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Lily Wu outraises all others in Wichita’s mayoral primary. Who is behind the money?
In the Wichita mayor’s race, there is one major takeaway from the filings submitted this week to the Sedgwick County Election Commission Office: Lily Wu, a first-time political candidate who calls herself “the outsider” in the race, is anything but. Wu is just one of eight candidates challenging incumbent Mayor Brandon Whipple in the Aug.…
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Wichita mayoral forum: Candidates talk policing, homelessness and neighborhoods
Wichita will choose its next mayor on Nov. 7, but first voters must narrow the field of candidates from nine to two in the primary on Aug. 1. Seven of those nine mayoral candidates shared their views on how to strengthen neighborhoods, engage citizens in advisory boards and tackle such problems as homelessness and police…
Trans rights, mental health and student safety: USD 259 school board at-large candidates answer your questions
Last month, The Wichita Beacon surveyed our readers to find out what they most want to know about candidates running for local office. Questions for Wichita school board candidates centered on these themes: transgender protections in schools, student safety, mental health and curriculum decisions. Only one school board seat, the at-large seat, drew enough Wichita…
Not old enough to vote? Here are seven civic engagement opportunities for teens
Teenagers cannot vote until they are 18, but that doesn’t mean they need to wait until adulthood to shape the world around them. Many ways exist to get involved in teen civic engagement, whether in politics or other aspects of community leadership. “I used to think stuff like civic engagement … was for old people…
DIY Democracy: How to run for City Council or mayor in Wichita
Candidates who want to run for City Council or mayor have a lot of information to dissect and understand and a lot of tasks to complete. A detail as small as where you place your yard sign can be dictated by city ordinances. Getting the essential information isn’t easy. It’s not readily available online. It…
DIY Democracy: How to run for school board in Wichita
When you want to run for a spot on the Wichita Unified School District 259 Board of Education, there is a lot to dissect, understand and complete.
Kansas Legislature asked to focus on life-and-death issues
“You have the power to save lives this upcoming session,” said Lisa Veyda, one of two dozen people who signed up to speak Dec. 13 at a public forum hosted by the Regional Economic Area Partnership of South Central Kansas (REAP).
DIY Democracy: How to follow the Kansas Legislature
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include revisions to the legislature’s website made after this story published, and to add more information sources available to the public. When the 2023 Kansas Legislature convenes on Jan. 9, lawmakers will begin writing, revising and debating laws that will impact the lives of all Kansans. But…
Know your rights: How to protest in Wichita
Want to protest to make your voice heard? Before you organize a protest, it is important to know what rights you have and how to use them. It’s also helpful to know what can and won’t get you in trouble with the law. Here is a quick guide on how to protest in Wichita.
Here is how to get involved with and understand your Wichita public school’s budget
“I hope that people don’t feel intimidated to get involved,” said Stan Reeser, president of the Wichita Board of Education. “It’s our job to listen to what they say, they’re the boss.”
How to request public records in Wichita and Sedgwick County
Journalists often request public records as part of their jobs, but anyone can do it. Court records. Government salary databases. Policies. Reports. Budgets. All that information and more can be requested by the public. In Kansas, public records can be requested under the Kansas Open Records Act. All records of public government bodies within the…
Nearly 90% of Sedgwick County homes rose in value this year. Here’s how to appeal your property valuation.
Note: This story has been updated to reflect the fact that sales prices of nearby homes are available on the county appraiser’s website. An overheated housing market across the nation is reflected in Sedgwick County’s housing valuations this year. In 2022, 88% of residential homes in Sedgwick County increased in value — about 158,467 of…
Want your street paved or a sewer line in Wichita? Here’s how to make that happen.
In 2015, residents along North Meridian Avenue and 29th Street called for the city to pave their street. The dirt road was hard on their cars and caused drainage issues, neighbors wrote in a City Council document. “As people who use it often, we feel our cars get banged up every time we drive on…
Have your voice heard: How to participate in Sedgwick County government meetings
A $484 million annual budget. $45 million in annual capital improvements. Over $100 million in COVID relief funds. These are the dollars a Sedgwick County resident can influence by participating in Sedgwick County Commission meetings. Here’s how. Where to find Sedgwick County meeting times and locations The county posts meeting dates, times and locations up…
Showing up and speaking up: How to participate in Wichita city government meetings
Every day, Wichita’s city government makes decisions about a litany of topics: public safety, parks and green space, and zoning rules, to name a few. So how can you make sure your voice is heard on these matters? The Wichita Beacon created this guide to watching, attending and participating in city government meetings. Where to…
How to attend, watch or comment at Wichita-area school board meetings
School boards over the past year and a half have found themselves unexpectedly in the crosshairs of public attention amid divisive topics, including critical race theory, mask requirements, and quarantine and isolation policies. But speaking out at school board meetings does not have to be a confrontation, and many school boards in Kansas provide easy…
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