For Reggie Davidson, working as recreation superintendent for the city’s Park and Recreation Department looks different every day. Some days, he may be at city hall, working in the office. Others, he’s at a golf course or a city pool. But his favorite days are when he gets to fill in as a camp counselor […]
wichita
Posted inLocal Government, Wichitans You Should Know
‘Don’t treat them different’: One formerly homeless Wichitan on what the city needs
It started with a recipe he concocted on his own — Southern-style barbecue chicken spaghetti. But pretty soon, Joseph “J.W.” Harris was spreading the cooking gospel to his neighbors and friends at The Studios, a permanent-housing apartment complex for people experiencing homelessness. In April, he led his first cooking class at the complex on North Topeka […]
Posted inEducation
Kansas rural families, parents of toddlers face a shortage of licensed child care providers, report says
Kansas is facing a severe shortage of licensed child care providers, according to a recent report released by state and nonprofit agencies. Estimates show that less than half of the “potential demand” in the state is being met. The 2021 Supply Demand Report released Thursday covers the challenges child care providers have faced during COVID, the diminishing […]
Posted inLocal Government
It’s been a year. What has Wichita’s land bank accomplished so far?
In May 2021, the Wichita City Council created the city’s first-ever land bank — a city-owned and operated entity aimed at reducing blight and vacant properties. The land bank aims to acquire distressed properties or vacant lots and rehabilitate them. Its main priorities? Neighborhood revitalization and affordable housing, which are key as home and rental prices in […]
Posted inLocal Government
Wichita’s budget passes in August. Here’s how you can get involved in shaping it now.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect a change in schedule to the budget process. The proposed budget will now be presented to the City Council on July 12 instead of July 19. Wichita’s annual budget may struggle to grab your attention. But behind jargon that might take your breath away — mill levy, […]
Posted inWichitans You Should Know
Janice Burdine Thacker wants to turn shipping containers into a campus for Black culture in Wichita
Since she retired in 2005, Janice Burdine Thacker has continuously reinvented herself. The septuagenarian spent seven years as a touring road artist, showing and selling her work all over the country, including at the massive international art fair Art Basel Miami. After leaving the road, she launched an annual art show during Black History Month, […]
Posted inLocal Government
Does a muggy May mean a hotter summer in Wichita?
Sweltering. Muggy. Burning up. Last week, high temperatures in Wichita blew past 70-degree norms, reaching into the 90s. And the city broke records for how warm it was at night, according to Vanessa Pearce, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wichita. “It’s definitely higher than what the normal would be,” Pearce said. Why […]
Posted inLocal Government
Rising rents, reluctant landlords complicate housing search for people with rental aid in Wichita
This story idea came from The Wichita Beacon’s Community Engagement Bureau. Learn more about it here. Editor’s note: We updated this story on May 16 to include additional information from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Norman Doll started looking for a new apartment last year. Doll has advanced heart disease, agoraphobia and […]
Posted inLocal Government
Most Wichita board and commission members don’t fill out conflict of interest forms. Here’s what other cities do.
Editor’s note: We corrected this story on May 12 to add that the Library Board of Directors also asks its members to fill out conflict of interest disclosure forms. The headline, a photo caption and the story were revised to reflect this update. On May 16, the story was revised to clarify that while the […]
Posted inLea en Español, Local Government
Tornado provoca conversación sobre alertas de emergencia en español
Esta idea de la historia vino de los representantes de Participación Comunitaria de The Wichita Beacon. Obtenga más información al respecto aquí. Esta historia fue traducida por Claudia Yaujar-Amaro, quien administra al equipo de Participación Comunitaria de The Wichita Beacon. Esta historia también está disponible en inglés. Lea aquí. Cuando un tornado EF-3 tocó tierra […]