Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a ban on transgender female athletes on Friday, striking down the hot-button issue for the second year and setting up a possible showdown with supporters of the measure when the legislature returns to the Kansas Statehouse next week. This year is the third in a row that a bill proposing restrictions […]
‘This isn’t about athletics:’ Bill banning transgender athletes from school teams vetoed by Gov. Kelly
Posted inKansas State Government
‘This isn’t about athletics:’ Bill banning transgender athletes from school teams vetoed by Gov. Kelly
Editor’s note: We updated this story on April 19 to reflect that Rep. Susan Estes was absent for the April 1 vote on Senate Bill 160. Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a ban on transgender female athletes on Friday, striking down the hot-button issue for the second year and setting up a possible showdown with supporters […]
Posted inState Government
Potential budget surplus could mean tax credits for Missourians, but some would rather see programs funded
Update (April 21, 2022): This story has been updated to reflect the House’s passage of the bill. A $46 billion budget package passed out of the Missouri House earlier this month, after federal funds left the state flush with cash. The Republican-led House sent the Senate a budget proposal that leaves nearly $2 billion unspent […]
Posted inLocal Government
Condemnations of dangerous and dilapidated houses tripled in Wichita in 2021
There are some houses in Dana Edwards’ neighborhood that catch her eye — boarded-up homes, ones that look like the porches are falling in, abandoned houses. The city of Wichita owns some of them. “They catch your eye because they aren’t in the proper condition of a livable house,” said Edwards, who is the president […]
Posted inEnvironment
At KC’s Giving Grove, the mission is ‘much bigger than food’
Giving Grove plants fruit trees and gardens across Kansas City on land once filled with trash. Now, gardens and orchards supply fresh food.
Posted inLocal Government
Wichita City Council approves $5 million affordable housing fund
The City Council voted on Tuesday to allocate $5 million for the creation of Wichita’s first affordable housing fund. The fund, which aims to increase the quality and quantity of affordable housing in Wichita, will be paid for with a portion of the city’s $72.4 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars. The federal […]
Posted inLocal Government
Emailing, tweeting and subscribing: All the ways to contact Wichita City Council members
Local governments shouldn’t operate without their community’s input. So, how can you bring an issue to the City Council? Who represents what? Where can a Wichitan stay updated on their council member’s agenda? The Wichita Beacon has put together a guide on the members of City Council, how to contact them and where to follow […]
Posted inState Government
Turnover among child protection workers in Kansas City region far outpacing Missouri’s average, deputy says
Nearly nine in 10 of the Missouri Children’s Division caseworkers who serve in the Kansas City region will have left the job by the end of the year, far outpacing the statewide rate, a state official predicted last week. Caseworkers are critical to the success of the state’s child protection system, but low pay, high […]
Posted inEconomics
This South KC neighborhood takes on blight and generational wealth — one house at a time
A freshly remodeled house just went up for sale in south Kansas City’s Marlborough neighborhood. The five-bedroom, three-bathroom home with a wraparound porch sits on nearly half an acre and has a new heating and cooling system and new electrical, plumbing, appliances and fixtures, including granite kitchen countertops. Priced at $225,000, with its property taxes […]
Posted inLocal Government
Sedgwick County allocates all $100 million of its COVID recovery funds — to itself
Since COVID-19 began, the nonprofit Cairn Health has struggled to maintain its budget to provide health services to low-income individuals in Sedgwick County. “We have seen a decrease in our revenues because we’re primarily funded through what would be considered fundraising, either through the United Way’s fundraising or through our own,” said Aaron Walker, executive […]