Matthew Long-Middleton

  Ever wonder what goes on during a city council meeting? Or how much money was made from parking meters last year? The answers to some questions like these are available to the public online, but every city in the United States differs on how much information they share. MoPIRG is an organization that looks at major metropolitan cities in the country and grades them on how transparent their budget information is to that city's residents.

With education options more diverse than ever, some parents are eschewing the standard public school system.  With this choice, comes the debate on where taxpayer dollars should be going.

On the coattails of President Obama's second inaugural address yesterday and the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Central Standard looks at the economic situation for the African-American community in the United States.

Change is inevitable.  But what if that change affects a community-loved building, or historic landmark?

Watching the teenage experience

In 2008, High School Confidential, a documentary-type show that followed 12 high school girls at Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park through their four years of high school, aired on WE tv. Sharon Liese is the filmmaker who created this show, and conceived the idea to create a documentary about the high school experience when her own daughter was going through high school.

The experience of growing up from a child to an adult includes awkward experiences with friends, family and one's own body add to that the challenge of living with a chronic disease. Brian Ellison speaks with one teenage girl who is growing up with Sickle Cell Anemia.

Ten years ago, the United States stood at the forefront of the Internet revolution. With some of the fastest speeds and lowest prices in the world for high-speed Internet access, the nation was poised to be the global leader in the new knowledge-based economy.

Most of the time, the long and winding road of choosing a college is forgotten in the subsequent years of hazy academic exploits.  But for most high school seniors, this time of year is an involved process that can lead to anxious days and sleepless nights.

In 2008, elected officials and urban residents came together under the direction of 2nd District Jackson County Legislator, Bishop James Tindall, Sr. to discuss community change in the urban core.  This was the first convening of the Kansas City Urban Summit.

Local shelters are seeing a record number of animals coming into their facilities each day.

What do Franz Mesmer, James Braid, and The Professor from Gilligan's Island have in common?

Chances are you have eaten at his restaurant, taken in a show at his venue, or even met the dude.  But did you know about his plan to curb regional invasive species by cooking and eating them?

With each new year, comes the inevitable setting of lofty personal improvement goals.

Getting to know Kansas City, one neighborhood at a time.

Getting to know Kansas City, one neighborhood at a time.