor. Bilbrey will discuss the charges and explore what this case means for the community. As always, Bilbrey recognizes that the current charges are merely allegations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty or until they plead guilty in court.

AND...

🍿 Republican Party drama is heating up (ONCE AGAIN) in Madison County.

Republican candidate Mikeal Vaughn has reportedly filed multiple complaints with Indiana GOP District 5 leadership. His complaints appear to involve fellow Madison County Republicans Katherine Callahan, Nicole Kapuściński, and Larry Savage. What's behind the complaints? What's the fallout? And what does it mean for local Republican politics moving forward?

💥 Real issues.
💥 Real conversations.
💥 Real accountability.

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VIDEO version of Ep 672: https://youtube.com/live/Hm4Y3fPDUrE

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#616 | Always Positive / Always Negative: The State of Our Community! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 21:00:00 -0500

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey discusses the "State of Our Community" (City of Muncie & Delaware County) from earlier in the day (Thursday, March 5, 2026).

Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour and Delaware County Commissioner Stephen Brand addressed nearly 500 attendees this morning, highlighting their respective "achievements for 2025" and "goals for 2026."

Bilbrey reviews the event and shares his thoughts here!

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VIDEO version of Ep 616: https://youtube.com/live/Jo8QD4Jqnr4

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#602 | The Chairs Are Running! + Odd Time Stamps! + Rumors! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 21:00:00 -0500

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey examines the fact that both the Delaware County Republican Party Chairman and the Delaware County Democratic Party Chairman have filed to run for office in the 2026 election cycle.

Bilbrey shares his thoughts on this and other serious overreaches by those in power during the upcoming election season.

From there, Bilbrey highlights a concern about a confusing timestamp in the Henry County Jail security video related to the Nicholas Gulley II incident.

Lastly, Bilbrey shares his thoughts on rumors.

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VIDEO version of Ep 602: https://youtube.com/live/6-UxKvZEmBE

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#584 | Rules, Tools, & Fools: Local & State Politics in 3 Words! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey provides more in-depth commentary on the Muncie City Council meeting held on Monday, January 5, 2026.

Additionally, he'll share his thoughts on The Star Press' coverage of the meeting—their journalism is genuinely remarkable.

Then Bilbrey recounts an intriguing telephone conversation he had earlier with Tim Overton, Chair of the Delaware County Republican Party. Tim attempted to explain Council President Jeff Green's (R) desire to amend the Muncie City Council's longstanding rules. Although Bilbrey and Tim remained respectful during the nearly thirty-five-minute discussion, it did get heated at times.

Lastly, Bilbrey turns his attention to the Indiana State Government, offering his perspective on "House Joint Resolution 2," authored by Indiana State Representative Elizabeth Rowray (R-District 35).

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VIDEO version of Ep 584: https://youtube.com/live/X1vViuofBXM

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#583 | Muncie City Council's 2026 Reorganizational Meeting - QUICK RECAP! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey provides a brief recap of the Muncie City Council Meeting... (this will be a short episode due to the meeting's length).

Bilbrey will provide the full recap in episode 584 on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.

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VIDEO version of Ep 583: https://youtube.com/live/Axc7Xo7HR9A

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#543 | Disrespect Toward Taxpayers! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 21:00:00 -0400

The system is designed so that, regardless of who is in charge, the type of government, or the situation, it allows or even encourages elected and appointed public servants to be disrespectful toward taxpayers.

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey covers a few odds and ends as he waits for the big meeting for the City of Muncie on Thursday, October 16, 2025.

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VIDEO version of Ep 543: https://youtube.com/live/dwUEzkf2p6U

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

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey is on autopilot because this is his last show before holiday; he'll be out of service after the show until Sunday, September 21, 2025.

So he's called contributing correspondent Dr. Katherine Callahan to help Producer Kate keep him on track enough for a show!

Bilbrey has a few points of interest he plans to cover, but this will be a bit of a surprise-style show. That said, a large portion of the show will be devoted to "BULLIES" and the "ACT OF BULLYING" in politics!

Also, this will serve as (part 1) for episode 526, which airs tomorrow, Thursday, September 18, 2025. Katherine will fill in as guest host in Bilbrey's absence!

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VIDEO version of Ep 525: https://youtube.com/live/-SeF8uiiQlg

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Special Guest: Dr. Katherine Callahan.

#523 | Out of the Box, No Turning Back! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey previews a busy week of upcoming public meetings in Muncie, Delaware County, and other parts of east central Indiana.

Bilbrey also shares his thoughts on where America stands following the tragic events of last week. Additionally, Bilbrey discusses his stance on people saying horrible things about the death of Charlie Kirk.

Bilbrey is a First Amendment purist, and his views on this matter clearly show that!

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VIDEO version of Ep 523: https://youtube.com/live/hD8OSPDLFpE

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#500 | THE FIVE HUNDREDTH EPISODE! | The Political Spotlight

Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, & Brandon Rudd (The Political Spotlight) — Sun, 03 Aug 2025 21:00:00 -0400

HERE IT IS — THE BIG 5-0-0! WOW... That is a lot of political commentary! Well, ok — enough of that! It's time to get to work. There is a lot to discuss!

Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey celebrates this 500th episode the only way he knows how — by diving straight into the latest political and governmental issues impacting Muncie, Delaware County, and beyond. No fluff. No spin. Just straight talk. Let's get started... the topics for this episode are:

1️⃣ (Party Hopping in Muncie Politics)
City Councilor Jerry Dishman and former Councilor Roger Overby, both longtime Democrats, have switched to the Republican Party. What does this mean for local politics? Why does this keep happening, and will there be more swapping in the future?

2️⃣ (Muncie Government – August 2025)
Preview of the upcoming Muncie City Council meeting (Monday, August 4, 2025 @ 7 PM). A discussion about the DLGF’s 2026 Budget Workshop that was canceled last Thursday. Why was it scrapped, and what’s next for that meeting and the city’s 2026 budget process?

3️⃣ (Other Upcoming August 2025 Meetings)
— Delaware County Commissioners meeting.
Monday, August 4, 2025 @ 9 AM.

— Randolph County Commissioners meeting.
Monday, August 4, 2025 @ 9 AM.

— Winchester City Council meeting.
Monday, August 4, 2025 @ 6 PM.
Private Property Dispute - Bilbrey will be attending in person.

— Delaware-Muncie Plan Commission meeting.
Tuesday, August 12, 2025 @ 6 PM.
Solar Ordinance discussion.

4️⃣ (The Text Message Question)
A citizen has made a complaint about a text message that his daughter received, which was allegedly sent by Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman. What is the context here? Bilbrey takes a deeper look into the situation to attempt to determine what went on.

5️⃣ (The Latest Story of Ongoing Police Corruption)
The former Chief Deputy Sheriff of Fayette County, Indiana, has been accused of working as a "mole" for a drug dealer who ran a multi-million dollar operation. This is just the latest in what is becoming a long line of law enforcement officers, other government officials, and public servants who are being implicated in illegal behavior. How many more are there? How far does this go? And how can this be stopped?

6️⃣ (BIG 500th Episode Announcement)
Bilbrey shares a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT with the audience!

💬 Join the conversation LIVE or via replay — celebrate the 500th episode of unfiltered political talk... debate the issues... and share your thoughts in the LIVE chat or comments!

VIDEO version of Ep 500: https://youtube.com/live/fmCE8L-FwWw . . .

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