The Beacon is committed to hosting regular, accessible touchpoints for our community to share their perspectives with our staff.
From virtual town halls to in-person listening sessions and Documenters trainings, The Beacon is embedded in the neighborhoods we serve. In addition to our 24/7 story idea line, these events inform future coverage. Questions and comments raised by attendees are shared with the reporter whose beat most closely matches their idea and any resulting story is labeled as ”community sourced”.
Together, we’re building a newsroom for, and by, the community.
Upcoming events
What’s really in your soil? Understanding Brownfields
📅 Thursday, April 30
⏰ 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
📍Kansas City, Kansas Public Library – Main Branch
Curious about what’s in your soil and who decides what happens to it? From past industrial use to future development, brownfields can affect the air we breathe, the ground we walk on and the health of our communities.
We’re continuing the conversation from our previous environmental reporting and community interest from previous events with an interactive event focused on soil safety and brownfields. At this event, you’ll be able to:
- Get your soil tested for free by Kansas State University graduate students in the Department of Agronomy.
- Learn how to read brownfields maps and find out if your neighborhood is impacted
- Understand what remediation is and explore simple, cost-effective ways to reduce exposure, especially to lead.
- Hear about current studies in your area and how you can get involved.
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Past Events & Initiatives
Community Partners
Here are some of the organizations we’ve partnered with in our community, from lending an expert to present on a panel to an organization-wide listening session about how recent policy developments are affecting their work.
