News Stories

This one-day competition builds more than apps, organizers say; Hack Midwest aims to reveal what humans are capable of creating  

Kansas City’s largest app building competition is set to return in September — with more than 300 software engineers competing in teams for a piece of $22,500 in winnings. Hack Midwest, which began in 2012, brings together developers for a 24-hour “hackathon,” during which the teams race against the clock — and each other — to…

Island vibes getaway: ‘Lei Away’ festival to showcase tropical flavors in landlocked KC

Kansas Citians won’t have to leave the city to enjoy a tropical escape during Labor Day weekend. The freshly announced Lei Away festival is expected to bring the spirit of the islands to the plains. “We are highlighting all the wonderful things that are tropical-centric in Kansas City, which is ironic because it’s so landlocked,”…

In second term, Mayor Q says he’ll help get City Hall out of entrepreneurs’ way as they build a more diverse economy

Creating economic equity in Kansas City goes hand in hand with building a sustainable city, said Mayor Quinton Lucas. “We will not be the city that we need to be — we won’t have the workforce, the entrepreneurs that we need — if we’re not actually investing in equitable tools in any number of ways,”…

Sandlot Goods hat; photo courtesy of Sandlot Goods

Sandlot Goods takes a swing at a brick and mortar; new JoCo storefront expected to be a home run with brand’s fans

Sandlot Goods — Kansas City’s only local hat manufacturer — is hoping to score big with its first, dedicated, standalone retail space. The new location at Park Place in Leawood — 11530 Ash Street — is slated for a soft opening Aug. 15 and a grand opening Sept. 16, shared Garret Prather, Sandlot vice president…

‘Oppenheimer’ actor says new Missouri tax incentives could bring investors, more film productions to KC

David Dastmalchian’s screenplays for movies set in Kansas City now have a realistic chance to be filmed in and around his hometown, said the acclaimed actor, writer, and producer who grew up in Overland Park. Recently-signed legislation paves the way for increased film production in Missouri by reauthorizing — and strengthening — tax credit incentives…