News

Film to promote Walt Disney’s historic Kansas City animation studio gets $10K boost

By Tommy Felts / October 19, 2023

Efforts to restore the original Laugh-O-gram Studio building along Troost Avenue are getting a bump from a Missouri Humanities grant and a matching donation from a longtime local supporter of the arts in Kansas City. Thank You Walt Disney — a not-for-profit dedicated to the preservation and restoration of Walt Disney’s first animation studio, the…

Feds award $500K for Goodwill, LaunchCode jobs training effort through STEM Tech Challenge

By Tommy Felts / October 19, 2023

Nearly a half-million dollars in federal funds are expected to help two local programs forge a new STEM-based job training initiative to help Kansas City-region job seekers find permanent high-wage careers in tech. U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, on Wednesday announced a $499,196 award from the U.S. Department of Commerce to Goodwill MoKan (Goodwill of…

JQ Sirls is the king of his own universe; his new book puts a distinctly Black hero at the center of it

By Tommy Felts / October 18, 2023

JQ Sirls started popping through the multiverse as a child; escaping through various worlds and alternate realities via stories like “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Peter Pan,” and “The Wizard of Oz” — as well as magical realms he created himself. “Those are my DNA,” said Sirls, a Kansas City-based author, artist and the entrepreneur behind…

His KC theater shines spotlight on queer voices; How one playwright is giving stage time to a new wave of talent

By Tommy Felts / October 18, 2023

Kansas City’s theater scene should be a safe and comfortable space, said Kevin King, detailing his effort to specifically provide a place where queer voices can not only feel heard, but celebrated.  “Since 2019, we’ve been basically gay all the time,” said King, producing artistic director at Whim Productions, an LGBTQ+ theater company with a…

Premiere Kansas City startup acquired by Texas-based IoT leader in proptech industry

By Tommy Felts / October 17, 2023

The acquisition of Crossroads-built Homebase by Lone Star State smart home innovator Quext brings together two of the most disruptive companies in the space, said Blake Miller, founder of the premiere Kansas City startup. The move — creating a single source for multifamily operators to get the best-in-class smart community and managed WiFi solutions their…