Millions of student loan borrowers face raised monthly payments as Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminates the SAVE plan and reduces repayment options.
‘I’d rather turn my degree back in’: KC-area borrowers face student loan payment spikes
Posted inBehind the Beacon
Meet Rachel Krause: The Beacon’s new director of civic partnerships and engagement
We are excited to introduce you to Rachel Krause (they/she), who just joined The Beacon in a brand new role as our director of civic partnerships and engagement. Rachel will be leading our Documenters program, training and paying community members to cover public meetings while also strengthening civic partnerships and deepening connections across the region. […]
Posted inHealth
Activities, meals and resources: A guide to Kansas City-area senior centers
The average life expectancy in Missouri is 75.1 years and 17% of Kansas nursing home residents are classified as low-care. Here’s a guide to senior centers for disabled and elderly people in the Kansas City metro.
Posted inBehind the Beacon
The Beacon brings on two new contract workers to support product and audience innovation
The Beacon has been working hard to grow a newsroom full of passionate reporters covering the Kansas City metro, Missouri and Kansas. The newsroom is currently staffed with seven reporters and our interim editor-in-chief. After focusing on building a strong editorial team, we’re excited to share that Naomi O’Donnell and Willa Odefey have accepted contract […]
Posted inLocal Government
Kansas City cared more about branding than public transparency. A new audit urges an overhaul
The audit into the city’s communications department investigated issues with transparency. The department was consolidated and controlled by former City Manager Brian Platt, who was fired in March.
Posted inState Government
Kansas foster children might miss class because of school enrollment issues
Foster children moving to new homes might mean a new school district. That means education records, course credits and other information need to be transferred to a new school. That can delay enrollment.
Posted inImmigration
KC figures strongly in long campaign to build Smithsonian museum honoring America’s Latinos
The White House recently targeted the Latino museum in a listing of Smithsonian exhibits and messaging criticized as woke or anti-American.
Posted inRural
As rural maternity care units close, Missouri families lose options
In Missouri, nearly 42% of counties are defined as maternity care deserts, higher than the nationwide average. Rural families face fewer options and greater distances to get OB-GYN care.
Posted inHealth
As COVID cases in Kansas City increase, so does confusion about vaccine recommendations
The CDC has already changed some vaccine guidelines, and the FDA may change others, which could throw insurance coverage into question and lead to fewer people getting shots.
Posted inImmigration
Kansas City’s immigrant rights advocates echo national call for nonviolent resistance
Amid the Trump administration’s escalating mass deportation campaign, many immigrant rights advocates are calling for nonviolent resistance.