News Stories

Her red sauce is dynamite but Ragazza’s owner gives the chef title to her Italian heritage 

Family is baked into the core of Laura Norris’ restaurants, she shared, from the Italian recipes served at Ragazza in Westport to the brother-sister duo running the new Enzo Wine Bar and Bistro together in the River Market. She opened Ragazza, which now sits at the corner of 43rd and Main streets, in 2013 and…

How a ‘City Hall Swiftie committee’ is bringing joy (and business) to NKC as concert tour hits Arrowhead

The street lights are pointing in an arrowhead, leading Taylor Swift fans to North Kansas City where they can walk the iconic “Cornelia Street.” In June, North Kansas City Mayor Bryant DeLong announced that Swift Street in NKC was to be temporarily renamed Swift Street (Taylor’s Version) in honor of the artist coming July 7-8…

Former Independence mayor named interim executive director for LGBT Chamber

An interim leader was announced Thursday as the Mid-America LGBT Chamber of Commerce forms a search committee tasked with identifying the next full-time executive director for the Kansas City-based business advocacy group. Eileen Weir, who served as mayor of Independence, Missouri, from 2014 to 2022, takes on the interim role July 11 after the announcement…

Fund Me, KC: Grocery store on Troost needs to bag community support to open, bringing fresh food east

Startland News is continuing its “Fund Me, KC” series to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses or lend a helping hand to others. This is an opportunity for business owners and innovators — like Kortney Lee who is attempting to expand the footprint of Community Groceries — to share their crowdfunding stories and potentially…

Corridor of support: Plug and Play credits interconnected region for global accelerator’s Topeka wins

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro.  TOPEKA — Collaboration is the catalyst behind Topeka’s swelling entrepreneurial ecosystem, shared Lindsay Lebahn, and it’s attracting innovation from across the globe. “Plug and Play Topeka sees a lot of…