Wichita will choose its next mayor on Nov. 7, but first voters must narrow the field of candidates from nine to two in the primary on Aug. 1. Seven of those nine mayoral candidates shared their views on how to strengthen neighborhoods, engage citizens in advisory boards and tackle such problems as homelessness and police […]
City of Wichita
Posted inDIY Democracy, Education, Elections
Trans rights, mental health and student safety: USD 259 school board at-large candidates answer your questions
Last month, The Wichita Beacon surveyed our readers to find out what they most want to know about candidates running for local office. Questions for Wichita school board candidates centered on these themes: transgender protections in schools, student safety, mental health and curriculum decisions. Only one school board seat, the at-large seat, drew enough Wichita […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government
Housing, fentanyl and worker shortages: Where do Wichita’s City Council candidates stand?
Last month, The Wichita Beacon surveyed our readers to find out what they most want to know about candidates running for local office. Questions for City Council candidates centered on four themes: homelessness; the city’s worker shortage in areas of policing, health care and education; fentanyl deaths; and diversity and inclusion. Only one district, District […]
Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government
Diversity, transparency and leadership: Where do the Wichita’s mayoral candidates stand?
Update: Brandon Whipple and Lily Wu will appear on the Nov. 7 general election ballot. They have answered a second questionnaire with different questions submitted by our readers. Last month, The Wichita Beacon surveyed our readers to find out what they most want to know about candidates running for local office. Questions for the 2023 […]
Posted inEducation, Local Government
Here are Wichita’s USD 259 school board, mayor and City Council candidates for the 2023 election
June 1 was the deadline for local candidates to file with the Sedgwick County Election Office. Eight candidates filed to challenge the incumbent Wichita mayor, Brandon Whipple, who is seeking reelection. Another 10 candidates filed to run for the three of six City Council seats up for election this year. Three seats on the USD […]
Posted inLocal Government, Watchdog
Highlights, progress, stagnation: A one year check-in on the CJ Lofton task force
After 17-year-old Cedric “CJ” Lofton died in law enforcement custody in September 2021, the community wanted answers. How did this happen? What went wrong? What could be changed to prevent such a thing from happening again? A community task force of 23 members was convened to find those answers and make recommendations for systemic change. […]
Posted inLocal Government
‘It’s a terror to the community’: How Wichita police training in public housing affects the neighborhood
The city’s predominantly Black neighborhoods — which already see a disproportionate police presence — are now seeing police show up in tactical gear to raid vacant buildings even when nothing is wrong. Officers dressed in military-style fatigues, carrying riot shields and displaying weapons began using the vacant housing for training exercises a year ago, part […]
Posted inAccountability, Education, Health
A surge in fake pain pills is fueling a deadly epidemic among Wichita’s teens
What does youth fentanyl overdose look like? In Sedgwick County it often looks like parents finding their teenager dead in bed — or a toddler dead on the floor, fentanyl pills scattered next to him. That’s not supposed to happen. Parents expect kids at home to be safe, not at risk of the No. 1 […]
Posted inLocal Government
Surprised? Wichita Animal Shelter now meets ‘no kill’ rates for euthanasia
In 2012, nearly half the stray cats and dogs picked up by Wichita’s animal control were staring down a death sentence. The Wichita Animal Shelter euthanized 4,476 dogs and cats that year, with a majority of those being cats. That represented 45 percent of animals that came to the facility that year, according to its […]
Posted inLocal Government
Struggling with your water bill? Help is available
If you qualified for assistance for your energy bill this year, you may also qualify for $50 off your water bill in Wichita. And if you didn’t but still need help, other options for water bill relief are also available. In Wichita someone’s water will be shut off, typically, after three months of nonpayment. This […]