With the arrival of summer, children in Kansas City are rejoicing at the warm weather and long-awaited pool days. But while kids celebrate, many parents quietly worry about the cost of food as the close of the school year means an end to school lunches and low-cost meals for their children. In response, the Missouri […]
Josh Merchant
Josh Merchant is The Beacon's local government reporter in Kansas City. After graduating from Seattle University, Josh earned a master’s degree in investigative journalism from Columbia Journalism School with coursework in data journalism. Josh has contributed reporting to The Seattle Spectator, The South Seattle Emerald and THE CITY in New York. They're a former Beacon intern. At The Beacon, they reported on issues of traffic safety, with a focus on roadway design, as well as tax-incentivized development at a variety of Kansas City agencies. They have lived in Kansas City since 2021.
Posted inLocal Government
Were you convicted for marijuana possession in Kansas City? You might be eligible for a pardon.
Marijuana possession has been partially decriminalized in Missouri since 2017, but a number of residents continue to have Kansas City marijuana convictions on their criminal records. Those convictions can present barriers. Even though Kansas City passed a municipal measure called “Ban the Box” in 2018, preventing employers or landlords from asking about a criminal record […]
Posted inCivic Engagement
Goodwill for Ukrainian refugees is abundant in KC, but what about other refugees?
“Where were these people when we needed help for others?” Refugee advocates urge donors to also show compassion for non-European refugees.
Posted inEconomics, Housing, Local Government
Formerly incarcerated Missourians struggle for decades to find stable housing
After serving time in prison, Christine McDonald found herself living on the streets of Kansas City and in a pay-by-the-week motel. Robert Richardson, who also has a felony record, settled for a bug-infested apartment with an open hole in the front. They are far from alone in the struggle to find adequate, affordable housing as […]
Posted inHealth
As the Kansas City area forgoes mask requirements, experts say to keep wearing them for now
In a long-awaited announcement on Feb. 25, the Centers for Disease Control said it was no longer recommending indoor mask wearing in communities considered to be at low to medium risk of COVID-19 spread. And President Biden announced in his State of the Union address on Tuesday that “COVID-19 no longer need control our lives.” […]
Posted inState Government
Missouri bill would revoke medical license of doctors who prescribe gender-affirming hormones for children
Every weekday, pediatricians see patients at Gender Pathway Services of Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City and the Transgender Center of the St. Louis Children’s Hospital. For the young patients, an appointment can mark a turning point in their lives. Transgender children visit the clinics at the onset of puberty to receive puberty blockers. These […]
Posted inState Government
As Missouri profits from marijuana sales, drive to expunge convictions grows
In 2020, medical marijuana dispensaries in Missouri generated nearly $30 million in state tax revenue. That same year, 10,650 Missourians were arrested for marijuana possession, according to FBI crime data. The growing disconnect in a state that reaps profits from the sale of marijuana for medical purposes while also prosecuting residents for possessing it is […]
Posted inHealth
Nearly half of abortions in Kansas are for Missouri residents. A constitutional amendment could change that.
Abortion clinics in Kansas have seen an increase in patients from Texas and Oklahoma, but thousands of Missourians have been traveling to Kansas for abortion for years.
Posted inHealth
Helping refugees transcend trauma in northeast Kansas City
Finding a therapist who understands their cultural background can be difficult, and the mental health care system can be confusing for even natural-born Americans to navigate. Instead, they lean on case managers such as Merrell, and one another.
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.