Construction begins near Sumner Academy of Arts and Science. In late 2024, voters approved a bond that will fund an addition to the school. (Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon) KCK steps up work on school buildings promised with $180 million bond package
By Maria Benevento, The Beacon | July 27, 2026 | Education, News & Issues
The Kansas City, Kansas, school district provides an update on several school construction projects.
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Flatland produces multimedia stories that examine local news, highlight rural affairs and explore Kansas City history.
Crime & Safety
The old Metcalf South shopping mall in Overland Park, Kansas, was once a Black Friday mecca and retail hotspot. (Courtesy | Wikipedia)
A Black Friday Romp Through the Metro’s Shoplifting History
By Brian Burnes | November 29, 2024
Not long ago a woman walked into an Oak Park Mall bath and body store carrying two shopping bags. She lingered for two hours, examining the scented candles. Then the phone of Detective Byron Pierce of the Overland Park Police Department buzzed. The caller was an employee of the store. “Everything okay?” Pierce asked. No….
Economy
The renovation of the historic Boone Theater, at 1701 E. 18th St., is one project that has received funding through the Kansas City sales tax that supports economic development on the East Side. Sales tax administrators allocated $1.4 million toward the restoration in July 2025. (Anna Neumann | Flatland)
A sales tax reshaped KC’s East Side. Now voters to decide if it continues.
By Anna Neumann | July 28, 2026
The Central City Economic Development sales tax is up for renewal on Aug. 4. The tax has generated nearly $100 million since voters approved it in 2017.
Education
Construction begins near Sumner Academy of Arts and Science. In late 2024, voters approved a bond that will fund an addition to the school. (Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon)
KCK steps up work on school buildings promised with $180 million bond package
By Maria Benevento, The Beacon | July 27, 2026
The Kansas City, Kansas, school district provides an update on several school construction projects.
Food Chain
Officials at food banks like Kansas City-based Harvesters worry about administrative barriers facing families applying for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. (Austin Wood | Flatland)
Missouri Food Assistance Applicants Hit ‘Bottleneck’
By Austin Wood | October 8, 2025
Imagine you have just been evicted, and that any documentation you had regarding income, health care expenses, utility costs, or other relevant paperwork got lost in the shuffle. That is a problem in and of itself. But the lack of information is a bigger barrier when it stands between you and gaining eligibility for the…
Healthcare
By 2030, it's predicted that adults over the age of 60 will outnumber those under 18 for the first time in U.S. history. Flatland looks at two organizations providing services intended to support people staying in their homes as long as possible:
Caregivers in KC: A Community of Care
By John G. McGrath | June 25, 2025
By 2030, it’s predicted that adults over the age of 60 will outnumber those under 18 for the first time in U.S. history. How are older residents and their caregivers equipped to meet the challenges inherent in aging in our area? Flatland looks at two organizations providing services intended to support people staying in…
History
A grant and local contributions funded the restoration of Washington Chapel (C.M.E.) Church in Parkville. The chapel opened in 1907. (Bill Tammeus | Flatland)
Restoration of Black church in Parkville inspires rainbow coalition
By Bill Tammeus | June 24, 2026
The community has rallied around the restoration of Parkville, Missouri’s, Washington Chapel. Built in 1907, the chapel has been a haven for a Black population that has not always been welcome in town.
Housing
The entrance to the Community Resource Center at the Kansas City Public Library Central Branch in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. (Chase Castor | Flatland.)
Specialized Staff Serving Influx of Homeless Library Patrons
By Toni Cardarella | March 21, 2025
People experiencing homelessness in Kansas City often find refuge in public libraries when shelter options are limited during the day. However, metro-area library systems also provide assistance that goes beyond temporary protection from the weather. In fact, the Kansas City Public Library has built an entire department around helping the city’s unhoused, providing a range…
Sustainability
Illegally dumped tires are one of the most persistent problems along Kansas City's Blue River. (Abigail Landwehr | Flatland)
Blue River Cleanup Targets Trash, Invasive Species
By Abigail Landwehr | October 7, 2025
A restoration project is underway along the Blue River watershed, a collaborative effort by four nonprofit partners: The Heartland Conservation Alliance, Bridging The Gap, Deep Roots, and Mid-America Regional Council. The groups signed the contracts officially in May. “The day that we got our signed contract sent to us from the city kind of felt…
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