Regional News

Ranking and review site notes top school districts in KC area

On both sides of the state line, online ranking and review website Niche noted the top school districts in the Kansas City area and in Kansas and Missouri. The Blue Valley and Blue Springs school districts were the area’s highest-rated… more

New year marks minimum wage raise in Missouri

Beginning New Year's Day, Missouri's minimum wage increased to $10.30 per hour, a rise of 85 cents. According to the Missouri Department of Labor, the 85 cent raise only applies to employees working for a private business and there's an additional… more

AMC to sell 50 million more shares, avoid bankruptcy filing

Leawood-based AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. plans to sell up to 50 million more shares as it tries to prevent a bankruptcy filing. The movie theater chain said in a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission that it plans to offer… more

Missouri-based Centene acquires healthcare company for $2.2B

Centene will buy Magellan for $95 per share in a cash deal that values the Phoenix-based behavioral health provider at $2.2 billion.  The deal is expected to be completed in the second half of 2021. It will make Centene one… more

Kansas to increase testing, detect COVID-19 strains

The state of Kansas plans to increase genetic testing of COVID-19 positive patients to identify strains of the virus. Kansas currently tests around 1 percent of COVID-19 patients with genetic testing, according to Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health… more

Blue KC makes investment, takes minority stake in Connecticut performance management company

Nearly a year after announcing their partnership, Blue KC has taken a minority stake in Connecticut health care performance management company, Cedar Gate Technologies. The partnership announcement revealed in January 2020 was made to increase the insurer’s analytical capabilities and its… more

Q&A with Nicole Watson

Don’t leave money on the table – Conduct End of Year Financial Review   Q: What should people be thinking about with their financial picture at this point tin the year? A: Performing an end of year financial review is… more

New Kansas Energy Assistance Program to begin next week

A new energy assistance program in Kansas aimed at keeping low-income households heated this winter will open applications starting next week. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said the new program from the Kansas Department of Children and Families (DCF) will help… more

Missouri childcare providers, facilities receive $46 million

Child care facilities will be able to get more help from the state as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect Missouri families. On Wednesday, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced $46 million in childcare funding that’ll help providers support the needs of… more

Coping with COVID: Missouri expects to deliver final rounds of initial vaccine doses by mid-January

In the first few weeks of COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Missouri, more than 66,000 frontline health care workers and long-term care facility residents and staff have received an initial dose, according to Gov. Mike Parson. In December, the state received… more