Flatland
Flatland Staff
Stories by Flatland
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…
Bryan Sheppard and the Heavily Redacted Elephant in the Courtroom
In 1997 Bryan Sheppard was sentenced to life without parole for the deaths of six Kansas City firefighters. Although he and the other four defendants have always maintained their innocence, they have lost all of their appeals and are considered guilty of the crime in the eyes of the U.S. judicial system. All five were…
Reveal | Trial By Fire
Listen to the podcast here: This podcast is from the Center for Investigative Reporting, which co-produces the “Reveal” radio show and podcast with PRX. “Reveal” features CIR’s reporting, as well as stories from public radio stations and a wide range of media partners, both nonprofit and commercial. For “Trial by Fire,” CIR relied on decades of reporting…
Making Sense of A Tragedy
The Rev. Kelly Isola is chair of the Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council. The comments below were prepared for a vigil held days after the fatal shooting in Olathe. It is with a heavy heart that I stand with you today. The council is deeply disturbed and saddened by these violent acts. We offer our…