The Beacon · Kansas, MO
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
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
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
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
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
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.
