The federal gun safety bill passed with bipartisan congressional support in June was heralded as the first notable piece of federal gun legislation in nearly 30 years. Yet Missouri won’t feel its full impact — yet. Missouri will benefit from the millions of dollars in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act set aside for mental health, […]
How will the new federal gun law affect Missouri? It’s complicated
Posted inEconomics
Several Starbucks in Kansas and Missouri have unionized. How can other workers do the same?
At the south end of Mill Creek Park on a recent Sunday afternoon, near the iconic fountain by Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza, workers, allies and politicians gathered in a semicircle. Representing Starbucks Workers United, many were clad in black shirts and holding signs such as “Unions brew better coffee” and “Reinstate fired workers.” It […]
Posted inCivic Engagement, Elections, Local Government, State Government
How to register to vote for the Missouri primary
The deadline to register to vote in the Aug. 2 Missouri primary election is Wednesday, July 6. August’s election will determine the party nominees for the open U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Roy Blunt. The winners of the primary will be on the Nov. 8 general election ballots. For the first […]
Posted inLocal Government
Why are more than a third of KC’s public swimming pools closed?
With the July 4 holiday weekend coming up, those wanting to spend time by public Kansas City pools are finding they have fewer options this year. Problems from maintenance to supply chain issues to lifeguard shortages have meant some pools in the region won’t be open this summer. In 2022, Kansas City Parks and Recreation […]
Posted inEducation
North Kansas City Schools programs help teens with disabilities become adults with careers
Project SEARCH serves students with disabilities who have completed their graduation requirements and return as fifth-year seniors to gain workplace experience in a supportive environment.
Posted inHealth, State Government
Missouri’s new abortion law: no exceptions for rape, incest, and doctors may face charges
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that abortions are banned in Missouri, regardless of the length of pregnancy, because of a “trigger law” passed on June 24. A previous version of this story stated that abortions were banned in Missouri after 8 weeks of gestation. That part of HB 126, which included […]
Posted inLocal Government
Here’s what the community-led search committee is looking for in a new Wichita police chief
Editor’s note: Faith Martin and Harvey Sorensen are donors to The Wichita Beacon. Michael Birzer is a member of The Wichita Beacon’s Community Advisory Board. View a list of our financial supporters here. As the Wichita Police Department reels from a scandal regarding racist text messages sent by Wichita police officers and faces a lawsuit […]
Posted inEducation, How To
Universal free school lunch is gone in USD 259, but here’s how to find out if you still qualify
Before the pandemic, Wichita schools operated under a system that allowed parents to apply for free or reduced-cost meals. USD 259 will be using this same system once again, but this time it’s only for lunches.
Posted inEducation
Local students receive community college scholarships through Kansas Promise
When Melissa Farrar enrolled in WSU Tech’s nursing program, she paid for her first semester out of pocket. Then she heard other students talk about the Kansas Promise Scholarship, which offers free community or technical college to students pursuing degrees in high-demand fields. Through this scholarship, Farrar’s past two semesters have been paid in full. […]
Posted inHealth, State Government
‘We need more time’: Advocates want more Medicaid postpartum health care for Missouri moms
Missouri ranked 44th nationwide for its maternal mortality rate in 2019. And Black mothers in the state are four times as likely as white women to die from pregnancy-related issues, higher than the nationwide average. Yet Missouri is not among the many states that are seeking to take advantage of an offer from the federal […]