2020 elections

In February, WBAA held a public forum in Frankfort which asked residents, in part: What's the "thing" that the city should be known for?

The most workable answer then seemed to be drawing in more visitors when the annual Festival of Lights show goes up each winter.

On this week's Ask The Mayor, we talk with Mayor Chris McBarnes about how his city has doubled down on trying to become just such a cold weather cash cow.

West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis garnered three-quarters of the vote in this week’s election, propelling him to a fourth term in office. Barring unforeseen circumstances, it’ll make him the second-longest-serving chief executive in the city’s history. And in his next four years, there are a number of projects to complete. This week on WBAA’s Ask The Mayor, we check in on the Chauncey Hill Mall, Morton Center and others.

The week leading up to our monthly conversation with Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski has been one of political comings and goings.

Gary State Senator Eddie Melton made his run for governor official, as did Lafayette resident Joe Mackey, who’ll seek to represent Indiana's 4th Congressional District in Congress.

This week on WBAA’s Ask The Mayor, we find out what Mayor Roswarski would like to see his party’s nominees run on next year, such that Lafayette would benefit.

Also this week, West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis announced he’s dropping out of his only scheduled debate in this year’s election – less than two weeks before it was to happen. We’ll ask Mayor Roswarski, a longtime friend and former Lafayette Police Department colleague of Mayor Dennis, what he thinks of that move.

The first Democrat to announce a challenge to Rep. Jim Baird (R-4th) kicks off his campaign in earnest Friday.

Joe Mackey lives in Lafayette, where he worked in manufacturing for many years. He lost a Democratic primary in 2018 to eventual nominee Tobi Beck.

He says his campaign will talk a lot about education, as well as an issue that helped Democrats pick up many House seats in 2018: health care.

When she leaves office at the end of next year, Indiana education superintendent Jennifer McCormick will become the last person to be elected Indiana’s top educator. The position will be appointed by the governor starting in 2021 – a choice no longer afforded to the voters.

McCormick visited West Lafayette recently and WBAA’s Stan Jastrzebski sat down with her to talk about choices – including how parents choose schools and how she crafts the next step in her career.