Kyle Ritterbush is one of the young, entrepreneurial professionals Wichita politicians talk so much about wanting to keep. At just 20 years old, he started his video production business last year after graduating high school. He wants to grow it – hiring someone part-time, taking on bigger projects – all while here in Wichita. On the side, […]
Celia Hack
Hack covers local government for The Wichita Beacon. She is a Report for America corps member. Follow her on Twitter @CeliaHack.
Posted inLocal Government, Wichita Journalism Collaborative
Union Pacific sued over chemical spill affecting Wichita neighborhoods near 29th and Grove
Wichita residents living above a chemical spill from Union Pacific Railroad face property damages and a loss of property value as a result of the company’s negligence, according to a federal lawsuit filed this week by law firms across the country. The class-action lawsuit addresses a chemical spill at a Union Pacific rail yard near […]
Posted inEnvironment, Kansas State Government
Study finds higher rates of liver cancer, low birth weights near toxic site in northeast Wichita
Rates of liver cancer and low birth weights are higher among people living above a toxic groundwater site northeast of downtown Wichita, a new health study by the state of Kansas finds. The source of the contamination is the Union Pacific rail yard at 29th and Grove, which has a chemical in its soil and […]
Posted inEnvironment, Kansas State Government, Watchdog
‘I’m just so angry’: Wichitans feel state neglected to warn them of danger
In November, KMUW and The Wichita Beacon requested records detailing what the state did to inform the public of the contamination. The state produced limited evidence that it followed through on key aspects of its own communications plan between 2003 and 2022.
Posted inEnvironment, Local Government, Watchdog
Community members want fishing lake near toxic site tested, but state says it’s not necessary
The lake is directly north of a toxic site contaminated by a large chemical spill, which state officials estimate happened in the 1970s or ’80s.
Posted inLocal Government
‘Beyond necessary’: Sedgwick County hires first-ever diversity and inclusion consultant
In an effort to improve recruitment, racial equity and community relations, Sedgwick County will begin surveying its employees this month on the state of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. In February, the county signed a $102,000 contract with its first-ever diversity, equity and inclusion consultant, Hicks-Carter-Hicks LLC, which will work for nine to 12 […]
Posted inLocal Government
Is the city of Wichita understaffed? The Wichita Beacon analyzes a public sector staffing problem.
Gretchen Lenth, The Wichita Beacon’s Dow Jones News Fund data intern, contributed data analysis and graphics to this story. On the morning of June 28, Jeff Erker stood outside Wichita City Hall with his daughter and a sign that read “Support Wichita Firefighters.” Trucks and cars sped past, honking their support for the higher wages […]
Posted inLocal Government
Here’s what the community-led search committee is looking for in a new Wichita police chief
Editor’s note: Faith Martin and Harvey Sorensen are donors to The Wichita Beacon. Michael Birzer is a member of The Wichita Beacon’s Community Advisory Board. View a list of our financial supporters here. As the Wichita Police Department reels from a scandal regarding racist text messages sent by Wichita police officers and faces a lawsuit […]
Posted inHousing, Local Government
Wichita allocates additional $100K to fund demolition of dangerous and dilapidated properties
To pay for more demolitions of blighted houses in the next year, the Wichita City Council added $100,000 to the 2022 building and construction department budget on June 14. The city condemns and demolishes vacant residential properties that it considers unsafe — for example, fire-damaged homes, residences with falling-in porches and unsecured houses. To reduce a […]
Posted inState Government, Uncategorized
Kansas has $56 million to help homeowners struggling to pay their mortgage following pandemic
A new $56.6 million statewide program funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act aims to help homeowners who are struggling financially due to the pandemic.