The personal information of at least 30 Sedgwick County election workers has been exposed following a data breach, according to information reviewed by The Wichita Beacon. EasyVote Solutions, LLC, a company that Sedgwick County contracts with to manage election workers, recently became aware that some of its data may have been available online, according to […]
Sedgwick County election workers’ personal data exposed following data breach
Posted inEducation
‘Black Friday in August’: Kansas lawmakers hope to pass new school tax holiday
Sen. John Doll, a Republican from Garden City, hopes the holiday will provide Kansas businesses a boost and prevent the state from losing shoppers to Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.
Posted inWatchdog
In his nine-year tenure, Sedgwick County District Attorney has yet to prosecute a police killing
Fifteen men. One woman. No prosecutions. Law enforcement personnel from the Wichita Police Department and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office have shot and killed 19 people since District Attorney Marc Bennett took office in 2013. Bennett, citing Kansas law, has declined to file charges against officers in 16 of those fatalities. In 15 cases, the officers […]
Posted inHealth
Checking receipts: How the richest county in Kansas spent $124.3 million in CARES Act funds
In the early days of the COVID pandemic, millions of taxpayer dollars flowed into the Kansas City area through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economics Security (CARES) Act. The largest cash infusion went to Johnson County, Kansas — $124.3 million. As part of a series following CARES Act money through the Kansas City area, The […]
Posted inEducation
Here are the KC-area school board candidates and education issues on the April 5 ballot
Local voters can influence education policy through their votes for school board members and on education bonds.
Posted inHealth
As the Kansas City area forgoes mask requirements, experts say to keep wearing them for now
In a long-awaited announcement on Feb. 25, the Centers for Disease Control said it was no longer recommending indoor mask wearing in communities considered to be at low to medium risk of COVID-19 spread. And President Biden announced in his State of the Union address on Tuesday that “COVID-19 no longer need control our lives.” […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Local Government
Nearly 90% of Sedgwick County homes rose in value this year. Here’s how to appeal your property valuation.
Note: This story has been updated to reflect the fact that sales prices of nearby homes are available on the county appraiser’s website. An overheated housing market across the nation is reflected in Sedgwick County’s housing valuations this year. In 2022, 88% of residential homes in Sedgwick County increased in value — about 158,467 of […]
Posted inLocal Government, Watchdog
Proposed changes would expand role of Wichita’s police review board
The Wichita Citizen’s Review Board could issue independent reports on allegations of police misconduct for the first time under changes proposed by the city last week. How board members are appointed and the length of their terms would also change under a proposal offered Feb. 24 by Wichita City Manager Robert Layton. The 13-member board, […]
Posted inLocal Government
Wichita joins other Midwestern cities in moving away from public housing
Public housing in Wichita is coming to an end. In late January, the Wichita Housing Authority announced plans to sell its 352 single-family public homes. And last September, the authority closed on a deal to convert its 226 other public housing units, which are apartments for seniors, into Section 8 housing. Section 8 units receive […]
Posted inEducation
Which colleges are worth the cost? How to navigate the lists and rankings for KC-area schools
There’s no set formula for figuring out college value. So The Kansas City Beacon combed through a few college value rankings and talked with local universities to give you a starting point.