When The Beacon first launched its newsroom and community journalism lab in Kansas City, we made a commitment to do more than just cover the news. We wanted to transform who shapes it, how it’s told and whom it serves. That commitment came into focus when a parent and advocate, Tricia McGhee, emailed The Beacon […]
Kansas City
Posted inEducation
Child care ‘is like paying a mortgage.’ New cost-sharing program is here to help
By splitting the cost of child care between families, their employers, local funders and the state, the program hopes to ease families’ financial burden while supporting the child care industry and economy.
Posted inLocal Government
Kansas City awards $400K to 26 neighborhoods. How far can the money go?
The Beacon spoke to a few neighborhood leaders to see what residents can expect.
Posted inEducation
Your guide to Kansas City-area summer reading programs
Here’s help in finding in-person and online summer reading programs.
Posted inState Government
Missouri Supreme Court to decide on marijuana ‘tax stacking.’ Here’s what that means for your wallet.
The court weighs arguments from dispensaries and counties about the legality of both cities and counties taxing marijuana sales.
Posted inBehind the Beacon
The Beacon hears from UMKC graduate students about education, health and local government
The University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Graduate Student Council hosted the 2025 Community of Scholars Research Conference. The event on April 17 brought together 60 graduate students, faculty and community members to showcase the essence of interdisciplinary research, community and collaboration. The conference chairs were Dr. Mohan Kumar Gajendran and Kiel Corkran, president of the Graduate […]
Posted inBehind the Beacon
A seat at the table: How primary care shortages are affecting Missouri’s communities
Physician supply lags behind patient demand nationally and across Missouri. On April 17, The Beacon spoke virtually with McKenzie Richards, a health care policy fellow from Cicero Institute and Michael Wacker, Senior Associate Dean and Director of the UMKC School of Medicine Regional Medical Campus in St. Joseph, Missouri, about the data, challenges and possible […]
Posted inBehind the Beacon
Sparking change for a better Kansas City
The Beacon heard from community leaders who gathered at Union Station on April 9 to explore pressing issues facing Kansas City. The 2025 C3 Conference, hosted by the Junior League of Kansas City focused on five key themes — equity and access, community empowerment, education and workforce development, and urban development — unified by a […]
Posted inBehind the Beacon
This is how we’re celebrating the holidays – Kansas City Style
The holidays are a hectic and busy time, and at The Beacon, we recognize that it looks a little different for everyone. To help you unwind, relax and take a step back, we’ve put together a list of activities that you enjoy with your family, friends or even by yourself. Support local dining this holiday […]
Posted inBehind the Beacon
The Beacon’s community engagement recap for 2024
The Beacon started a new strategy in 2024 with the Community Journalism Lab, CJL. We learned what worked, what didn’t and where we plan to go in 2025. That included the possibility of building partnerships with local journalism schools. We focused more on hearing more from organizations and community members through various forms of listening […]