Missouri state courts have begun the process of issuing expungements of most nonviolent marijuana offenses from people’s records, thanks to the November passage of a state constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana and expunge the records of some who had been criminally charged for its use in the past. But people familiar with the new […]
Kansas City
Posted inCivic Engagement
As Black women go missing in Kansas City, Black community looks to itself for solutions
The last time JoAnn Stovall had contact with her granddaughter, Samone Jackson, was in early 2021. Almost two years have gone by without contact with the now 25-year-old woman, who spent much of her childhood in Stovall’s home. Stovall raised Jackson from the time she was 5. About a year after graduating from high school, […]
Posted inEducation
KCPS outpaces charter schools in preliminary enrollment after falling behind last year
KCPS enrollment isn’t back to pre-pandemic levels. And some members of the public think the district needs to do a better job of promoting its accreditation status and other assets.
Posted inDIY Democracy, Local Government
The informal workings of Kansas City’s state-appointed police board
Kansas City’s Board of Police Commissioners on Thursday carried out one of its highest-profile responsibilities when members announced they had chosen police Maj. Stacey Graves as the new chief of police. The hiring of Graves, the first woman to lead the department on a non-interim basis, concluded a process that began when former Chief Rick […]
Posted inEducation
Four-day school week in Independence: What you need to know
District leaders have said that a major motivation is improving teacher retention and recruitment amid a shortage of educators.
Posted inState Government
As Missouri abortion-rights supporters look to initiative petitions, legislators try to limit power
Elected officials rushed to make Missouri the first state to ban abortion outright on the same day in June that the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision. But an August poll from St. Louis University found that 48% of Missouri voters would support a reversal of the ban, and an additional 13% […]
Posted inCivic Engagement, State Government
Initiative petitions let Missouri voters make policy, but some lawmakers say they’ve gone too far
Missouri is one of 26 states that uses an initiative petition process. It is also one of many Republican-controlled states where lawmakers are seeking to make it harder for citizens to circumvent their legislature and place a proposed law or constitutional amendment on a statewide ballot. Initiative petitions have been used in Missouri to enact […]
Posted inEducation
Budget deficit prompts Rockhurst to assign more classes to faculty
Experts on university finances say the explanation Rockhurst has provided for the deficit — low enrollment — is a common source of money troubles at private universities, and a situation from which it’s possible to recover.
Posted inDIY Democracy, Housing, Local Government
Landlord ignoring your complaint? Here’s how to get your apartment fixed.
As temperatures dip in the winter months, safe homes become all the more critical. Broken furnaces, moldy ceilings and crossed wires all endanger residents who are spending more time indoors. For tenants, problems in their units can be a source of anxiety, especially if their landlord is reluctant to fix them. To protect tenants, Kansas […]
Posted inEducation
Who would benefit or struggle under a four-day school week in Independence?
The board has received advice that families of children with disabilities or those who have only elementary-age students might struggle the most with a four-day week.