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 […]
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 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.
Posted inEconomics
For many Kansas City refugees, job options depend on spotty public transportation
Many refugees had worked in specialized jobs in their countries of origin, Ashok Sanadi, executive director of KC for Refugees, said. KC for Refugees has worked with people who were doctors, information analysts and business owners in their previous homes. But because new arrivals don’t speak English fluently, they require jobs with minimal instruction. So they take positions in meat processing plants, distribution centers or factories.
Posted inHealth
Accidental fentanyl overdose is a growing concern in Kansas City. Here’s how you can save a life.
Dr. Doug Burgess, medical director of addiction services at University Health (formerly Truman Medical Centers), encourages everyone to keep naloxone in their home or carry it with them in case they encounter someone who needs it. “The majority of people that I treat with opioid addiction have been saved by
Posted inHealth
Truman Med announced a vaccine mandate for its 5,000 employees, and 39 resigned. Now other area employers are split.
Three primary factors caused University Health to require vaccinations two months before President Joe Biden made the decision universal, University Health President Charlie Shields said. Those factors: to protect its workforce and keep the hospitals staffed; to reassure patients that they would not catch the virus from an employee; and to send a message to the community that vaccination is the best way to end the pandemic.
Posted inCivic Engagement
Refugees are coming to Kansas City. Here’s how to help.
For years, Kansas City has been a destination for refugees and new immigrants, largely because of the work of three resettlement agencies: Jewish Vocational Service, Della Lamb Community Services and Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas. As the region prepares to receive significant numbers of refugees after several years of restricted admissions, KC for Refugees and the other agencies are sharing multiple ways for people to get involved.
Posted inCivic Engagement
Refugee resettlement agencies ask for landlord referrals as they prepare for new arrivals
In the past, resettlement agencies usually had two or three weeks to get a family set up. But with many of the emergency evacuations from Afghanistan over the past month, this process has been shortened to just 48 to 72 hours. “It’s going to be crazy, which is why we need help,” Danilo Aguilar said.
Posted inHealth
Coming soon to your local bar: free HIV and hepatitis C tests
KC Care prevention manager Paisley Williams wants to move away from language that stigmatizes STIs and sexual health. She said the stigma only makes this health care more inaccessible — instead of getting tested for STIs or getting a prescription, it causes them to avoid care out of shame or fear of judgement.