News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
Mastering the uphill climb to college
Donte Walters thought he had cruise control set for his senior year at Wyandotte High School. He had earned A’s throughout high school, ranked in the top three of his class, participated in sports, and was accepted into the University of Kansas. But in spite of all this, his principal says she panicked during last year’s…
Five years after the Indoor Clean Air Act
When it took effect five years ago, the Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act had some restaurant and business owners concerned. But their worries about the state law prohibiting smoking in most public places — including workplaces, public buildings, bars, and restaurants — have largely gone unrealized. The law had its start in cities such as…
A program that aims to get KC kids on their bikes
On a warm afternoon at Garfield Elementary school in northeast Kansas City, a class of grade schoolers charges out into the schoolyard to spend an hour riding bikes. They’re getting training from members of the nonprofit group BikeWalkKC. The program was created three years ago to teach bicycle safety skills. But BikeWalkKC’s education program manager, Maggie Priesmeyer, says she and her fellow instructors found they would often be teaching children to ride for the first time.
Debate Over The Minimum Wage Draws National And Local Leaders
According to an MIT Living Wage Calculator, an individual in Kansas City would require more than a $9 dollar an hour wage in order to sustain an above-poverty lifestyle. For years, efforts to raise the minimum wage at the federal and state levels have faltered. Now, some of the biggest cities in America are taking matters into…
Injured bystanders of Missouri police pursuits face uphill battles in court
Even in cases where officers allegedly violated local policy, innocent victims of police pursuits in Missouri may still have a hard time proving their cases. For example, in a case that may be reviewed by the Missouri Supreme Court, there was expert testimony that a Kansas City officer violated the city’s pursuit policy in a…
Crashes continue as police pursuit policies clash
Seconds before impact, Emma Rothbrust cheered on the Grandview police officer — in hot pursuit far from his home turf — as he blew through a red light in Leawood. “Go get him,” said Rothbrust, 16, as she and a friend waited for him to clear the intersection. As soon as they pulled out, a…
Is Kansas’ Mental Health System Near Breaking Point?
The filing of a murder charge against a former patient at the Osawatomie State Hospital is prompting questions about the state’s mental health system. On May 14, Brandon Brown, 30, was released from a five-day stay at Osawatomie. He was sent to the state hospital after threatening other patients at the Haviland Care Center, a…
Women flex their tech muscles at KC conference
Article provided by Startland News and video produced by Brad Austin Framed by a LEGO guitar and robotic vehicle, Rheanne Walton and Emma Howard anxiously review notes at their podium as dozens of technology experts await their pitch. The middle-school students are visiting the Kansas City Developers Conference to share the story of their all-girl…
Life story of former MLB umpire pumps up tobacco-tax event in KC
Supporters of an increase in Missouri’s cigarette drew about 100 people to a campaign event in Kansas City Thursday evening, headlined by a motivational speaker who said he could identify with the campaign’s goal of increasing funding for early childhood education.
National and Local Reactions to the SCOTUS Gay Marriage Decision
Today’s Supreme Court ruling extending the right for gay couples to marry nationally has set off a wave of reactions, including celebrations outside the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.