This article was produced with ProPublica as part of its Local Reporting Network initiative. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published. This story is available in plain language. One weekday morning in July, Kerstie Bramlet was at her workstation inside the Warren County Sheltered Workshop near […]
Madison Hopkins
Madison Hopkins is the previous health care accountability reporter for The Beacon.
Posted inHealth
Residents explore KC air sensor program at community forum
On a recent Saturday morning, Kansas City residents gathered with local organizations to learn how to monitor air quality in the city’s Troost Avenue corridor. Hosted by KC Digital Drive at the Lucile H. Bluford Branch of the Kansas City Public Library, the event aimed to inform community members about how they can participate in […]
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COVID in Kansas City: Latest data and updates
The Kansas City Beacon has compiled the latest COVID-19 data for the metro area.
Posted inHealth
Here’s how residents along Troost Avenue can help measure Kansas City air quality
To learn about Kansas City air quality, a collaboration is seeking local volunteers to place air sensors on their properties. Led by KC Digital Drive and other community partners, the program aims to gather data on climate and pollution along the Troost Avenue corridor. “The main thing with a project like this is you have […]
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How different priorities in Northland counties affected CARES Act spending
Clay and Platte counties in Missouri have a lot in common. They share a border, they both cover part of Kansas City, Missouri’s territory, and collectively they make up what’s known as the Northland area of the metropolitan region. However, when it comes to nearly everything associated with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security […]
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For Jackson County, getting COVID relief money came with early problems
Political infighting, a disbanded funding committee and even a Hail Mary request to the White House all happened during Jackson County’s early efforts to spend the $122.7 million.
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Checking receipts: How the richest county in Kansas spent $124.3 million in CARES Act funds
In the early days of the COVID pandemic, millions of taxpayer dollars flowed into the Kansas City area through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economics Security (CARES) Act. The largest cash infusion went to Johnson County, Kansas — $124.3 million. As part of a series following CARES Act money through the Kansas City area, The […]
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Sheltered workshop or community jobs? Inside Missouri’s debate over disabled adults in the workforce
Robert Petrie takes pride in his job. The 38-year-old started working as a Walmart cart attendant in Sedalia, Missouri, nearly two years ago. He made the move when he said his old job with McDonald’s wasn’t challenging enough anymore – the same reason he decided to move on from the job he held before that. […]
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Tracking COVID relief spending in Wyandotte County: How $37.3 million was spent
Audio-Reader · TheBeacon 2-15-22: Tracking COVID Relief Spending In Wyandotte As part of a new series, The Kansas City Beacon is following how millions of dollars of coronavirus relief funding was spent in the area. Last month, we explored how Kansas City, Missouri, spent $31 million in government aid through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and […]
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COVID Help Desk: Everything you need to know about testing in Kansas City
Audio-Reader · TheBeacon 1-27-22: COVID Help Desk While the omicron-fueled surge of the COVID pandemic is showing early signs of slowing down on the East Coast, new cases and the demand for COVID tests continue to reach record levels in the Kansas City area. During the first three weeks of this year in the metropolitan […]