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The Kansas City Beacon
Kansas City Public Schools face grievances from maintenance and cafeteria workers’ union
unresolved grievances can create frustration for workers who ensure school buildings are running safely and students are fed, KCPS union members and organizers said during public comment at a mid-November school board meeting. The post Kansas City Public Schools face grievances from maintenance and cafeteria workers’ union appeared first on The Beacon.
How much can local government tax weed? Legal fights brew over Missouri cannabis rules
Takeaways: A little sales tax on the buds or gummies you buy at the neighborhood cannabis dispensary is one thing. But another tax? And another? Various state and local sales taxes lumped onto your recreational marijuana purchase can add upwards of 20% to the cost of legalized Missouri weed. The state cannabis trade association, which […] The post How much can local government tax weed? Legal fights brew over Missouri cannabis rules appeared first on The Beacon.
Facing decline in enrollment, Park University cuts faculty and more than a dozen programs
The university said it will eliminate three graduate degree programs — master of social work, master of arts in national security studies and master of education in language and literacy — but will allow current students to complete their studies. The post Facing decline in enrollment, Park University cuts faculty and more than a dozen programs appeared first on The Beacon.
Kansas City Public Schools won’t arm officers in elementary schools after community feedback
The decision comes as the district tries to show it’s involving the community, particularly parents, in decisions that affect schools. The post Kansas City Public Schools won’t arm officers in elementary schools after community feedback appeared first on The Beacon.
Suburbs braced to use the legislature to block a south Kansas City landfill
Takeaways: Subdivisions, restaurants and retail shops pop up around Lee’s Summit and Raymore amid rising property values as single-family homes spread across what was farmland just a few years ago. But residents say a proposed 430-acre landfill could threaten that growth. And they’ve rallied together to block it — raising money and deploying lobbyists to […] The post Suburbs braced to use the legislature to block a south Kansas City landfill appeared first on The Beacon.
Kansas City cannabis dispensary workers win union to gain leverage in a growing industry
Takeaways:1. Workers at the Homestate Dispensary have voted to establish the first cannabis union in the area in the Kansas City market. 2. Homestate employees have complained about not receiving paid holidays and a lack of security in the workplace. They want better pay, job security, better health insurance and protections from wrongful termination. 3. This unionization […] The post Kansas City cannabis dispensary workers win union to gain leverage in a growing industry appeared first on The Beacon.
Kansas City, Kansas, let police to exploit Black people, lawsuit says
Five Black women filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. The suit contends that officials permitted an “open and notorious police protection racket” to victimize the Black community while detectives committed “regular acts of humiliation and exploitation.” Filed late Friday, the 138-page suit names four […] The post Kansas City, Kansas, let police to exploit Black people, lawsuit says appeared first on The Beacon.
An incumbent versus a barbecue business owner in Wyandotte County
Wyandotte County voters will decide Unified Government’s District 1 at-large seat on Nov. 7. The winner will face decisions about how taxpayer dollars are spent and how the county’s chief governing body will address issues like safety, housing and property taxes. The post An incumbent versus a barbecue business owner in Wyandotte County appeared first on The Beacon.
Blue Valley school board candidates divide themselves into two slates
Calling themselves the A+ Team, newcomer Clay Norkey and incumbents Jan Kessinger, Patrick Hurley and Jodie Dietz emphasize the district’s achievements, such as high rankings as an employer and school district and test scores above the state average. The post Blue Valley school board candidates divide themselves into two slates appeared first on The Beacon.
An open Unified Government seat draws two candidates in southern KCK
Kansans will cast votes in dozens of municipal races across the state on Nov. 7, including in Wyandotte County, where half of the Unified Government’s Board of Commissioners will be up for election. In District 6, which covers the less densely populated areas in south central Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, incumbent Angela Markley has decided not to seek a fourth term. Instead, the Rev. Steve Neal faces off against small-business owner Philip Lopez. The post An open Unified Government seat draws two candidates in southern KCK appeared first on The Beacon.
Gardner Edgerton election could shift the balance of the school board
This year, it’s possible control of the board could shift with four seats out of seven up for grabs. The post Gardner Edgerton election could shift the balance of the school board appeared first on The Beacon.
Two former public officials compete to represent District 4 in central KCK
Five positions on the Unified Government’s Board of Commissioners are up in the Nov. 7, 2023, election, including the District 4 commissioner representing central Kansas City, Kansas. The post Two former public officials compete to represent District 4 in central KCK appeared first on The Beacon.
Afghan refugees still adjusting to life in Kansas City — and wondering if they can stay
When the Taliban overtook Kabul in 2021, Qasim Rahimi went into hiding at a neighbor’s house. Meanwhile, U.S. troops withdrew and took nearly 90,000 Afghan evacuees who were in danger of persecution. Rahimi knew he had to leave, too. “I was a journalist and a director in (the) Afghanistan government when the government fell, so […] The post Afghan refugees still adjusting to life in Kansas City — and wondering if they can stay appeared first on The Beacon.
Kansas judge blocks 24-hour waiting period for women seeking abortions
A Kansas judge has temporarily blocked several of the state’s longstanding abortion restrictions, including a 24-hour waiting period that providers say has resulted in hundreds of women being denied abortions. In an order released Monday, Johnson County District Judge K. Christopher Jayaram wrote that the restrictions “(appear) to be a thinly-veiled effort to stigmatize the […] The post Kansas judge blocks 24-hour waiting period for women seeking abortions appeared first on The Beacon.
Who’s running for the Unified Government in KCK’s District 3?
Wyandotte County voters will cast votes on Nov. 7 in an election that will decide half of the Unified Government’s Board of Commissioners. This board is the chief governing body for Kansas City, Kansas, and the rest of Wyandotte County, making decisions related to development, the police department and the budget. The candidates elected this […] The post Who’s running for the Unified Government in KCK’s District 3? appeared first on The Beacon.
On the KCMO ballot: Keep a sales tax or cut 30% of bus funding?
For 20 years, people in Kansas City have paid an extra 3/8-cents sales tax on every purchase they made, to subsidize bus service. On Nov. 7, voters get to decide whether to continue that tax, which hits poorest families the hardest, or whether to effectively cut nearly a third of the bus service that working-class residents rely on most heavily. The post On the KCMO ballot: Keep a sales tax or cut 30% of bus funding? appeared first on The Beacon.
What is solutions journalism and why do we do it? A look at past coverage
At The Beacon, it is our mission to produce stories that shine a light on wrongdoings and abuse by government, businesses and other powerful institutions through in-depth, solutions-driven journalism. With a solutions focus ingrained into the fabric of our publication, we’re looking to do something different and fill in gaps where they might exist in […] The post What is solutions journalism and why do we do it? A look at past coverage appeared first on The Beacon.
These candidates want to represent Armourdale and Riverview in the Unified Government
On Nov. 7, voters across Wyandotte County will decide who will represent them on a city and county level in a Kansas election that will determine half of the county’s Unified Government. The post These candidates want to represent Armourdale and Riverview in the Unified Government appeared first on The Beacon.
Meet your 2023 Kansas City, Kansas, school board candidates
Responding to a questionnaire from The Beacon, the candidates weighed in on improving outcomes for students, school funding and their concerns about how the board currently operates. The post Meet your 2023 Kansas City, Kansas, school board candidates appeared first on The Beacon.
Red tape and income limits have booted 82,000 Kansans off Medicaid since May. How can they get back on?
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 […] The post Red tape and income limits have booted 82,000 Kansans off Medicaid since May. How can they get back on? appeared first on The Beacon.
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