News Stories

Amy Goldman, The Brewkery, Lucky Elixir kombucha

This KC kombucha brewer brought back North America’s most mysterious tropical fruit; the time to taste it is ripe now

When the forest starts to smell like bananas, it means the pawpaws are ready for harvesting, Amy Goldman shared.  “I’d never heard of pawpaws until last year when one of our farmer friends brought us a bunch of them. We tried them in our kombucha, and it sold out so fast. It was incredible. But…

KC Streetcar stop ad for the Giving Machines at Crown Center

A service you never knew you needed: Buying chickens from a vending machine at the Mayor’s Christmas Tree

As children gave life to the ice terrace above Friday, volunteers and shoppers were giving light to local and global charities at a newly placed installation of vending machines — stocked with donation opportunities, not snacks — at Crown Center. The hottest “selling” item so far in Kansas City: a trio of chickens for $18. Three Giving…

Pastor Adrian and Vicky Roberson, KC United

New nonprofit surprises first-ever $20K ‘changemaker’ grant winner; he already knows how he’ll invest it 

Pastor Adrian Roberson was initially too stunned to speak Thursday when he was awarded a $20,000 grant for KC United — a youth sports initiative he co-founded in 2009 with his wife Vicky. But the duo already have plans for the money: spreading blessings. “I want to say, ‘Glory to God,’” Adrian Roberson shared moments after…

Muenfua Lewis and Justin Ikerionwu, By Design

They built a coffee table magazine to showcase Black creatives; Why this week’s issue will be By Design’s last

The sixth and final issue of By Design magazine is a culmination of the work of three Black men who saw a lack of community and representation in Kansas City’s art ecosystem — and decided to create their own, shared Muenfua Lewis and Justin Ikerionwu.  “By Design has always been about going deeper and breaking…

Kansas City skyline, December 2021

Survey: 97 percent of KC businesses expect same or better performance in 2022

Business executives in the Kansas City metro expressed optimism about what lies ahead in 2022 — despite lingering pandemic-related challenges, according to newly released local and regional survey results from First Business Bank. “There are always multiple dimensions of the story to consider, but 2021 was a big improvement over 2020, and with employment increasing across…