Government Stories

Dan Katz Virgin Hyperloop One

Hyperloop One exec: KC route would create ‘mega-region’ along I-70

When you’re hoping to move people and freight at near subsonic speeds, it pays to be straightforward. At least that’s the case for Virgin Hyperloop One, which announced Tuesday it has embarked on the feasibility study of a high-speed route that would connect Kansas City and St. Louis in about 30 minutes. “It’s a very…

Brian McClendon

Former Google, Uber exec running for office in Kansas

Mapping expert Brian McClendon is plotting a route to the Kansas State Capitol. The former Google and Uber executive on Monday launched his candidacy for Kansas secretary of state, a role that would task him with administering state elections and voter registration. Currently, a research professor at the University of Kansas, McClendon co-founded the tech…

Missouri, Airbnb announce revenue-sharing state sales tax deal

As Kansas City wrangles with its own short-term rental rules, Airbnb and the Show Me State announced an agreement Wednesday that will allow the home-sharing giant to collect and remit taxes on behalf of 6,300 Missouri hosts. Effective Feb. 1, the tax agreement with the Missouri Department of Revenue adds a state sales tax — now…

net neutrality

Moran wants Congress to settle net neutrality in favor of ‘free and open’ internet

Congress should have the final say on net neutrality — not federal regulators who change with each presidential administration, say a growing number of U.S. senators, including Kansas’ Jerry Moran. “Consumers want an internet that is free of content-based discrimination and supports the deployment of reliable, affordable broadband access throughout the country,” said Sen. Moran,…

Harvard University recognizes KCMO digital inclusion map

Kansas City’s geographic work to illustrate the area’s digital divide earned high praise from a prestigious university. Harvard University recently highlighted the City of Kansas City, Missouri’s Digital Inclusion map, a tool that — at a block-by-block scale — detail residents’ access to internet connectivity overlaid with poverty levels. “This visualization was chosen as Harvard’s…