News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
Will Climate Change Prevent Me from Being a Parent? Millennials, Gen Z Question Adding More Children to the Earth
Climate anxiety is prompting growing numbers of people to seriously question whether to bring more children into the world.
curiousKC | Your Questions on KC’s LGBTQ+ Community — Past and Present — Are Welcome
This month, Flatland focuses on Pride in Kansas City. What questions do you have about inclusive spaces for the LGBTQIA community in and around KC? Write in.
Legislature Approves $40M for Latest UMKC Hospital Hill Project
By Kevin Collison UMKC is pursuing an $100 million healthcare education building at Hospital Hill, the latest proposed investment in an area of greater downtown that’s attracted more than a half billion dollars in new construction in recent years. Last week, the Missouri General Assembly authorized $40 million for a proposed building that would house…
Nick’s Picks | Kansas Congressional Map Goes Before Kansas Supreme Court
The fight over congressional maps moves to the Kansas Supreme Court today. It’s at the top of this week’s news in Kansas City.
A (Shade) Tree Grows in Crossroads
By Kevin Collison The Crossroads Community Association wants to grow its way out of being downtown’s hottest neighborhood–literally–by planting dozens of street trees to provide more shade. “The goal is to make a meaningful dent in the tree canopy coverage in the near term,” said David Johnson, a CCA board member. “We plan to fill…
Entertainment Plan for West Bottoms Railroad Bridge Picks Up Steam
By Kevin Collison Michael Zeller’s quest to convert an old West Bottoms railroad bridge into an entertainment district over the Kaw River is picking up steam, with construction plans now in place and backing from key local philanthropic foundations. “I think it’s going very well and the prospects are good, that’s why I’m interested,” said…
Entertainment Plan for West Bottoms Railroad Bridge Picks Up Steam
Michael Zeller’s quest to convert an old West Bottoms railroad bridge into an entertainment district over the Kaw River is picking up steam, with construction plans now in place and backing from key local philanthropic foundations.
Decorative Lighting Store Taking Former Gojo Space in Westport
By Kevin Collison Circa Lighting, a decorative lighting and ceiling fan retail store founded in Savannah, Georgia, will be occupying the former Gojo Japaneses Steak House space on Broadway near Westport. The steak house closed because of Covid in November 2020 after operating more than 40 years in the building at 4163 Broadway. It’s now…
Decades Later, KC Dioceses Strive to Focus on Survivors of Sexual Abuse by Priests
June marks the 20th anniversary of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which was the first time that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops laid out a set of detailed procedures for addressing sexual abuse of minors by clergy.
Foreign Investment in US Cropland Nearly Triples in Past Decade, USDA Data Shows
Foreign investment in U.S. cropland has nearly tripled in the past decade, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.