Mayor Sly James

Mayor James to travel to Moscow for Global Entrepreneurship Congress

Kansas City, Mo., Mayor Sly James will be traveling to Moscow next month to take part in the 2014 Global Entrepreneurship Congress.

Close up picture of 1800s portrait of a man.

The Real McCoy: Harris-Kearney House holds artifacts of KC’s founding father

Today’s Kansas Citians owe a lot to the clothesline. In February of 1835, John Calvin McCoy submitted the first map of Westport, which he measured out using his wife’s clothesline. McCoy is commonly thought of as the father of Westport and, by extension, Kansas City. “We are the keepers of history of Westport and early…

Picture of woman pointing to posterboard.

Kansas City Public Schools work to involve community in middle school project

As the Kansas City school district prepares to reopen two middle schools next fall, Lead Middle School Principal and Project Leader Dr. Cynthia Johnson is seeking community input on everything from uniform colors to school boundaries to supportive services, like social workers, for students. One way Johnson is reaching out is through a series of…

1 Million Cups logo with mug and heaphones

Storify: 1 Million Cups with On Track Fundraising and Bike Share KC

Every week, entrepreneurship reporter Kyle Geary reports on 1 Million Cups at the Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City. This week, local businesses On Track Fundraising and Bike Share KC presented, and Kyle captured some of the social media reactions using Storify.

Truman opens new cancer center

The new Richard and Annette Bloch Cancer Center at Truman Medical Centers started treating patients this week, the hospital said Wednesday in a news release. TMC announced the project in June after receiving a $2.3 million gift from the R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation. Annette Bloch’s husband, Richard, battled cancer for more than two decades before dying…

Improvements suggested for regional health initiative

  Leaders of a key initiative to coordinate and expand healthcare services for the region’s low-income residents must sharpen its focus and do a better job of measuring its outcomes, according to a review by an outside consultant. Known as the Regional Health Care Initiative, the effort operates through the Mid-America Regional Council. Major funding…

Chelsea Clinton and Kay Barnes

Chelsea Clinton speaks at launch event for women’s hall of fame

Chelsea Clinton was the featured speaker at the Starr Women’s Hall of Fame luncheon Monday at UMKC. She spoke about the need for more positive role models for young women and her work with the Clinton Foundation, of which she is vice president. The luncheon was held to celebrate the launch of the Starr Women’s…

Kansas Legislature considering charter school bill

A bill before the Kansas Legislature would encourage the growth of charter schools in the state by expanding the types of public entities that oversee charter schools. Currently, Kansas has 11 charter schools across the state all of which are authorized by school districts. “While the Kansas State Board of Education is the final authorizer…

Binary scales

‘Net Neutrality’ ruling a concern for local startups

Last month, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued a ruling on Verizon’s challenge to net neutrality regulation. The decision removed the barring of Internet service providers’ ability to prioritize specific Internet traffic.

Profile: Kari Keefe of The Mozilla Foundation

Kari Keefe is a seasoned entrepreneur, now working as the Community Catalyst for Kansas City at the Mozilla Foundation where she is involved with the Gigabit Community Fund. Tell me a little bit about yourself. Who is Kari Keefe? “I’m a 20-year marketing vet with a startup and entrepreneurial spirit. Twice an entrepreneur and always a small biz…

Truman Medical Centers CEO to retire in July

Truman Medical Centers announced Friday that CEO John Bluford will retire this summer after 15 years in the position. His retirement is effective July 18, according to a news release. Bluford turns 65 on May 1. Bluford is working with a committee that includes TMC board members and appointees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City…

Physicians urged to help stop violence in KCMO

The physician community can play a key role in helping reduce the shootings and killings plaguing the urban core of Kansas City, Mo., the leader of an international violence-prevention organization argued during a visit to the city this week. But the contribution won’t come through patient care, said Dr. Gary Slutkin, an epidemiologist who advocates…

Profile: Angela Broderick Bedell, executive director of Metro Med

Angela Broderick Bedell, 48, took over as executive director of the Metropolitan Medical Society of Greater Kansas City (Metro Med) in May. The society, which dates back to the late 1800s, is a membership organization for physicians practicing in the Kansas City area. It has about 2,000 members, including students and retirees. Bedell has held…

Picture of Mike English sitting at conference table with papers sprawled in front of him

Profile: Mike English, executive director of Turn the Page KC

It’s been nearly two years since Kansas City, Mo., Mayor Sly James launched Turn the Page KC, a community initiative to get students reading on grade level by third grade. Today the initiative announced its first dedicated staff member, Mike English. English accepted the position as the initiative’s first executive director this month. “Between (The…

Health Brief

KU Eye plans centennial events

Mike Sherry – The Hale Center for Journalism The Ophthalmology Department at the University of Kansas Medical Center is marking its centennial this year through several public events aimed at raising awareness and promoting vision care. The department, also known as KU Eye, has its main office in Prairie Village, Kan. It is the only…