In the first election under USD 259’s new district-based school board election system on Tuesday in Wichita, results show voter turnout went up and moderates won over conservatives. Last year, Wichita voters changed the way school board members are elected in the state’s largest school district. Previously, all school board members were elected citywide. Now, […]
Trace Salzbrenner
Trace Salzbrenner is the former community journalist for The Wichita Beacon. Follow him on Twitter @RealTraceAlan.
Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government
Wichita police group backs Wu over Whipple, blames mayor for officer shortage. What do the numbers say?
Mayor Brandon Whipple touts work that he’s done with the City Council to make those jobs available. Lily Wu, who’s facing off with Whipple in the Nov. 7 election, contends that the incumbent bears responsibility for the police department’s problems in recruiting more officers.
Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government
Candidates for Wichita City Council answer your questions ahead of general election
Mail-in and in-person voting begin this month. To help voters make their decisions, The Wichita Beacon asked all Wichita City Council candidates to respond to questions submitted by readers. Questions focused on water, policing and housing. City Council Districts 2, 4 and 5 have elections Nov. 7. Only residents within those districts can vote on […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education, Elections
Wichita USD 259 school board candidates talk book bans, LGBTQ safety and teacher shortages
Mail-in and in-person voting begin this month. To help voters make their decisions, The Wichita Beacon asked all USD 259 school board candidates to respond to questions submitted by readers. Questions focused on the teacher shortage, classroom content and student and teacher safety. The three school board seats up for election are for the 3rd […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections
Wichita mayor candidates talk property taxes, water and safety ahead of Nov. 7 election
Voters will select Wichita’s next mayor on Nov. 7. Mail-in and in-person voting will begin this month. To help voters make their decision, The Wichita Beacon asked incumbent Brandon Whipple and challenger Lily Wu questions submitted by readers on taxes, housing, water and safety. The candidates’ answers have been edited for clarity and length. Do […]
Posted inEducation
Schools get first aid kits to treat gunshots, but teachers have a more immediate safety worry
The Wichita Metro Crime Commission in September presented 11 area schools with Stop the Bleed first aid kits — small red bags filled with emergency medical supplies used to treat deep wounds. Although the kits are not new to area schools, their appearance is one sign of escalating concerns about student safety and conduct. With […]
Posted inLea en Español, Local Government
¿Qué sucede cuando el 911 no habla su idioma?
Traducido por Rommy Vargas-Bezzubikoff – Spanish Ad Hoc Translations LLC Cuando usted marca el 911, cada segundo cuenta. Esté preparado para dar su dirección, la naturaleza de su emergencia y su idioma. Si no habla inglés, prepárese para esperar. El sistema de respuesta de emergencia del Condado de Sedgwick depende de servicios de interpretación de […]
Posted inLocal Government
What happens when 911 doesn’t speak your language?
When you dial 911, every second counts. Be prepared to give your address, the nature of your emergency and — your language to the 911 dispatchers. If you don’t speak English, be ready to wait. The Sedgwick County emergency response system relies on third-party translation services to handle foreign language calls. Connecting a call to […]
Posted inEducation
A Black parent’s guide: How to help protect your kids from racism at school
Students have a right to a safe and discrimination-free environment while at school. But when acts of racism or discrimination happen, what can a parent do to protect their child?
Posted inLocal Government
Language barriers shut some Wichitans from local government services
Roughly one in 14 people in Wichita say they speak English — the primary language used to access taxpayer funded services — less than “very well.” Ask Ana Lopez. She is the Spanish-speaking community services representative for City Council District 6 that covers the heavily Hispanic North End neighborhood in North Wichita along Arkansas Avenue. […]