Taylor Wilmore
Reporter, Startland News
Taylor Wilmore, hailing from Lee’s Summit, is a dedicated reporter and a recent graduate of the University of Missouri, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Taylor channels her deep-seated passion for writing and storytelling to create compelling narratives that shed light on the diverse residents of Kansas City.
Prior to her role at Startland News, Taylor made valuable contributions as a reporter for the Columbia Missourian newspaper, where she covered a wide range of community news and higher education stories.
Recent Stories by Taylor Wilmore
Grants competition returning with $55K for each winner; LaunchKC Liftoff applications open Aug. 14
LaunchKC leaders’ hopes and expectations for the popular competition’s grant-winning entrepreneurs go far beyond their final pitches, said Jim Erickson. “We want all of them to grow and prosper. We want, in 20 to 30 years, for us to be able to drive downtown and see skyscrapers with LaunchKC companies’ names on it, having driven…
KC Chamber, businesses: We won’t back down from DEI initiatives; city’s top diversity advocates honored
LeAna Flores knows those three little letters — DEI — can trigger a lot of people these days, she said. “For me, as a DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) practitioner, I live and breathe by this quote — especially in the climate that we have right now — ‘They tried to bury us, but they…
‘We are each other’s bootstraps’: Pay-It-Forward cafe says pressure to serve neighbors is back
The reopening of Thelma’s Kitchen — a pay-it-forward restaurant on Troost Avenue — not only flips the menu on the “soup kitchen” concept, but serves as an anchor of compassionate, community-focused care in the face of neighborhood gentrification, said Father Justin Mathews. “We view what we’re doing here as kind of like urban acupressure,” said…
KC-infused Rally Gin pours capital investment into plans for expanding the brand south
A liquor brand distilled from the vision of three Kansas City natives is expanding to Texas after landing national exposure and a key investment meant to elevate minority-owned spirit and beverage companies. Tim McCoy, co-founder of Rally Gin, shared his excitement and the impact of capital investment firm Pronghorn’s backing. “Pronghorn is just awesome. Their…
Let’s eat out: KCMO wants more outdoor dining; new grants program pays for restaurant upgrades
Outdoor dining’s economic impact outlasted the pandemic, said Mayor Quinton Lucas. A new push to boost KCMO businesses — with the backing of city tourism dollars — is expected to help local restaurants, coffee shops, and bars embrace the opportunity, he said. His goal: Make outdoor dining spaces even more attractive to visitors and hometown…
Resilience pays off as retail incubator opens doors; Meet the first featured founders at PHKC
Launching a retail incubator in Midtown Kansas City — a physical space targeted for overlooked and under-resourced entrepreneurs — The Porter House KC faced many of the same challenges as emerging small businesses, said Miranda Schultz, but ultimately the effort made it to opening day. “It’s been nice to go through our own trial and…
Inside ProX’s hands-on, how-to guide for students entering the workforce (and the business payoff)
When ProX is at its best, the collaborative internship program provides as much value to Kansas City employers as it does to the high school students who’ve invested prime summer vacation time into the real-world learning opportunity, business owners said. “The students did a really good job, it’s like getting a free consultation from a…
Royals give go-ahead to face-scan ballpark entry; here’s how to get in with one look
The Kansas City Royals are stepping up to the plate with a walk-off upgrade to the ballpark entry process: MLB’s Go-Ahead Entry system. The technology uses facial authentication to let fans breeze into Kauffman Stadium without having to scan their mobile tickets. MLB launched its pilot program with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2023; now the…
Do The Right Thing: Ophelia’s Blue Vine Farm plants real food within a historic (and overlooked) KC community
The following profile features one of five finalists for the “Do The Right Thing” social impact pitch competition organized by the KC BizCare Office, Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City and Startland News. Finalist features will be published throughout the week. Click here to read more features. Click here to vote for your favorite finalist…
This emerging fintech powerhouse is on a roll; how Cyphr models what’s possible with the right backing
On the journey to closing what’s believed to be the largest pre-seed investment raised by two Black women in the fintech industry in Missouri, the co-founders of Kansas City-based Cyphr accepted the challenges in front of them and rode through noise, said Jannae Gammage. “I always knew that raising money as two Black women would…