You have important questions. The Star is committed to getting real answers
The Kansas Citian who wants to know whether public safety departments are hiring and promoting more diverse workers. The Royals fan with questions about how the next stadium will be financed. The Johnson County resident who wants to know why trash is piling up in her yard and not being picked up as quickly as it should.
You all have important questions, and we at The Kansas City Star are committed to getting the answers.
A new Star initiative, Reality Check, will consist of a steady lineup of stories focused on holding local officials and institutions accountable in their actions and statements by providing facts quickly. Our reporters will be pushing for truth and transparency: What’s been promised and how does that stack up with reality?
We all could use a reality check from time to time. We need clarity or a reminder of what’s really happening versus what’s perceived to be true.
It could be a story asking where things stand on specific projects like the Kansas City Streetcar expansion. Or an examination of where tax dollars in our region are actually going versus how officials said they would spend them. Both are examples of holding those in power accountable.
When I joined The Star as managing editor in late July, I told our journalists that I wanted to cover stories that resonate the most with our communities. And I said I would give them the space and support to make those stories a priority.
One of The Star’s strengths is its track record of holding institutions accountable. You as readers, during community listening sessions and in other ways, have told us that you want accountability stories.
We can do them more often. And we will with Reality Check and other efforts.
You want to know your local news source is staying on top of issues that are important to you. You expect The Star to be your eyes and ears — to watch what’s happening in local government and other areas and report what’s going on.
You depend on us to get to the bottom of situations you might not be able to yourselves.
Reality Check is a way for us to do more to cover what you say you want. It’s also important to Star reporters to be watchdogs and push for change that improves the communities we serve.
It won’t just be our local government reporters writing accountability stories. Journalists across our newsroom who cover a variety of topics will be looking for these stories and doing them.
We’ll need your help, too. So please send us your thoughts and ideas as we work together to check up on officials and institutions to ensure what they promised is reality.
Have a story suggestion? Email tips@kcstar.com.
