The Kansas City Land Bank board of directors will vote to approve a replacement for interim chair Julie Anderson this week.
Kansas City Land Bank chair departs amid oversight failures
Posted inLocal Government
City continues to foot the bill on mowing vacant lots as Kansas City Land Bank sales drop
The KC Land Bank has begun to resemble a warehouse cluttered with inventory that won’t sell and costs that won’t quit. And at least one group committed to decent and affordable housing in Kansas City has questioned the makeup of the board of commissioners.
Posted inEducation
‘Leave no stone unturned’: Six financial aid tips from Missouri and Kansas experts
When it comes to financial aid for college, it’s not about whether you think you’re qualified. It’s about knowing your options, meeting deadlines and just applying. We asked experts from the financial aid and admissions offices of local colleges what you need to know, including when to start, what applications to prioritize and how to […]
Posted inLocal Government
‘A lot of mystery behind the true donors’: Who are the LLCs donating to Wichita City Council candidates?
As Wichita City Council candidates face off in elections that end Tuesday, their latest campaign filings show that corporate contributions played a significant role in the general election — just as they did in the primary. Voters are casting ballots in three races — Districts 1, 3 and 6. Corporate or LLC donations totaled 18% to […]
Posted inEducation, Local Government
Young people are some of the least likely to vote. These young Wichitans are working to change that.
Dione Ramos didn’t think her first time voting would be special. She certainly didn’t expect a live band, a DJ blaring Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello, free tacos and recognition of first-time voters. But that’s what Vote Mob provided on Oct. 26. The annual celebration of voting is organized by local youth-led civic engagement group […]
Posted inEconomics, Local Government
In Overland Park mayor’s race, tax breaks for developers take center stage
As Johnson County’s largest city experiences a boom, the use of tax incentives for development projects has become a central issue in the Overland Park mayoral race.
Posted inLocal Government
KCK mayoral challenger personally funded majority of campaign
The biggest donor to Tyrone Garner’s Kansas City, Kansas, mayoral campaign is Tyrone Garner. The former deputy chief of the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department lent his campaign $23,500 from April to October, according to a Beacon analysis of his July and October campaign expenditure reports. Those personal loans make up the bulk of his […]
Posted inHealth
With threat of HIV and hepatitis C outbreaks, KC addiction centers try to make substances safer to use
“Harm reduction is basically identifying the things that are most likely to cause problems in the person’s life … so that you can minimize the injury to the person,” said Dr. Doug Burgess, the medical director of addiction services at University Health.
Posted inEducation
Missouri students: Do you know about these college scholarships?
Editor’s note: This story was updated Nov. 2, 2021, to add an entry for the Chandler Turner Scholarship Fund. If you’re considering college in Missouri, it’s not too early to start thinking about financial aid. Here’s a list of some of the major scholarship opportunities in the state, along with eligibility requirements, application information and deadlines. […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education
How to attend, watch or comment at Wichita-area school board meetings
School boards over the past year and a half have found themselves unexpectedly in the crosshairs of public attention amid divisive topics, including critical race theory, mask requirements, and quarantine and isolation policies. But speaking out at school board meetings does not have to be a confrontation, and many school boards in Kansas provide easy […]