In February, Missouri was awarded $458 million in a settlement from the nation’s top opioid producers. Now, as lawmakers and state departments prepare to receive and distribute those funds, advocates hope Missouri will use the money wisely to respond to an opioid crisis that has taken thousands of lives. The $26 billion legal settlement – […]
As Missouri’s opioid crisis rages, $458 million in settlement money arrives
Posted inWichitans You Should Know
‘Our community deserves to be nurtured’: Sapphire Garcia-Lies on Wichita’s new birth justice center
Sapphire Garcia-Lies wants new and expecting mothers in Wichita — especially in Black, Latinx and Indigenous communities — to feel nurtured. That’s what she had in mind when crafting a new facility for the Wichita Birth Justice Society, a nonprofit led by Garcia-Lies that’s dedicated to reducing racial disparities in maternal and infant mortality. In […]
Posted inEducation
Liberty school board candidates say they want to listen. Which voices will they prioritize?
The four non-incumbent candidates have different ideas on strategies for listening to, prioritizing and elevating the community’s concerns.
Posted inEducation
Unrecorded meetings. Public comment rules. Is the Independence school board transparent? Some candidates say no.
As five candidates compete for two spots on the Independence school board in the April 5 election, transparency has become a key issue for two newcomers: Anthony Mondaine and Jason Vollmecke.
Posted inLocal Government
Sedgwick County election workers get mixed messages in wake of data breach
Update: EasyVote Solutions, LLC, the company at the center of a data breach that impacted Sedgwick County election workers, has wrapped up its investigation of the incident and is notifying people who were impacted, Election Commissioner Angela Caudillo said. The company will provide credit monitoring and identity theft protection for one year to those who […]
Posted inKansas State Government
Who represents me in the Kansas Legislature?
The residents of Sedgwick County are represented at the Kansas Statehouse by 32 lawmakers — a mix of attorneys, small-business owners, former educators, veterans, engineers and retirees from aviation and aerospace industries. Even a farmer and the owner of a liquor store. The Sedgwick County delegation — nearly 20% of the legislature’s 165 members — […]
Posted inLocal Government
What is the future of Airbnb rentals in Wichita? It’s starting to come into focus.
Denny Marlin was out of town when the shooting happened at an Airbnb rental near his home in Crown Heights last April. When he returned home after a weekend away, a pall hung in the air. One person — 20 year-old Elijah Davis — died as a result of the shooting. Three others were injured. […]
Posted inEducation
School board candidates for Raytown and Blue Springs discuss their priorities
In the race to serve on the Blue Springs district school board, four candidates — including two incumbents — are competing for two slots, each serving a three-year term.
Posted inState Government
Missouri legislature considers bills to change charter school funding and allow student transfers
Lawmakers who call themselves “pro-school choice” think public school money should be spent in ways that allow families to choose the best schools for their children. Opponents say their remedies would harm school districts.
Posted inJournalism
The KC Beacon is hiring: Paid positions involve working with community
The Kansas City Beacon wants to learn how people in Kansas City get the news and information they need. We’re hiring Community Representatives to help us as members of our Community Engagement Bureau, a new initiative to design a creative way to deliver news to underserved communities.