A “Campground” in the heart of the city
Most people see a shed in their backyard and think about storing garden tools or a lawnmower. But Chris Ceisel and his wife Cristin Llewellyn had a very different vision in 2011. They saw a bar. “It was this intimate space where people keep repeating to us that it ‘felt like they were no longer…
How your zip code affects your wellbeing
Place matters. Be it a street that divides the city or two neighboring counties, the place where one lives often strongly predicts income, educational opportunities and health outcomes. Income disparity is a geographic marker seen in this city and those across the nation. Mapping it out Click on the zip codes in this map, which…
The making of colorful canvases
Kwanza Humphrey is an emerging artist whose colorful canvases and insightful drawings have been featured in shows at the Kansas City Artist Coalition and the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art. Humphrey says he tries to tell a deeper story about the people he captures in his art — a story he believes we’ll all recognize. On…
Conflicting police pursuit policies in the KC metro area
Police pursuits, more commonly known as car chases, can be very dangerous. Often they end in crashes or, in the worst cases, death. In the last decade in Kansas City, there have been at least 706 pursuit crashes that have killed at least 23 people – many of them innocent bystanders. Hundreds more were injured,…
The Birth of a ‘Smart’ Kansas City
From its offices in the Crossroads, Think Big Partners is working to help entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality. But the business accelerator, which provides advice on everything from raising capital to building a network of contacts, is now looking to boost Kansas City’s status as one of the most technologically advanced municipalities in the world…
Regional group to look into the issue of police pursuits
A regional planning group says it will wade into the issue of conflicting police pursuit policies in the Kansas City area.
When it rains, it pours – how storms are affecting this year’s crops
Driving down a two-lane highway in rural Missouri, Matt Plenge squinted at a patch of gray clouds hanging low over his farm fields in the distance. “Does it look hazy up there?” he asked. “We only had a 20 percent chance today. We shouldn’t get any rain.” Plenge, like most farmers, always keeps one eye…
Mastering the uphill climb to college
Donte Walters thought he had cruise control set for his senior year at Wyandotte High School. He had earned A’s throughout high school, ranked in the top three of his class, participated in sports, and was accepted into the University of Kansas. But in spite of all this, his principal says she panicked during last year’s…
Farm groups criticize ethanol policy changes at EPA hearing
Thursday was not the day to switch places with Chris Grundler. Grundler, the director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was in charge of the EPA’s one in-person hearing about proposed changes to U.S. ethanol policy. More than 250 people signed up to speak at the hearing,…
Five years after the Indoor Clean Air Act
When it took effect five years ago, the Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act had some restaurant and business owners concerned. But their worries about the state law prohibiting smoking in most public places — including workplaces, public buildings, bars, and restaurants — have largely gone unrealized. The law had its start in cities such as…
A program that aims to get KC kids on their bikes
On a warm afternoon at Garfield Elementary school in northeast Kansas City, a class of grade schoolers charges out into the schoolyard to spend an hour riding bikes. They’re getting training from members of the nonprofit group BikeWalkKC. The program was created three years ago to teach bicycle safety skills. But BikeWalkKC’s education program manager, Maggie Priesmeyer, says she and her fellow instructors found they would often be teaching children to ride for the first time.
Debate Over The Minimum Wage Draws National And Local Leaders
According to an MIT Living Wage Calculator, an individual in Kansas City would require more than a $9 dollar an hour wage in order to sustain an above-poverty lifestyle. For years, efforts to raise the minimum wage at the federal and state levels have faltered. Now, some of the biggest cities in America are taking matters into…
Injured bystanders of Missouri police pursuits face uphill battles in court
Even in cases where officers allegedly violated local policy, innocent victims of police pursuits in Missouri may still have a hard time proving their cases. For example, in a case that may be reviewed by the Missouri Supreme Court, there was expert testimony that a Kansas City officer violated the city’s pursuit policy in a…
Crashes continue as police pursuit policies clash
Seconds before impact, Emma Rothbrust cheered on the Grandview police officer — in hot pursuit far from his home turf — as he blew through a red light in Leawood. “Go get him,” said Rothbrust, 16, as she and a friend waited for him to clear the intersection. As soon as they pulled out, a…
Kansas AG fights EPA water ruling
Fresh off a win in one multi-state lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced he will join another. Schmidt’s office said Tuesday morning he was joining attorneys general from eight other states in fighting the “Waters of the U.S.” rule intended to expand the scope of the Clean Water Act…