The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has developed an online map so Missourians can tell, at a glance, if a state park beach is open or closed, whether it's for bacterial issues, operational issues or flooding.

The Kansas City Beehive provides information on local resources and life skills.

A new study of this population by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City provides insight into why some consumers choose to manage their finances outside the traditional banking system.

More than 200 child care providers attended LINC's Educare Quality Counts Conference on Saturday, May 22, 2010.

A new report prepared by the St. Louis-based Public Policy Research Center recommends that Missouri create a state-wide Homeownership Preservation Task Force to address rising home delinquencies and foreclosures, which are occurring at rates four times higher than in previous decades.

The Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City is accepting 2011 nominations to serve on the board of directors for the non-profit board which has over $400 million in assets and makes grants of over $20 million in the Kansas City region.

Independence, MO civic clubs are collecting canned goods to meet summer pantry needs.

Bridget McCandless MD who has held the position of Health Policy Advisor will be leaving LINC.

Grandparents raising grandchildren got a little help from our Grandparents Day Out program in June.

July 20th gardening class at Garden of Hope in Independence will explain what crops can still be planted for the fall harvest.

Kansas City Councilman Terry Riley and the Kansas City, Missouri School District (KCMSD) along with Children’s Mercy Family Health Partners will host the Back-to-School Rally on Saturday, July 31. Families receive backpacks, school supplies, school uniforms, immunizations, health services, books, and other materials and services to prepare for the new academic year.

The new Swope Health South Clinic will be developed at 8821 Troost Ave., Kansas City, MO. It will provide affordable and accessible care to meet growing need in the area. The new clinic, over a year in planning, became possible with the recent approval of a $320,000 one-year grant from the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, along with earlier $200,000 funding from the Kansas City, Mo. Health Department.

The city of Kansas City, Mo. have programs to help low income families with paint for a residence and also emergency home repairs including roofing, plumbing, electrical and furance.

Once again the Independence School District is organizing its very successful summer school building clean up effort that taps community and volunteer interest in fixing up schools.

LINC founder Bert Berkley received an honorary degree from Missouri Valley College (Marshall, Mo.) on May 8.

Four students from our Caring Communities were recognized for drawings that demonstrated the importance of buckling up.

Increase in shigellosis cases reported in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

This Free Foreclosure Counseling Event will with provide free foreclosure counseling to those in the Kansas City area.

"Face off To Debunk the Myths of Community Schools", April 8, 2010, Philadelphia, PA.  Debate teams from Central High School in Kansas City, MO and Bodine High School in Philadelphia, PA face-off to debate community schools.

The Independence School District has published a new book titled Inspiring Greatness: A Community's Commitment to a Brighter Future.

LINC has produced many maps highlighting demographic and socioeconomic data that is important to creating a fuller understanding of our community.

Many LINC Caring Communities sites held several Cinco de Mayo Celebrations in May.

Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser announced a major initiative outlining closer cooperation between the area's largest city and its school districts which is called Schools First.

The Kansas City, Mo. School District voted March 10 to close 26 schools because of declining enrollment and financial consideration in an effort to "right size" the district.

A Caring Communities Citizen Guide providing information about LINC's work, locations of its school and neighborhood Caring Communities sites and information about area elected officials is available online.

Central High School debaters will "make the case for community schools" at the Coalition for Community Schools 2010 National Forum in Philadelphia.

LINC Commissioner Coauthors Book SuEllen Fried and Blanche Sosland bring their combined experiences together to present a blueprint to reduce the pain, rage, and revenge cycle of bullying.

Mayor Mark Funkhouser holds the first tele-town hall meeting to discuss his Schools First initiative.

Community Mediation Center Works LINC has worked closely the the Community Mediation Center to address conflicts and issues in schools and neighbors. The 10 year old organization offers a wide variety of services to faith based, schools, neighborhoods and businesses.

LINC is working with the US Census Bureau to provide community locations where individuals can apply for census jobs and take the required test.

Kansas City mayor Mark Funkhouser shared a broad vision of a stronger more intentional partnership between the city government and the school neighborhoods throughout the city.

Free help filing your taxes will be available at selected schools and neighborhood centers or file online at MyFreeTaxes.com 

A new public safety-net health clinic will be developed in south Kansas City, Mo. to provide affordable and accessible care to meet growing need.

The foreclosure crisis and the economic downturn is creating new homeless families in the Kansas City area.

LINC will offer its Caring Communities Before and After School Program in 17 Kansas City, Mo. School District schools this fall.

For the third year, LINC held a summer chess camp.

There is hope for urban education when the community is involved.

Those needing to make choices about health insurance and others seeking a better understanding of some important health care system terms can get answers from a new Health Care System Glossary prepared by LINC staff.

The Kansas City, Mo. Public Health Department is sharing information on what parents, children and the community can do to be aware of swine flu.

Family and Youth Festival Southeast Neighborhoods Caring Communities and Missouri Job Corps present a Family and Youth Festival.

All too often, workers become unemployed through no fault of their own and may be eligible for unemployment benefits but finding getting information or filing a claim confusing or difficult. Learn now to file claims online or through an automated phone system.

Fort Osage LINC Caring Communities site coordinators are being recognized for their work in their respective schools.

Two special February events will focus community attention on the growing foreclosure issues in the Kansas City region.

The Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City awarded a $60,000 grant to research the feasibility of a primary care clinic within the Center School District for underserved residents of south Kansas City.

The work of the West Central Area Health Education Center (AHEC) was highlighted in a Nov. 7th story in the Kansas City Business Journal. AHEC is colocated in LINC's offices and works closely with LINC on health related initiatives.

Gov. Matt Blunt sent 141 Missouri Dept. of Social Services’ (DSS) employees to Louisiana to assist with disaster relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav.

At its July meeting, the LINC Commission endorsed a document titled The Community Agenda for America's Public Schools which promotes the ideas of broader community involvement with schools.

A public education campaign about the importance of quality child care has been launched in the Kansas City area.

The Kansas City Quality Improvement Consortium (KCQIC) received a major $1 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as part of a $300 million initiative by the health foundation involving 14 communities from across the nation.

The LINC Commission heard presentations on the extent and impact of foreclosures in the Kansas City area and considering what it and the community can do to address the impact on families and neighborhoods.

Independence School District Supt. Jim Hinson received the 2007 Independence Distinguished Citizen Award from the Independence Chamber of Commerce.

The Examiner Jan. 19, 2008 Bill Rogers recognized for revitalization efforts By Rhiannon Ross | rhiannon.ross@examiner.net Bill Rogers recalls the years he and his friends sat around the table at Jerry's Restaurant in Fairmount talking about their dreams for western

Bill Rogers, a veteran LINC employee, received the Jackson County Inter-Agency Council Human Service Award.

One of LINC's first neighborhood-based Caring Communities sites (Palestine Neighborhood) will hold an open house on Thursday, Jan. 31st from noon to 3 p.m. The public is invited.

The Fort Osage Caring Communities sites received a $500 donation from school district's PM SkillsUSA Club.

LINC supports high school job fair LINC is working with several area high school districts to host a March 10th spring job and employment fair for high school seniors.

NPR features KC juvenvile facility The innovative work of Missouri Division of Youth Services is featured in a Oct. 30th story on National Public Radio show "All Things Considered." The story says Missouri sees "teens offenders as kids, not inmates." The radio feature, first of a

The National Senior Citizens Law Center released a consumer guide on Missouri nursing home admission agreements at a media news conference held Dec. 18th in Kansas City.

The LINC Commission agreed to reestablish Caring Communities sites at seven schools located in western Independence and Sugar Creek that will be transferred from the Kansas City, MO. School District to the Independence School District next July.

A new partnership between LINC Caring Communities, Martin City K-8, and Red Bridge United Methodist Church gives middle-school students the opportunity to take part in fun, enriching activities on early-release days:  the Wedesdays in the Neighborhood (WIN) program.

Caring, sharing For many, holidays are a struggle  Examiner Nov. 22, 2007 By Kelly Evenson | Kelly.evenson@examiner.net When Lisa Diaz received a telephone call in October regarding two children she baby sits, she had only minutes to decide what to

The Fort Osage Caring Communities sites distributed holiday food to families and others in need in time for Thanksgiving.

LINC Founder Bert Berkley is co-author of a book, Giving Back: Connecting You, Business and Community, now available.

Concerned citizens are working hard to build a Buckner community center that will serve the rural Eastern Jackson County community and other neighboring communities.

The Local Investment Commission (LINC) will host a chess tournament on Saturday, March 8th, at Rockhurst University Community Center, 5401 Troost, Kansas City, Mo. 64110.

LINC has been awarded two 21^st Century Community Learning Center grants for five schools in the Hickman Mills and Grandview school districts.

Dr. Larry Ewing, superintendent of the Fort Osage School District, has been named the Missouri Superintendent of the Year by the Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA).

Dr. Bob Lupton will hold a half-day workshop on how church involvement can help community renewal. The special event will be held Tuesday, Nov. 27th from 8 am to noon at Maywood Baptist Church, 10505 Winner Rd. in Independence.

A $4,000 contribution has been made to the Sam and Lindsey Porter Memorial Fund established to help build a playground at Fairmount Elementary School where the two children attended.

The City of Sugar Creek and the Housing Authority of Kansas City are respectively partnering with LINC to create new Caring Communities sites that will be located in the Sugar Creek gymnasium and the Wayne Miner Community Center.

LINC has produced an informative booklet "Tips on Getting Safely to School" that covers tips for children who walk, take the bus or ride to school.

Steve Renne, longtime associate director of the Missouri Dept. of Social Services, recently retired.

The Kansas City Beehive wants to increase technology access in the home for low-income families and is offering no-interest, no-fee loans for the purchase of home personal computers.

LINC will develop two Caring Communities sites in the Center School District starting in August.

LINC will expand its Caring Communities initiative into the Grandview School District in six elementary schools and one middle school.

LINC will expand from one to eight Caring Communities sites in the Hickman Mills School District.

The LINC Commission will convene for a special meeting at 3 p.m. on Friday, May 25, 2007, at the E.M. Kauffman Foundation, 4801 Rockhill Rd., Kansas City, MO 64110.

The Independence School District received a Community Schools National Award for Excellence in a presentation from the Coalition for Community Schools at June 14th presentation at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. which included comments from House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

Fifty participants in the Family Child Care Entrepreneur and Child Development Associate Credential programs celebrated their graduation on May 10, 2007, at Penn Valley Community College.

Several state agencies will hold a June 14th Kansas City public hearing on development of the Child Care Development Fund for fiscal years 2008 and 2009 on Thursday, June 14th, 7-9 p.m., Paseo Baptist Church, 2501 Paseo, Kansas City, Mo. The public is invited.

LINC operates three of the 25 largest child care centers in the Kansas City area based on ranking published by The Kansas City Star in its April 24th business section.

Prof. john a. powell (lower case intentional) and U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II discussed the challenges of racial and economic equity at a Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity (MORE²) luncheon.

Eastgate Middle School Site Coordinator Lory Daniels was among those honored by the North Kansas City Schools Board of Education.

Dr. Jim Hinson, Independence School Superintendent, was selected as the 2007 Missouri School Superintendent of the Year.

LINC has been selected to receive a $750,000 donation of Fujitsu technologies from among more than 40 non-profit organizations nationwide in recognition of their significant impact in strengthening the communities they serve.

As part of the national Cover the Uninsured Week, the Greater Kansas City Cover the Uninsured Coalition will host a health fair on Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Seton Center, 2816 E. 23rd Street, Kansas City, Mo. 64127.

Watch a video interview with Chris Henrich, Ph.D. who is doing a multi-year independent evaluation of 12 Caring Communities sites in the Kansas City, Mo. School District.

KC Community Kick-off Meeting from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, at Rockhurst University's Community Center

New mobile health van provides no-cost health service to the uninsured.

Missouri is involved in a serious debate on changing the state's Medicaid program.

The Kansas City Quality Improvement Consortium (KCQIC)in February 2007 received a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation competitive grant.

The Kansas City Chamber of Commerce featured LINC in January in its member spotlight feature.

Christopher Hope shares his thoughts about recommendations to close McCoy Elementary school in the Kansas City, Mo. School District.

LINC staff member Tim Decker has been selected to head the Missouri Division of Youth Services (DYS), part of the Missouri Dept. of Social Services. Decker discusses his experiences at LINC. Watch the video

A children's book and DVD celebrating the life and accomplishments of John "Buck" O'Neil created by the children of Primitivo Garcia Elementary School have been published.