Government

SNAP cuts are ‘worse than they look on paper’: Food access advocates warn shelves could go bare overnight

By Tommy Felts / September 16, 2025

Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant doesn’t mince words about perceptions of the hungry Kansas Citians she serves daily through her award-winning culinary social venture. “These are the people who — if you listen to the rhetoric — are deemed ‘lazy,’” the founder of The Prospect KC’s NourishKC Community Kitchen told Startland News. “We know the narratives being…

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KCMO slashes fees for outdoor dining permits, launches dining trail for grant winning projects

By Tommy Felts / September 12, 2025

Kansas City has officially eliminated outdoor dining permit fees, reducing the cost from $850 to zero, thanks to the momentum created by a city-led initiative to encourage investment in outdoor dining experiences, city leaders announced this week, unveiling new plans to promote funded businesses and their projects.  Launched in 2024, the Outdoor Dining Enhancement Program…

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World Cup will produce KC small biz millionaires in just weeks, leaders say, but it’s only the start

By Tommy Felts / September 12, 2025

Kansas City can’t look at the World Cup in 2026 as one big event where businesses are going to make good money for a while, and then everything goes back to normal, said Wes Rogers.  “This has to be the beginning of the next chapter of our city,” the 2nd District Councilman for Kansas City,…

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Missouri Starters Coalition debuts effort to boost homegrown jobs, future founders 

By Tommy Felts / September 11, 2025

Entrepreneurs across Missouri gained a new champion this week as regional and national advocates launched a new coalition to support builders in the face of systemic, confidence-shaking roadblocks as they seek to drive job creation and higher lifetime incomes. The Missouri Starters Coalition on Thursday unveiled its founding members — Back2KC, Cortex, E-Factory, Keystone Innovation…

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Harvesting KCMO’s urban-to-rural development wins means taking down silos, EDCKC leader says

By Tommy Felts / September 11, 2025

Editor’s note: The following is part of an ongoing feature series exploring impacts of initiatives within the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City through a paid partnership with EDCKC. Kansas City’s growth isn’t just shaped by skyline-changing projects, said Heather Brown, describing a simple formula — and delicate balance — that keeps the region building upon its potential…

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