Robyn Adams struggled to support her husband and teenage daughter on $16,000 a year during the pandemic. Then the pandemic ended and her family lost its Medicaid coverage. “We went into panic,” she said. The family relied on a temporary expansion of coverage authorized by the federal government during the pandemic to weather the bills […]
Kansas State Government
Stories from The Wichita Beacon that cover issues from the Kansas state government.
Posted inKansas State Government
Kansas uses the power of the pocketbook to prevent divestment in Israel
All but the smallest companies have to agree not to participate in any movement that aims to boycott, divest from or sanction companies in Israel.
Posted inHealth, Kansas State Government
500 dead and counting from fentanyl as Wichita struggles to curb overdoses
Under Wichita’s towering landmark, the Keeper of the Plains, a group of grieving Wichitans gathered at dusk, lighting candles for loved ones lost to fentanyl. Among the dozens of mourners at the recent memorial were Mark and Val Sandoval, who lost their son just weeks before his high school graduation after he took a single […]
Posted inKansas State Government
Kansas Supreme Court to decide if Wichita’s ‘noisy conduct’ ban violates First Amendment
It’s not what Gabrielle Griffie said, but how she said it, the city of Wichita argued before the Kansas Supreme Court on Sept. 12. More specifically, how many people she said it with, and their reasons for saying it. Griffie was convicted of a misdemeanor — unlawful assembly — after leading a protest against police […]
Posted inKansas State Government
Data dive: What spending more money on elections means for voter turnout
A county-by-county examination by The Beacon showed counties that spent more per voter got some payoff on turnout — with limits. Counties that spent less than $20 per registered voter tended to see turnout of about 40%. Those that spent more than $30 per voter could generally expect turnout north of 50%.
Posted inKansas State Government
Kansans can lose big on sports betting with a single click. Experts want more protections
People in Kansas can now lose hundreds to thousands of dollars, and possibly more, with just a few taps on their phone. The fallout from gambling addiction can be devastating — from people losing their life savings and stealing to suicide. Up until about a year ago, Kansas only allowed gambling through the lottery and […]
Posted inKansas State Government
Kansas taxpayers — not casinos — are underwriting ‘free’ sports bets that entice gamblers
Kansas taxpayers subsidize the millions of dollars nationwide sports gambling apps hand out to bettors for their initial wagers that get them in the habit of gambling. The new sports betting industry also makes hardly any revenue for the state, amounting to a small drop in the bucket of the state’s multi-billion dollar operating budget. […]
Posted inKansas State Government
Kansas economy depends on Latinos and Hispanics, state’s fastest growing demographic
Hispanic people represent 18% of residents in Wichita and the fastest growing segment of the Kansas population — making them an integral part of the state’s workforce, critical to the state’s overall economic success. On July 29, the Kansas Hispanic and Latino American Affairs Commission held a Latina Leadership Summit at Wichita State University. It […]
Posted inKansas State Government, Local Government, Wichita Journalism Collaborative
‘Nothing to fear’: Wichita police chief, county sheriff on HB 2350’s impact on undocumented people
Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan and Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter say Wichita’s immigrant community should not fear HB 2350, an anti-smuggling bill that takes effect July 1. Since its passage, the bill has come under fire from state politicians and immigration advocates for its vague language. Many people were concerned the law could be […]
Posted inData, Kansas State Government, Watchdog
The month the Chiefs won the Super Bowl, Kansans bet $194 million on sports but the state got only $1,134
Update: Following publication of this story, Gov. Laura Kelly’s office issued a statement via Brianna Johnson, her communications director: “Governor Kelly agrees there are aspects of the sports betting legislation that could be improved. She will continue to discuss any potential changes with legislators.” It may not surprise you that in the same month the […]