Friends of Flatland
Small Businesses Shocked by Low NFL Draft Sales, Now Wary of World Cup
A massive surge in visitors and foot traffic as Kansas City hosted its first NFL Draft failed to generate sales for small businesses outside the event grounds.
No Place Like Home? The Wizard of Oz Still Shapes the World’s View of Kansas for Better and Worse
The Wizard of Oz and Kansas have been inseparable since farm girl Dorothy Gale first skipped down the yellow brick road. But having an enduring image from the Dust Bowl 1930s might also hold Kansas back from what it wants to be today.
North Kansas City Makes Case for New Royals Ballpark
North Kansas City has emerged as the most likely backup for a proposed Royals ballpark should a deal strike out at the East Village downtown site.
Kansas City Considers Becoming a Transgender ‘Safe Haven’ in Defiance of Missouri Laws
The LGBTQ Commission has asked Kansas City to become a sanctuary city for the transgender community. Missouri is about to restrict gender-affirming care.
Earth Day Update: Midwest Cities Still Have Air Quality Problems
Although dangerous ozone levels have declined, an air quality study by the American Lung Association notes that soot from western wildfires remains a problem.
Missouri’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ Law Could Play a Role After the Shooting of 16-year-old Ralph Yarl
The shooting of Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager, by an 85-year-old white man highlights Missouri’s recent adoption of “Stand Your Ground” gun laws.
KC Southern Expansion, Apartments in the Works Downtown
Plans for apartments and an expanded headquarters for the former Kansas City Southern hinge, in part, on reconstruction of Barney Allis Plaza.
Kansas Citians Share Hopes for South Loop Link
More than 1,650 people have shared their wishes for the proposed $200 million South Loop Link over the freeway in downtown Kansas City.
Sports Wagering Bill Remains Mired in Missouri Senate Split Over Gambling Expansion
The odds that the Missouri General Assembly will pass sports gambling legislation during this year’s session area dwindling.
With the Ogallala Aquifer Drying Up, Kansas Ponders Limits to Irrigation
Water levels in the Ogallala Aquifer continue to plummet. But after decades of inaction, Kansas’ approach to water conservation might be shifting.