Recent Stories by Jocelyn Heckman

INCLŪSIV gym opens wellness to people struggling to adapt in a world that too often excludes them

After more than a decade trying to fit into places that weren’t built with accessibility in mind, Wesley Hamilton’s private wellness space in Midtown is opening the new year with a fresh perspective on healing, growing and thriving — free from judgment, questions, and the urge to meet someone else’s expectations, the founder said. INCLŪSIV…

Off to a goo start: Step into the primetime slime experience now oozing into Union Station

Taking the idea of handmade slime from the home kitchen to Union Station required more than a simple recipe, the women behind the new all-ages experiential venture said. Their biggest challenge in taking the popular kids activity to the masses: the complex planning and design needed within the iconic Kansas City venue. Rainbow Slime Co….

rOOTS KC grows into third location, planting shop in River Market ahead of World Cup

Initially setting its roots as a pop-up plant shop in 2020, Dee Ferguson’s leafy business has grown to three Kansas City locations. The secret is in the soil, she said, describing a strategy for cultivating customers through free, evergreen plant care support and “community-rooted spirit.”  “2025 has been a difficult year for all of retail,”…

Spaceman drops tracks: Kansas teen raps a midwest mixtape, says he’s ready to launch

Give Trip Thomas a phone, and the Olathe Northwest High School senior will get his peers talking. Rapping under the name Spaceman, Thomas is staying grounded as he finds his voice through music, he said, and it sounds a lot like resilience. “Music was my therapy,” said Thomas, who started writing from his bedroom at…