Flatland
Flatland Staff
Stories by Flatland
What Are the Open Belief Centers in KC?
By Humera Lodhi Sharon Divine found faith as an adult. Or rather, she lost religion and then found faith. Divine grew up as a Christian attending Methodist, Lutheran, and Unity churches at various points in her life. The older Divine got, however, the less traditional religion seemed make sense to her. “There‘s nothing wrong with…
A Trip Back to a Childhood Spent in Westport Orphanage
By Tess Vrbin Joe Bessenbacher’s most vivid childhood memories include “a white triangular bonnet.” This piece of headgear is part of the habit that the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent De Paul wore. The order of nuns ran the Kansas City Orphan Boys’ Home, where Bessenbacher spent nine years of his childhood. Over time,…
Drawn Home: A KC Artist Sets Out To Find Home While On the Road
Recently, local artist Charlie Mylie ventured out from here in KC’s geographic middle to explore our country — its countrysides and city-sides — and understand the parts of it he doesn’t normally get to see. He’s set out (without a car we might add) also to challenge himself as an artist. Here at Flatland we asked Mylie: Can…
Rightfully Sewn | Designing a Garment District Revival
Is Kansas City’s Stockyard District poised to be our next Garment District? Rightfully Sewn’s Jennifer Lapka thinks so, and she’s playing her part in making that happen. Rightfully Sewn is focused on revitalizing the Kansas City garment and fashion scene — a once thriving industry here — by training at-risk women as seamstresses and placing them in apprenticeships. Lapka says it’s…
About The Coffee | Catering to the ‘Coffee Curious’
Marty and Tooti Roe are “tools in the toolbox” for anyone in the Kansas City coffee scene. Their shop, About the Coffee, started as an equipment service and repair company, but has morphed into a go-to for the coffee-inclined across the region, whether that’s roasting, brewing or experimenting with new equipment. Marty points to our innate Midwestern…
It’s the Journey: Biking in the Metro
Kansas City has one of the highest rates of automobile commuting in the nation. So, what does that mean for the cyclists sharing the road? Public Works? The Cost of Our Aging Infrastructure is a months-long project taking you underneath the pavement to tackle the state of our water and sewers. We track the state of highways and…
Craig Smith | A Kansas City Soundtrack
If Kansas City had a soundtrack, Craig Smith would probably create it. Smith is a local rapper and producer whose music has been picked up by Fox’s “Star” and “Empire,” Starz’ “Power,” TNT and Lionsgate Films. While he’s found success commercially, he uses his platform to increase awareness of injustices in his KC community and works…
Hufft | Building Kansas City
Kansas City can’t be pigeonholed into one area of greatness, and Hufft design collective is proving just that. The architecture and design firm takes a holistic approach to its building method and looks at ways to bolster young creatives in the industry. While globally and nationally recognized for their work, founder Matthew Hufft says the most impressive part of…
Show Me | Season Two Preview
Last year, our Show Me series introduced you to six entrepreneurs in Kansas City brimming with local pride and national ambition. Now, we’re back with four new stories about the movers and shakers who are shaping our great city. Get a taste of the who-and-what’s to come with this preview, and look for the first episode of Show Me’s Season 2 right…
PBS NewsHour: McCaskill launches investigation of opioid drugmakers
This morning from PBS NewsHour, read how Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat, is taking on manufacturers of top-selling opioids to find out whether these drugmakers are creating a cycle of addiction instead of preventing it. See Flatland’s coverage of opioid addiction in the area and read additional health coverage. McCaskill launches investigation of opioid drugmakers…