Meet In CommonNews

News in Grain Valley, MO

Sedalia Democrat · Grain Valley, MO

Smith-Cotton football falls to Grain Valley in first district final since 2008

GRAIN VALLEY — Climbing back from a 1-4 start to reach a district championship for the first time in 18 years defined the second half of the season for Smith-Cotton football. While the Tigers’ run ended with a 52-7 loss to Grain Valley in the Class 5 District 7 title game Friday, Nov. 13, at Grain Valley High School, first-year head coach Mike Franklin pointed to a midyear shift in mentality as the catalyst for the turnaround. “Coach [Tommy] Kindle kept telling the boys all season, ‘Just trust the process, keep working the path and things will start turning around for us,’” Franklin said. “We started to have success, and then the kids started getting more confident each week. That was the key. The kids started to believe in themselves, and that’s really what kind of turned things over for us, and they just started running away with it.” Smith-Cotton finishes the season with a 6-6 record. This marks the second year in a row S-C has recorded at least six wins.

Nearby reporting

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The Beacon · Jackson County, MO

Nearby: Jackson County, MO

Nature lovers rallied to save park land, but Jackson County official says big problem remains

In the heart of Kansas City, two miles south of the zoo, sits a nature preserve home to 300-year-old chinquapin oaks, bobcats and songbirds across limestone bluffs and miles of trails built and cleared by volunteers. This land has been owned by Jackson County for 80 years and preserved by environmental groups like the Heartland Conservation Alliance and Bridging the Gap. But instead of beloved trails, interim Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota saw the land — characterized as “empty” and “sitting there for decades” — as a possible solution to a problem he hopes to address before leaving office. A property tax relief program he implemented has created a big hole in the county’s budget. He had the county Legislature put out a request for proposals — essentially asking if any businesses would be interested in buying the land. In doing so, he surprised those conservation groups and even the county’s own parks department. After the initial shock, local nature enthusiasts were enraged.

The Beacon · Kansas, MO

Nearby: Kansas, MO

Voters’ tax fatigue won at the polls, sending KCK back to drawing board for needed services

When Vanessa Matt visits with Wyandotte County residents experiencing homelessness or on the brink of falling into it, she doesn’t make sweeping generalizations about what landed them there. Instead, Matt understands that each person, and their suite of needs, is entirely different. And she recognizes that many of the resources someone may need to get back on their feet don’t exist in their community. Matt, the senior manager of housing stabilization at Cross-Lines Community Outreach Inc., is one part of a larger system of area nonprofits and organizations trying to eliminate chronic homelessness in one of the Kansas City area’s poorest counties. Their efforts come as homelessness and the cost of living climb in Wyandotte County, where nearly half of households can’t afford essential expenses, according to a recent analysis from United Way.

West Plains Daily Quill · Kansas, MO

Nearby: Kansas, MO

COMMENTARY: A thank-you that opens a door

Years ago, a business could begin with a pencil and a quiet conversation after supper. At the kitchen table, someone would start adding up the cost of tools, jotting down ideas and thinking about that first customer. Nothing fancy. Just a plan, a little hope and the willingness to try. Someone says, “I think we could make this work.” That is a hopeful moment. But it is also a moment when a little encouragement — and some practical help — can make a difference. The SBA Office of Advocacy’s 2025 state profiles, using 2022 Census business data, report 15,387 veteran-majority-owned businesses in Iowa, 14,412 in Kansas, 33,730 in Missouri and 11,224 in Nebraska. Together, that is nearly 75,000 businesses across the Great Plains. With National Veterans Small Business Week underway, I think about the veterans and military spouses who may be sitting at that table right now. They have an idea. They are willing to work.

Kansas City Northeast News · Kansas, MO

Nearby: Kansas, MO

Uncovering Ancient History in Our Backyard: Field Guide Highlights Kansas City’s Deep Native American Roots

Bryan Stalder Contributor Long before Kansas City’s iconic avenues, rail lines, and brick architecture took shape, the ground beneath the Show-Me State was home to sprawling, highly sophisticated civilizations. But these ancient cultures didn’t just leave their history buried—their legacy remains written on the landscape today, preserved in visible earthworks standing tall right above our feet. In his newly released book, Native American Monuments of Missouri: A History & Guide, author and researcher Neal Fandek explores 10,000 years of Native presence, offering readers a tangible roadmap to the ancient wonders hidden right in their local neighborhoods. For residents of Northeast, this history isn’t just a distant story—it’s built directly into the local geography.

The Beacon · Kansas, MO

Nearby: Kansas, MO

Children’s Mercy says it will be in-network for an ACA plan after weeks of patient outcry

Ending a tense few weeks for Kansas City-area families who buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, Children’s Mercy Hospital announced Tuesday it had made a deal to be in-network with UnitedHealthcare next year. “We are pleased to work with UnitedHealthcare and provide an in-network option for families who rely on ACA Marketplace coverage,” the hospital’s statement said. “This announcement reflects a shared commitment to helping children access the specialized care they need, while providing greater choice for families selecting coverage for 2027.” The news was welcome to Emmalyn Case, a Kansas City mom whose three children were among the 400 who had been set to lose access to the area’s only pediatric hospital. “I’m really glad that the insurance companies and Children’s Mercy have come together to find an option that will work for Kansas Citians,” Case said in a text message sent after the hospital’s announcement.

The Beacon · Kansas, MO

Nearby: Kansas, MO

Children’s Mercy is making more money and growing. So why is it cutting jobs?

Editor’s note: This story was updated on Nov. 11 to reflect news that Children’s Mercy will be in network next year for UnitedHealthcare Affordable Care Act plans. Questions remain about the priorities and financial picture of Kansas City’s pediatric hospital after Children’s Mercy announced last week it would eliminate 115 jobs and shuffle 473 others to an outside contractor. In a statement, hospital leaders blamed rising costs and insufficient insurance reimbursement rates and said it needs to adapt to survive. “We continue to evolve our organizational structure to ensure we can remain one of only 28 independent, freestanding children’s hospitals in the country focused on kids,” the statement said. The layoffs come on the heels of a change to insurance options at Children’s Mercy that made national headlines, sparking viral conversations around Kansas City and causing panic among patients’ families who could lose access to care.

The Beacon · Kansas, MO

Nearby: Kansas, MO

Wyandotte County looks at giving back some local leverage in Chiefs stadium deal

Following the dismissal of its lawsuit against the state of Kansas, Wyandotte County’s local government may soon repeal protections it had passed to have a stronger voice in negotiations surrounding the Kansas City Chiefs’ move across the state line. During a 5:30 p.m. meeting on Thursday, the Unified Government Board of Commissioners is scheduled to consider two separate ordinances that, if approved, would mean the county would have to follow Kansas’ lead in how it wants to finance and manage the project. It would also mean that Wyandotte County would give up several conditions that it set when it initially agreed to dedicate a portion of its future local sales tax dollars toward helping to build the projected $3 billion, domed stadium in western Kansas City, Kansas. Their pending vote comes more than a week after Gov.

The Carroll News · Kansas City, MO

Nearby: Kansas City, MO

Blue Streak Media strikes gold with 26 Pinnacle Awards

Blue Streak Media brought home 26 awards from the College Media Association (CMA) Conference, held Nov. 4-7 in Kansas City, Missouri, recognizing the work of John Carroll University student journalists, broadcasters and content creators across multiple media platforms. The Carroll News earned significant recognition across its print and digital journalism categories, bringing home eight, including three first-place awards.

Missouri Business Alert · Kansas City, MO

Nearby: Kansas City, MO

Government

+2 Kansas City Council passes Country Club Plaza deal worth $210 million. Here’s the latest By Savannah Hawley-Bates - KCUR 23 hrs ago The Kansas City Council approved a $210 million financing package to redevelop the downtown Country Club Plaza on Thursday. Read moreKansas City Council passes Country Club Plaza deal worth $210 million. Here’s the latest