7+ mon, 2+ day ago (971+ words) How KCUR's community engagement team built an event designed to connect residents with their elected officials about what's happening in Washington, DC and how that is impacting us here in the metro. KCUR's community engagement team works to listen to Kansas Citians, and to connect its many, varied communities and facilitate conversations about what's on people's minds. We partner with residents organizations and leaders to distill what we hear and help our newsroom frame stories from their perspectives. On Monday, April 21, KCUR sponsored the forum: "How is Kansas City being affected by Washington?" The event focused on the rapid changes from the federal government, with the goal to make Kansas City's Congressional representatives available for a live Q&A. KCUR invited nine metro area Congressional representatives " the U.S. Senators from Kansas and Missouri as well as the five U.S. House representatives from the…...

4+ mon, 2+ week ago (314+ words) A pair of high-profile projects at 18th and Vine " restoring the Boone Theater and its Kansas City jazz legacy, along with transforming the long-vacant Workhouse Castle into a boutique hotel " are just a few of the just-funded redevelopment initiatives aimed at buoying small business and tackling challenges in Kansas City's urban core. The City of Kansas City, Missouri, in partnership with the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City (EDCKC) and the Central City Economic Development (CCED) Sales Tax Board, has announced the approval of about $19 million for 15 projects in the 3rd and 5th council districts. "These investments directly support the kind of development our community deserves: projects that create jobs, deliver new housing, expand local businesses, and reinforce the cultural and economic vibrancy of our central city neighborhoods," said Tracey Lewis, president and CEO of EDCKC. Funding for the projects is expected to…...

3+ week, 4+ day ago (754+ words) Dustin Hare, the Economic Security Policy Advisor of Kansas Action for Children, told the Kansas News Service it's still unclear when funds will arrive, and when they do, how far they will go. "If families receive half their food budget this month, then that means they're going to be able to eat for half the month, or roughly 15 days," Hare said. Kansas Appleseed is an advocacy nonprofit that lobbies for social justice and resources, including access to food, on behalf of Kansans. Haley Kotter of Kansas Appleseed says residents are already feeling pinched. "Food pantries and the food banks have much longer lines, especially over the last couple weeks because people don't know when or if they'll receive their benefits," she said. Elizabeth Keever, Chief Resource Officer of the Harvesters Community Food Network, said Jackson County, Missouri, in particular, will…...

5+ mon, 3+ week ago (114+ words) The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for parts of Jackson and Cass counties in Missouri and Johnson County in Kansas. According to an alert sent out to residents, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Overland Park, Kansas, moving east at 40 mph. "Radar indicated rotation," the notice read. Impacted locations include Overland Park, Olathe, Lee's Summit, Leawood, Raytown, Grandview, Belton, Raymore, Unity Village and Stanley. The weather service says damage to roofs, windows, vehicles and trees is likely. Residents should move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of the building. The warning is in effect until 2:45 p.m....

5+ mon, 3+ week ago (798+ words) Legislation providing storm relief as well as a bill that would help fund new stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals are on their way to the Missouri Senate floor for debate. Two Senate committees passed two bills each on Tuesday, sending all four to the Senate. The Appropriations Committee, on a 12-0 vote, advanced a budget bill that includes $25 million for storm relief related to housing. The bill allocates those dollars to the Missouri Housing Development Commission for emergency relief for storm victims across the state. The money would be available to areas that experienced storm damage not only from the May tornado in St. Louis but also from storms elsewhere in March and April. The unanimous support for the bill in committee came despite comments from Democrats that the funding isn't nearly enough, especially for the tornado damage…...

3+ mon, 1+ week ago (476+ words) Families and municipal leaders in Kansas City, Kansas, celebrated new renovations at Boston Daniels Park on Wednesday. The park, at Quindaro Boulevard and Waverly Avenue, is named after the first Black police chief of Kansas City, Kansas, and had fallen into disrepair over recent decades as the surrounding area saw a loss in resources and investment. Now, though, "I think it's absolutely beautiful," said Marilyn Baker, a Kansas City, Kansas, resident who went to the ribbon cutting with her daughter and grandchildren, Titus, who is 2, and Jacinta, 3. The summer heat didn't keep the kids from trying out the new and improved playground equipment. "I think it's amazing," Baker said. "I think it's going to be great for this community." In the three decades since the park was dedicated to Daniels, who died in 1995, his family has worked to fix up…...

1+ mon, 1+ week ago (818+ words) The Kansas City Council has approved $22 million to fund a new, temporary jail facility, likely to be located in the East Bottoms. The approval on Thursday was the latest step in the city's long and winding process to build some kind of detention center ahead of the World Cup, beginning next June, when thousands of soccer fans are expected to visit Kansas City. It was a vote some council members took reluctantly, as they didn't want to be seen supporting more incarceration. But the city's need for a place to put municipal inmates is dire. "I think this is a first step," said 1st District Council member Nathan Willett. "We can't just sit and do nothing." The legislation anticipates the surge in visitors may further strain the city's "limited rehabilitation and detention resources." The funding comes from the city's public safety…...

5+ mon, 2+ week ago (613+ words) More than 650,000 people are expected to visit Kansas City next year for the World Cup matches. Getting those people around won't be easy. KC 2026, the group that's planning the event, said at a news conference Wednesday that transportation is a major focus. CEO Pam Kramer said KC 2026 hopes to build a regional transit network that will get fans where they want to be quickly " and also show residents what transit could look like in the metro. "It's a great opportunity to provide safe, reliable, convenient transportation and get them thinking about what that might look like after the World Cup," Kramer said. FIFA, the governing body for the World Cup, requires host cities to provide transportation to the airport, stadium and organized fan events. To do that, KC 2026 leased 200 buses for the event. The group also looks to expand public…...

4+ week, 1+ day ago (1828+ words) With the Kansas City Streetcar now extending south to the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the ride itself has become a tour of the city. No parking meters, no long walks uphill " just hop off, stroll a few blocks and find yourself in a whole new pocket of the city. Continuing past Union Station, this new stretch connects Union Hill's rebirth, the museum corridor's creative calm and the Plaza's mix of locals and luxe. Along the way, you'll find bold food, quiet corners and some good old-fashioned people-watching. The Streetcar is coming into its own as a connector " linking neighborhoods, transit lines and generations of Kansas Citians who've rarely had seamless ways to move between districts. Here's your insider's map, with suggestions of where to eat, sip and wander at every stop. "The first location south of Union Station, this is…...

10+ mon, 1+ week ago (577+ words) One of the largest economic development projects in Kansas history will start churning out lithium-ion batteries as soon as March, Panasonic announced on Friday. Executives from the Japanese tech giant gave updates on its 300-acre manufacturing facility in De Soto, alongside a suite of lawmakers who helped bring the project to Kansas. Construction on the plant began in late 2022. Soon, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said, the plant will start producing more than 60 batteries per second for use in electric vehicles. The facility "represents Kansas" commitment to clean energy innovation and reinforces our position as a leader in the global transition to renewable energy solutions," she said. Before the first battery has left the facility, the project will have left an unmissable impact on the city of De Soto, political leaders said. The project has brought 3,800 construction workers to the area…...