Mike Sherry
Stories by Mike Sherry
Manufacturers Out of Step with Customers on Repairs
Would you want your livelihood to depend on your daughter’s choice of dance escorts? Don’t laugh. Nathan Proctor has heard anecdotes to that effect in his role with PIRG, a Denver-based federation of state-based public interest research groups. Proctor is the senior director of PIRG’s right-to-repair campaign, which aims to break down the barriers that…
East Side Development Sales Tax
In 2017, voters approved a 1/8 cent sales tax with the goal of spurring economic development in disadvantaged neighborhoods of the city. So far, the Central City Economic Development (CCED) sales tax has awarded over $53 million and funded 39 projects. This month, Flatland in Focus investigates these projects and gages their effectiveness in addressing…
Sales Tax for East Side Projects Grapples with Growing Pains
Kansas City's Central City Economic Development (CCED) sales tax program has produced mixed results and faces political headwinds as the time for renewal looms.
KC Auditor Flags Issues with Economic Development Sales Tax
Kansas City's auditor has examined the Central City Economic Development sales tax, and made recommendations aimed at improving oversight of the funds.
Johnson County Scrambles to Distribute Federal Money for Affordable Housing
Johnson County housing officials are racing to distribute unspent federal COVID-19 dollars aimed at affordable housing for vulnerable individuals and families.
Child Care Crisis Challenges Families, Economy
Lack of access to affordable child care doesn't just hamper families, it also hurts the Kansas City economy. Some groups are trying to address the problem.
KC Emerging as a Life Sciences Powerhouse
A wave of new health care facilities are the latest signs of a decades-long quest to establish Kansas City as a life sciences powerhouse.
Hearing-Impaired Nonprofit Founder Aims to Remove Blinders from Corporate America
Snubs experienced by people with disabilities inspired Jim Atwater to establish Aptly, which provides employment assistance for underserved people.
Climate Change Highlights Value of 19th Century Plan for ‘A City Within a Park’
Civic, government and nonprofit leaders are evoking 19th century planner George Kessler's "city within a park" concept to help address the effects of climate change in Kansas City.
A Mother’s Quest for Openness Provides Map for Spurring Change
When Sheila Albers couldn't get answers to questions she had after her 17-year-old son was shot and killed by an Overland Park police officer, she didn't give up. Her story shows how everyday people can leverage public records to shape communities for the better.