This fall, half of Wyandotte County’s Board of Commissioners are up for election. District 1 is one of three districts without an incumbent in the race.
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 inElections
Meet Wyandotte County’s District 5 candidates: A doctor, a retired public administrator and an educator
Three candidates are running to replace Mike Kane in Wyandotte County’s District 5. This district covers most of northwestern Kansas City, Kansas.
Posted inElections
Meet the candidates running to represent District 8 of Wyandotte County
Three candidates are challenging Andrew Davis in Wyandotte County’s District 8. This district covers north-central Kansas City, Kansas.
Posted inLocal Government
Frank White pitches new plan to keep the Chiefs at Arrowhead
His sales tax proposal would give one pot of money to the Chiefs, another pot to Jackson County for courthouse improvements and a third pot to University Health to fill health funding gaps left by Trump administration cuts.
Posted inLocal Government
All eyes on the Royals while they ponder stadium sites
The Royals need to get moving if the team wants a new stadium by 2031. Local officials are waiting for them to pick a site.
Posted inLocal Government
Hotel rooms, buses and liquor laws: Is Kansas City ready for the 2026 World Cup?
Here are five key issues that Kansas City will need to get right when it hosts the World Cup in one year.
Posted inHousing
Corporate landlords are more likely to evict their tenants and maintain unsafe housing in Kansas City according to a new study
Corporate landlords have become more and more common since the Great Recession. Housing advocates say that hurts tenants.
Posted inLocal Government
How can Kansas City help its transgender residents? Here’s what a survey revealed
The Kansas City Council declared the city a “safe haven” for trans people two years ago. But one community leader says the city hasn’t followed through on that promise.
Posted inLocal Government
‘What the hell are we doing here?’: Weeks into the fiscal year, KCPD has already maxed out its lawsuit fund
During a public budget hearing, KCPD budget officials told the council that $3.5 million would be enough for legal expenses this year. Two months later, the board announced $18.1 million in lawsuit settlements.
Posted inLocal Government
Mario Vasquez is Kansas City’s new city manager. Here are three key issues that he will confront in the first 100 days.
Big decisions loom at Kansas City Hall — including preparations for next year’s World Cup matches, building a new city jail and managing a budget amid financial uncertainties.