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1 week ago | 
thebeaconnews.org | Meg Cunningham
In 2020 and 2021, the COVID pandemic exposed weaknesses in the United States’ supply chain for key items in American households. The Biden administration spent millions of dollars through the U.S. Department of Agriculture on new programs that helped farmers sell their produce to local schools, create produce boxes for households and provide more direct food access to their communities.
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1 week ago | 
thebeaconnews.org | Blaise Mesa
TakeawaysOne family said their adult protective services investigator had 70 cases. Their case has been open since Oct. 5. Kansas doesn’t track caseload data for its investigators. Advocates say tracking caseloads isn’t the best way to see how well the system is working. Proposed federal cuts by the Trump administration could weaken adult protective services. Stacy Crow made sure to check the outdoor cameras at Shirley Crow’s house in Wichita every now and again.
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2 weeks ago | 
thebeaconnews.org | Maria Benevento
As part of our efforts to combat disinformation, the Beacon has joined The Trust Project® and implemented the 8 Trust Indicators® to help our readers easily recognize trustworthy news. The Trust Project is a global network of news organizations with a confirmed commitment to integrity through the Trust Indicators. The Trust Indicators are a set of enhancements to participating sites that spell out editorial practices and policies and provide additional context.
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2 weeks ago | 
thebeaconnews.org | Blaise Mesa
TakeawaysSchools have turned to AI to detect guns and prevent mass shootings, but concerns about reliability and false alarms persist. Critics argue that investing in technology like ZeroEyes diverts money from addressing the human causes of violence. Kansas lawmakers funded ZeroEyes-style tech with $10 million to boost school security efforts. Ten people were killed and three injured when a gunman opened fire at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store in 2022.
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2 weeks ago | 
thebeaconnews.org | Maria Benevento
An email sent to four people in 2022 has raised enduring questions about Missouri Western State University’s leadership and whether the university in St. Joseph welcomes all students. On Nov.
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3 weeks ago | 
thebeaconnews.org | Meg Cunningham
Missouri’s air quality worsened from 2021 to 2023, with wildfires, warmer temperatures and dangerous air pollutants fouling the air Missourians breathe. The American Lung Association’s 2025 State of the Air report found that the St. Louis and Kansas City areas both had poorer outcomes for some measures of air quality compared to previous years. St. Louis was ranked 21st worst city across the country for its ozone levels this year, after being ranked 30th last year.
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3 weeks ago | 
thebeaconnews.org | Blaise Mesa
TakeawaysNot every teacher knows the best way to teach students to read. Some schools still use lessons that are not grounded in evidence-based methods. The Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling program is gaining popularity nationwide. But the federal government cut funding for the program locally. The loss of $22.6 million in COVID relief funding jeopardizes Kansas’s efforts to address pandemic-related learning loss. Kristin Ridgway knows the feeling all too well.
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3 weeks ago | 
thebeaconnews.org | Meg Cunningham
For Missouri’s 19 community action agencies, federal funding and staffing cuts threaten emergency services like utility assistance, summer food programs and shelter for victims of domestic violence. The agencies run programs like weatherization upgrades for low-income homeowners and Head Start, which provides child care, early childhood education and nutrition assistance for families living in poverty.
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4 weeks ago | 
thebeaconnews.org | Meg Cunningham
Communities across the country are suffering from a lack of primary care providers, and Missouri is no exception. In fact, it ranks fourth worst nationwide in terms of its primary care provider shortage. All but seven Missouri counties have shortages of primary care providers. Those mostly rural counties that lack providers see higher rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer or kidney problems, as well as higher rates of tobacco usage.
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1 month ago | 
thebeaconnews.org | Maria Benevento
Rockhurst University has struck a deal with Spring Hill College in Alabama that could improve enrollment and give students access to experiences beyond Kansas City. “With more opportunities comes the ability to attract more students,” said Rockhurst President Sandra Cassady in explaining the new “strategic partnership.” The two institutions, both members of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, announced the collaboration March 31.