Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
Reporter, Startland News
Nikki brings to Startland News both community journalism and entrepreneurship experience and she loves being able to tell the inspiring stories of fellow creatives and risk-takers.
Before joining Startland News, she worked for over 10 years writing and editing for daily newspapers in Lawrence, Topeka, Duluth, Minnesota, and Park Hills, Missouri. She took a short hiatus from journalism to pursue her dream of becoming a pastry chef and starting her own baking business.
Recent Articles by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
North KC’s new ‘Bob’s Burgers’ tribute bar: It’s what happens when theater kids get together to drink
The grand re-re-re-opening of Vignettes Cocktail Bar as a pop-up tribute to the animated TV series “Bob’s Burgers” is a well-seasoned homage to yet another cult classic, said Edward Schmalz, co-owner of the North Kansas City nightspot. “We wanted to pull upon that wholesome — yet still a little raunchy — vibe that is ‘Bob’s…
Betty Rae’s sells to Shatto: Why the ice cream brand’s young steward is stepping away from the scoop (for now)
An announcement this week that Betty Rae’s Ice Cream could open new shops and push its popular products into grocery stores is exciting growth to envision, agreed Alec Rodgers, the brand’s steward since 2021 when he bought and reopened its two storefronts amid challenges of the ongoing pandemic. Rodgers just won’t be the man behind…
Rhinestone’d to RuPaul reality: Fan-turned-KC fashion icon shines with ‘Drag Race’ design
RuPaul may not know Whitney Manney’s name, but the “Drag Race” host is now acquainted with the Kansas City fashion designer’s work, she said. The owner of the KC-based WHITNEYMANNEY label had the “wild experience” of designing and constructing the trans-pride, “Troop Beverly Hills”-inspired entrance look for Monica Beverly Hillz for Season 8 of “RuPaul’s…
How Urban TEC used eye-opening VR tech to bring teen mental health into the real world
Students at two Kansas City, Kansas, high schools are tackling teen mental health issues with the help of virtual reality, shared youth and tech advocate Ina P. Montgomery. From February through April, 28 students from Wyandotte and JC Harmon high schools learned Unity programming software, identified and researched a health concern for youth ages 13…
Rescue florists give new life to leftover flowers; nonprofit just needs 6-inch stems and someone to surprise
Impact is growing again for an initiative that sends recycled floral arrangements — flowers otherwise headed for the trash after events — to homebound Kansas City seniors. Volunteer-run Unexpected Blooms recently celebrated its sixth birthday, after being forced to take a pause when the pandemic stalled many large gatherings from which they sourced flowers, shared…
Wild Way gets its big fika break: KC’s perkiest coffee camper parks a starring role on Peacock series
Seeing her coffee camper featured on the Peacock series “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning” is a wild and surreal experience, Wild Way Coffee owner Christine Clutton shared. On top of offering a caffeine boost for the production crew of the series — which debuted at the end of April on NBC’s streaming platform…
First he got the park clean, then his brother; New theater explores how Chris Harris played through the hazards
Five years after opening a golf course in the Ivanhoe neighborhood to help revitalize his community from within, Chris Harris is taking a swing at the east side’s theater desert. Harris — the owner and operator of Harris Park Midtown Sports and Activity Center and lifelong neighborhood resident — has now built an indoor theater…
Industrial coworking space eyes downtown KC; plans mixed office, warehouse amenities
A Northwest Arkansas-based startup plans to bring a new coworking concept to Kansas City this year — one that combines flexible office and shared warehouse solutions, said CEO Brendan Howell. “We call it industrial coworking,” explained Howell, co-founder and CEO of Loloft . “That’s a term that we’ve coined.” The company is aiming for a…
They walked right past us: Small biz owners shocked by low NFL Draft sales, now wary of World Cup
A massive surge in visitors and foot traffic as Kansas City hosted its first NFL Draft failed to score many points outside the event grounds this weekend, as countless small businesses along the city’s urban corridor reported a sharp dip in revenue. “I think we’re all looking at our numbers and everything right now, and…
Arrowhead event: Teams are stronger with women; How the NFL is moving the ball forward
While nighttime NFL Draft festivities at Union Station put the focus on male athletes chosen to play professional football, Friday morning at Arrowhead Stadium was all about spotlighting women changing the landscape of the NFL and Kansas City. “As we talk about champions today, this is what we’re talking about: Women and men, moving the…