In a Wichita cemetery, an unmarked grave is decorated with flowers, pictures and stones that say, “We miss you.” This is where Cedric Lofton is buried. This weekend, as on most holidays, Lofton’s brother Mark Teetz will visit and remember his baby brother.
Cedric Lofton’s missing headstone and the slow road of justice
Posted inElections, Local Government
Data map: How did your neighbors vote in Kansas City, Missouri?
After a long and contentious midterm election, the election boards representing Kansas City voters have released their official election results for 2022. The results among Kansas City precincts offer a detailed look at the political landscape within the city, with clear political divisions visible on election maps within and across county lines. With another election […]
Posted inState Government
Missouri secretary of state to libraries: Take objectionable materials off shelves or risk loss of state funding
Because of a Missouri law that took effect in August, books that contain “explicit sexual materials” are banned from school libraries and classrooms. Now, the state is taking another step toward book challenges— this time involving public libraries and without a vote from the legislature. Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft on Nov. 15 opened a […]
Posted inLocal Government
The Unified Government is run by an 11-member board. Here’s what they do.
Among the counties in the Kansas City metropolitan area, Wyandotte County is unique for its Unified Government, which merges the city of Kansas City, Kansas, with the county government. Nearly half of the elected representatives of the county government will be up for reelection next November, including four commissioners representing districts in the southeastern portion […]
Posted inHow To, Local Government
Wichita has 44 square miles of food deserts. Here is a way to help.
Government officials are currently recruiting members for a Food and Farm Council to guide a master plan to address problems within the community’s food system.
Posted inEducation
Kansas City’s historic northeast pushes back against proposed school closures
Whittier Elementary School at 1012 Bales Ave. serves as an important neighborhood resource and point of unity and has provided quality education for a diverse immigrant population, several said during public comment at a Kansas City Public Schools board meeting Nov. 16.
Posted inLabor, Local Government
KCATA tackled its driver shortage. Now, bus drivers want to see more change
Will Howard knows exactly why bus drivers in Kansas City are stepping away from the steering wheel. “We just had an 18-year veteran say they can’t do it anymore,” said Howard, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1287, the operator union representing bus drivers in Kansas City. “She’s working at the water department now.” Since […]
Posted inEducation
KCPS is strategizing to stretch its limited financial resources
Funding for additional academic initiatives is expected to come from one of the most controversial aspects of the proposal: school closures.
Posted inState Government
What to know about buying recreational marijuana in Missouri
On Nov. 8, Missourians voted “yes” on Amendment 3, which legalized recreational use of marijuana, meaning you’ll now be able to buy weed, like marijuana flower or edibles, in the coming months. Starting Dec. 8, the state will begin transitioning its medical marijuana licenses to recreational licenses, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll be able […]
Posted inLabor
Missouri Allows Some Disabled Workers to Earn Less Than $1 an Hour. The State Says It’s Fine If That Never Changes.
This article was produced with ProPublica as part of its Local Reporting Network initiative. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published. This story is available in plain language. One weekday morning in July, Kerstie Bramlet was at her workstation inside the Warren County Sheltered Workshop near […]