By Niki Kelly | Editor-in-Chief
“We already have checks and balances in place to prove citizenship when you register to vote and our clerks do a great job of catching that.” — Libertarian Lauri Shillings
The second secretary of state’s debate was a bit more lively than the first, including sparring on voting.
From chairs and pop machines to desks and extension cords, the state surplus warehouse gives a second home to many items.
The Lincoln Party has laid out some candidate principles.
Plus, lifting Hoosiers out of poverty and more.
The Indiana Debate Commission hosted a debate on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, featuring, left to right, Libertarian Lauri Shillings, Republican Max Engling, Lincoln Party candidate Greg Ballard and Democrat Beau Bayh. It was moderated by University of Indianapolis political science professor Laura Merrifield Wilson. (Photo by Doug McSchooler for Indiana Debate Commission)
Sharp divides in Indiana secretary of state debate over noncitizen vote, spending audit
By Tom Davies
Republican Max Engling leaned into blocking noncitizen voting as a top priority as he and the other three Indiana secretary of state candidates debated Wednesday night.
Engling maintained that he was the only candidate firm on that issue — arguments that Democrat Beau Bayh called “ridiculous” and Lincoln Party candidate Greg Ballard labeled “ludicrous.” Libertarian Lauri Shillings described Engling’s push for tighter voter rules as unnecessary.
Kitchenware confiscated or abandoned at the Indianapolis International Airport is transported to the Indiana Department of Administration warehouse for storage. (Photo by Mackenzi Klemann/Indiana Capital Chronicle.)
Inside Indiana's state surplus warehouse
By Mackenzi Klemann
There's a saying at the Indiana Department of Administration: One man's trash is another man's treasure.
The stack of broken chairs in storage at the IDOA State Surplus Warehouse may be useless to the 30,000 state employees who once sat in them, but the chairs are a popular item with recyclers.
"We like to think we're the Fred Sanford of the state," said state surplus Director Marshall Tullos, referring to the fictional junk dealer from the 1970s sitcom “Sanford and Son.”
COMMENTARY
The bipartisan Gateway to Careers Act, which has been referred to the U.S. Senate HELP Committee, would help expand access to workforce training programs and ultimately help families make ends meet. (Getty Images)
Rising prices may be here to stay, but poverty doesn’t have to be
By Patrick Turner
For millions of Americans living in poverty, rising prices are a threat to their wellbeing and the wellbeing of our communities. These prices often result in painful choices — like rationing groceries, skipping meals, or not sending your children to extracurricular activities. Those choices are everywhere these days, with one recent poll showing that half of all Americans are struggling to afford gas and groceries.
Amid these challenging circumstances, researchers, service providers, and policymakers all play a critical role in expanding economic opportunity. We have evidence that can guide us, and we need to use it. In drawing on what works, we can head off an influx of families slipping into poverty and instead create the conditions for more families to thrive.
NATIONAL NEWS
A sticker affixed to a gas pump in North Carolina blames President Donald Trump for the high prices. Lawmakers in several states are suspending gas taxes or rolling back regulations on diesel fuel as voters grow increasingly frustrated with rising fuel costs. (Photo by Clayton Henkel/NC Newsline)
With election pressure mounting, states move to suspend fuel taxes
By Alex Brown
With Election Day less than a month away, lawmakers in several states are suspending gas taxes or rolling back regulations on diesel fuel as voters grow increasingly frustrated with rising fuel costs amid President Donald Trump’s war with Iran.
On Tuesday, Trump issued an executive order to expand access to tax-free diesel fuel nationwide, following the lead of several governors who have taken the same step.
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