News Stories

Pipeline entrepreneur expands his Omaha-based senior living network into Kansas City

A 10-market expansion for HomeCare Advocacy Network is expected to bring the Omaha-based company to Lee’s Summit and Overland Park as Mark Goetz and his team work to provide personal care and specialized services for seniors who wish to age in place. “With one of the largest metropolitan areas in the Midwest, the Greater Kansas…

Raygun’s anti-leaf blower agenda might have triggered rock-in-a-sock vandal at KC store, founder jokes

Mike Draper has only one regret after someone threw a rock wrapped in a sock at one of the display windows at Raygun’s Crossroads store last week. “We did not keep the rock,” lamented the boutique retail operation’s Des Moines-based founder. “People were like, ‘Oh, you should sell the rock in the sock’ and we’re…

PayIt forward: Kansas renews contract with KC tech company that took DMV headaches off the road

For the more than 1 million Kansans who’ve already avoided long lines at the DMV thanks to PayIt’s award-winning digital payments platform, that experience — and others — will only get more convenient with the mobile-first technology’s Sunflower State renewal through at least 2026. PayIt this week announced a new deal with the State of…

Sports tech founder: Team’s years of work laid groundwork for Forbes 30 Under 30 honor

Being named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 for sports — alongside athletes like Lamar Jackson, Kyle Kuzma, and Ronald Acuna — adds more fuel to the fire for Austin Barone, the 29-year-old co-founder of Just Play Sports Solutions. “The growth we have experienced over the past few years has been tremendous, so to receive this…

KC Rainbow Tour highlights LGBTQ+ history: You can legislate us, but our stories keep us alive

Kansas City’s LGBTQ+ history is one of its best kept secrets, Joel Barrett said, explaining his journey to share a wealth of local lore with residents and visitors alike. The KC Rainbow Tour — a free, 90-minute self-guided driving tour — uses the VoiceMap app to highlight about 20 destinations with LGBTQ+ significance, including the…