Chef Shaun Brady’s death triggered at least $1.5M in measurable costs, illustrating the often-ignored economic burden of gun violence.
Thomas White
Thomas White covers workforce and economic impact for The Beacon, reporting on policies, programs, and systems that help or hinder everyday people's pursuit of the American Dream. White is an emerging reporter with previous experience at The Community Voice and The Pitch Magazine. The KC-area native spent over a decade in hospitality before earning his journalism degree from the University of Missouri Kansas City as a first-generation college graduate from a working-class family.
Posted inLabor
Reservation for 650,000: Kansas City’s hospitality industry braces for World Cup workforce scramble
With more than 6,000 open food service job listings and no coordinated plan to address staffing, Kansas City restaurant leaders worry they won’t be ready for the massive influx of World Cup visitors in 2026.
Posted inEconomics
‘I’d rather turn my degree back in’: KC-area borrowers face student loan payment spikes
Millions of student loan borrowers face raised monthly payments as Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminates the SAVE plan and reduces repayment options.
Posted inLabor
‘Troost is not scary’: Kansas City Equity Walk highlights Black business revival on historic street
The Troost Equity Walk on Aug. 15 invites the public to trek 10 miles along Kansas City’s historic racial dividing line, visiting The Combine KC, Aim Well Yoga, WeCode KC, and others.