Kansans helping friends or family who have intellectual disabilities are burnt out. They miss work, sometimes get a new job entirely and regularly offer daily care while paying for that help from their own pockets, a University of Kansas study said. Those families appealed to the state for help, but the intellectual developmental disability, or […]
Kansas families helping intellectually disabled kids are burnt out, doing care for free, KU study says
Posted inElections
Would sports betting boost Missouri school funding? There’s no guarantee, experts say
Missourians are being asked to legalize sports betting by passing Amendment 2. The campaign promises tens of millions will go to Missouri schools.
Posted inElections
Frustration about crime shapes race for next Jackson County prosecutor
Jean Peters Baker is stepping down after serving as Jackson County prosecutor since 2011. Democrat Melesa Johnson and Republican Tracey Chappell are running to replace her.
Posted inBehind the Beacon
How Suzanne King’s reporting highlights local health care gaps
Ever since Suzanne King joined The Beacon as a full-time health care reporter, she’s been diving into critical, underreported issues that affect the wellbeing of millions. King, who stepped into the role last fall, recently published a three-part series investigating the causes and effects of Kansas City-area pharmacies closing. But that’s just her latest. Over […]
Posted inHealth
Kansas City nurses say their new contract will mean higher pay and better patient care
Registered nurses at two HCA-owned Kansas City hospitals get “substantial” pay raises under new three-year contracts ratified in October. National Nurses United, the union representing registered nurses at Research Medical Center in Kansas City and Menorah Medical Center in Overland Park, said in a press release that the pay bump will make it easier to […]
Posted inState Government
Medical marijuana still faces opposition from Kansas law enforcement
Kansas police are once again saying no to drugs — including medical marijuana. On Tuesday, groups representing police chiefs, sheriffs and peace officers across the state continued to shoot down the idea of legalizing medical marijuana. They argued that legal weed would create a more lawless Kansas where cartels roam the streets and opioid deaths […]
Posted inElections
As money for senior citizens runs out, Jackson County voters consider a new property tax
Janet Baker has to say “no” more often than she would like to the aging Kansas Citians her organization serves. Even to a woman newly confined to a wheelchair who called a couple of weeks ago requesting Meals on Wheels, Baker, executive director of KC Shepherd’s Center, had to say “no.” “This makes me sick,” […]
Posted inState Government
Missouri sports betting: What MO can learn about sports gambling addiction from other states
Gambling addiction resources can be found online or Kansans can call 1-800-GAMBLER for help. In states with legal sports betting, more Americans are gambling on the talents of sports stars like Patrick Mahomes and Bobby Witt Jr. more and heeding the advice of certified financial advisers less. Households across the country are skipping the stock […]
Posted inHousing
Understanding the Kansas City-area rent strike: Tenant rights and other key facts
Nearly 200 tenants launched a rent strike at the start of this month over what they see as intolerable living conditions at two large apartment buildings in Kansas City and Independence. The renters at Quality Hill Towers and Independence Towers are demanding better upkeep, repairs, collectively bargained leases and capping annual rent hikes at 3% […]
Posted inBehind the Beacon
A Message to Our Readers: The Beacon’s Evolving Presence in Wichita
Since launching in Wichita in 2021, The Beacon has been committed to delivering trustworthy, community-centered news that highlights key local issues. We’ve continuously adapted and innovated while working closely with all of you to ensure our reporting makes a meaningful impact. Our vision hasn’t changed. We’re thinking beyond our newsroom and want to help foster […]