Dozens of homes and businesses on four blocks of the Valentine neighborhood have been razed over the past 120 years, demolished one by one from 80 at its peak in 1909 to 30 at the beginning of this year.
As 2024 comes to a close, only eight still stand in the area bordered by 33rd and 35th streets, Southwest Trafficway and Pennsylvania Avenue.
“It’s like a wasteland,” said Catherine Hayes, a Valentine resident for the past 40 years.
Steve Stonehouse has seen it before. Children come to the Sedgwick County Department of Corrections youth intake facility, where he’s the director. They’re already kicked out of school and have nothing to do all day. So, the county corrections department started offering classes. The kids get at least four months of schooling, and they might […]
Missouri lawmakers will return to Jefferson City in January ready to launch on dozens of health-related bills, including an effort to chip away at abortion rights approved last month by voters, limit how recipients can use government food assistance cards and eliminate the state sales tax on food. Legislation already filed for consideration for 2025 […]
The Kansas Department of Commerce doesn’t run criminal background checks on nearly any of its prospective employees. That’s one explanation of how the agency hired a felon with a history of financial crimes to handle over $100 million in American Rescue Plan Act money. Former Commerce employee Jonathan Clayton is suspected of embezzling public funds. […]
Since Missouri legalized marijuana in 2018, Dr. Bob Batterson has noticed a change in attitudes. The Children’s Mercy Hospital psychiatrist more often hears from parents wondering if cannabis could help their child’s anxiety, autism or OCD. “I tell them there are no studies,” said Batterson, the medical associate director of the hospital’s Division of Developmental […]
The holidays are a hectic and busy time, and at The Beacon, we recognize that it looks a little different for everyone. To help you unwind, relax and take a step back, we’ve put together a list of activities that you enjoy with your family, friends or even by yourself. Support local dining this holiday […]
The university says the move would improve efficiency, streamline operations and allow for future development. But Kansas City’s approval is uncertain.
The Beacon started a new strategy in 2024 with the Community Journalism Lab, CJL. We learned what worked, what didn’t and where we plan to go in 2025. That included the possibility of building partnerships with local journalism schools. We focused more on hearing more from organizations and community members through various forms of listening […]
In a world where the gaps between neighbors and communities grow larger, few issues illustrate these rifts more than homelessness. That’s why Kansas City is working to open its first low-barrier shelter — one that provides immediate access with minimal or no requirements. Kansas City officials approved the conversion of Hope Faith Ministries into a […]
For Kansas City residents living on the street, the prospect of escaping subfreezing temperatures hinges on the availability of a shelter bed. When temperatures drop to 32 degrees, the human body is at risk of hypothermia. Frostbite can set in within 30 minutes without proper protection when air temperatures fall below 5 degrees and in […]
