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The Kansas City Beacon
‘We cannot continue down this path’: KCKPS special education can’t shake issues with staffing, trust
A team of researchers found heavy staff turnover and poor retention. That leaves more work for those who stay and makes it harder for them to give students the services they’re legally entitled to. The post ‘We cannot continue down this path’: KCKPS special education can’t shake issues with staffing, trust appeared first on The Beacon.
Missouri won’t let Kansas City become a sanctuary city, but the mayor wants more immigrant workers
Takeaways: Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has essentially invited immigrants to come and fill the local labor pool. He’s offering officials in New York and Denver help from the crush of immigrants in those cities and welcoming foreign workers to Kansas City. That quickly sparked accusations that Lucas appeared bent on making Kansas City a […] The post Missouri won’t let Kansas City become a sanctuary city, but the mayor wants more immigrant workers appeared first on The Beacon.
KC residents will soon be able to throw away twice as much garbage. Will that help or hinder efforts to recycle?
Kansas City is about to bottle up its trash better. Bins will replace bags, keeping animals out of the garbage. But the convenience of a lidded trash bin may come at a cost for the environment. Kansas City set a goal in 2009 to divert 80% of its waste from landfills. Now 15 years later, the city is halfway there. The bins, with their bigger capacity, threaten to reverse that progress. And it might still take more effort to keep trash safe from raccoons. The post KC residents will soon be able to throw away twice as much garbage. Will that help or hinder efforts to recycle? appeared first on The Beacon.
New Kansas City housing subsidies set by ZIP code could avoid segregating renters
For generations, federal housing subsidies have provided a lifeline to families struggling to afford rent. But the maximum amount families got for rent stayed the same regardless of which neighborhood best suited their needs — effectively segregating them into low-income areas. Come this fall, the rent cap for a standard apartment will vary from one […] The post New Kansas City housing subsidies set by ZIP code could avoid segregating renters appeared first on The Beacon.
Kansas City, Kansas, school bond would mean higher taxes, new schools, but only if voters approve
The bond would pay to consolidate six elementary schools into three schools and replace Argentine and Central middle schools. The post Kansas City, Kansas, school bond would mean higher taxes, new schools, but only if voters approve appeared first on The Beacon.
Missouri’s senior property tax freeze still dogged by unanswered questions
Takeaways Last year, the Missouri General Assembly scrambled to act on an issue popular with voters who turn out in large numbers: property tax cuts for seniors in the form of a tax freeze. Lawmakers passed a vague directive letting counties freeze property tax bills for seniors, without defining what “senior” meant, who was going […] The post Missouri’s senior property tax freeze still dogged by unanswered questions appeared first on The Beacon.
Why the FAFSA is so hard in 2024, and where to get help in Kansas City
An updated version of the FAFSA, shorter and intended to be easier than previous editions, was released months later than usual. Then website malfunctions hindered families trying to complete the application. The post Why the FAFSA is so hard in 2024, and where to get help in Kansas City appeared first on The Beacon.
A Kansas ban on gender-affirming care couldn’t overcome a veto last year. Things are different now
Takeaways: Conservative Kansas lawmakers couldn’t ban gender-affirming care for transgender children last year after Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the bill and Republicans fell short on an override vote. This year, they’ve passed a more restrictive ban and run into another veto from Kelly. Yet a veto override that would outlaw puberty blockers, hormone treatments […] The post A Kansas ban on gender-affirming care couldn’t overcome a veto last year. Things are different now appeared first on The Beacon.
KC roads could just get bumpier. Eco-friendly cars are chipping away at street repair funds
The signs of springtime are among us: The smell of new flowers, the sight of children playing at the park and the sound of metal scraping against asphalt as cars kerplunk into potholes. But for all of the racket these potholes cause every spring — and all the money that City Hall dumps into street resurfacing every year — Kansas City’s streets may only become more of a problem in the future. The post KC roads could just get bumpier. Eco-friendly cars are chipping away at street repair funds appeared first on The Beacon.
Transgender care, abortion, plastic bags and more: Your guide to Kansas Gov. Kelly’s 2024 vetoes
Takeaways: Gov. Laura Kelly’s vetoes of bills that would restrict gender-affirming care for children and abortion rights are setting up override votes that will test the unity of conservatives in the Legislature. One part of the Kansas legislative session ended in the early morning hours of April 6. Legislators take a break of a few […] The post Transgender care, abortion, plastic bags and more: Your guide to Kansas Gov. Kelly’s 2024 vetoes appeared first on The Beacon.
Kansas City-area politicians pick between war on drugs or treatment when spending opioid settlement cash
Editor’s note (April 18, 2024): This story has been updated to correct the amount of money Jackson County allocated to University Health’s Center for Recovery and Wellness. A state report listed a different amount than the the county legislature appropriated. Johnson County spent the biggest piece of its opioid settlement windfall so far cracking down […] The post Kansas City-area politicians pick between war on drugs or treatment when spending opioid settlement cash appeared first on The Beacon.
Lawmakers want your permission to weaken voters’ ability to change laws, the Missouri Constitution
Takeaways: Missouri voters will likely soon be asked by the lawmakers they elected to strip themselves of some power to put initiative petitions on the ballot — to take action when politicians won’t. Voters could be asked to place further restrictions on the already difficult, and costly, job of passing an initiative petition. One proposal […] The post Lawmakers want your permission to weaken voters’ ability to change laws, the Missouri Constitution appeared first on The Beacon.
Raytown High students wanted a crackdown on violence, guns in school. Making the right changes is tricky
Since that public pressure, students say Raytown High School has made effective changes, such as hall sweeps targeting students who aren’t in class. They’ve also seen signs that the district is seriously considering other measures such as installing weapons detectors. The post Raytown High students wanted a crackdown on violence, guns in school. Making the right changes is tricky appeared first on The Beacon.
Kansas City homeowners don’t want to sell their homes. Here’s why
Takeaways: If you’re looking to buy a home in Kansas City in today’s market, brace for scarcity and tough competition. Real estate experts say that people who already own their homes, locked in with historically low mortgage rates, appear reluctant to sell and take on higher interest rates that would come with the purchase of […] The post Kansas City homeowners don’t want to sell their homes. Here’s why appeared first on The Beacon.
A Kansas grandmother couldn’t adopt her grandchild. The case points to larger issues in foster care
Takeaways: Mindy Mathes was thrilled when a foster agency picked her and her husband to adopt their granddaughter. The girl had been weathering the chaos of the Kansas foster care system, living in multiple homes before finding people to call family. At the Mathes home, she’d have stuffed animals — unicorns and a beloved Grinch […] The post A Kansas grandmother couldn’t adopt her grandchild. The case points to larger issues in foster care appeared first on The Beacon.
Will Gov. Laura Kelly sign or veto tax cuts? Here’s what else passed
Takeaways: Kansas lawmakers approved new tax cuts, bans on gender-affirming cares and some new crimes this year. The Republican-controlled Legislature can expect Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly to veto some of the most controversial bills, setting up override votes. Legislators finished the regular session and will take a few weeks off before returning for veto session. […] The post Will Gov. Laura Kelly sign or veto tax cuts? Here’s what else passed appeared first on The Beacon.
Kansas and Missouri bans may spur families to travel far out of state for gender-affirming care
If Kansas bans gender-affirming care for minors, Kansas City families with transgender children will be hundreds of miles from a doctor who could help them. Kansas lawmakers stand poised to follow a conservative playbook that 24 states, including Missouri, already have used to outlaw treatments like puberty blockers and hormone therapy. The Kansas Legislature passed […] The post Kansas and Missouri bans may spur families to travel far out of state for gender-affirming care appeared first on The Beacon.
What the stadium tax defeat says about teams, their subsidies and Jackson County voters
Editor’s note (April 4, 2024): This story has been corrected to reflect an error about a Virginia tax package to attract stadiums. The Royals and the Chiefs had everything. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce — fresh off of a Super Bowl victory — endorsed a “yes” vote in ads airing on TV and on YouTube. […] The post What the stadium tax defeat says about teams, their subsidies and Jackson County voters appeared first on The Beacon.
Kansas City area election results: Voters snub stadium tax and fill school boards
Voters turned out in large numbers for a spring election on Tuesday, soundly rejecting a proposal to extend a Jackson County sales tax to pay for a downtown Royals stadium and sorting out the makeup of school boards across the metro. Stadium tax Jackson County’s Question 1 failed by a vote of roughly 42% to […] The post Kansas City area election results: Voters snub stadium tax and fill school boards appeared first on The Beacon.
When social issues stall Missouri lawmakers, statewide officials make their own rules
Who needs legislators? Especially when they can’t even pass laws on the hottest of hot-button issues? Instead, conservative Republicans who hold every statewide office in Missouri increasingly show they can limit what materials libraries can stock, toss aside rules on socially responsible investments and shut off access to gender-affirming care. When lawmakers in the Missouri […] The post When social issues stall Missouri lawmakers, statewide officials make their own rules appeared first on The Beacon.
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The Kansas City Beacon is an online news outlet focused on in-depth journalism in the public interest. It launched in 2020 and is part of The Beacon, a regional nonprofit news network serving Kansas and Missouri. Our reporting centers issues in local government, health care, education, economics, environment and civic engagement.
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