Nick’s Picks | Grappling With Life After Taylor Swift We Still Have Patrick Mahomes
Published July 10th, 2023 at 9:44 AM
Above image credit: "Kansas City Week in Review" host Nick Haines. (John McGrath | Flatland)The biggest question of the week: What’s left for local media to cover now that Taylor Swift has come and gone?
To be honest, I have never seen anything quite like it.
Can you name another famous personality who’s got this much attention for coming to Kansas City?
Certainly not the president of the United States.
The commander in chief gets the customary TV coverage of his plane touching down at the airport. Taylor Swift got news choppers flying overhead, capturing her every movement. And who can forget the breathless reporting of every bakery that decided to sell cookies in the shape of Taylor Swift’s head?
While this week is certainly going to be a let down in comparison, here are some stories you may want to pay attention to.
Decision Day in Jackson County
It’s getting downright ugly in Jackson County.
Amid anger over skyrocketing property appraisals, some residents are now threatening to launch a recall campaign to oust County Executive Frank White from office.
That would be a long shot, but it reflects the bitterness now on display in countless packed town hall events.
If you’re a homeowner in a panic over your property assessment, you’ve been given a momentary reprieve.
The deadline to file an appeal has now been extended from today to July 31.
But that’s unlikely to quell the rising dissatisfaction of residents, some of whom claim that the astonishing increases will force them out of their homes.
Later today, county lawmakers are scheduled to debate several bigger fixes, including a proposal to freeze property tax rates for seniors. A second proposal would cap increases to 15% for all Jackson County residents.
Sparks are certain to fly.
White says he will oppose the idea, calling it an “irresponsible plan” that would run afoul of Missouri law.
White has been on the offensive. He recently accused Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas of sowing “seeds of confusion and mistrust” when he weighed in on the issue.
Today’s legislative meeting starts at 3 p.m.
Streetcar Sidetracked
If you’ve got out-of-town guests visiting this week, don’t add riding the streetcar to your “fun things to do” list.
If you missed the news, the entire streetcar line has been shut down and it could be weeks before it’s back in service.
A streetcar driver spotted a section of steel rail popping out of the ground on July 4, while crossing the Interstate 670 bridge.
If you thought that could be easily fixed, apparently not.
It’s now thought the rail buckled because of thermal expansion and wear and tear on the concrete surrounding the steel track.
The KC Streetcar Authority is now inspecting and testing the entire 2-mile-long line to prevent a repeat of the problem.
While you might think that could be done relatively quickly, streetcar officials say the process could take up to three weeks.
In the meantime, RideKC buses are now servicing the route. They pick up passengers every 20-30 minutes at each streetcar stop.
Last Week, Reviewed
Biden in Europe
President Biden is out of the country this week.
He’s in London today for his first meeting with King Charles III since he was crowned.
The president then travels to Lithuania for a NATO summit meeting. Alliance leaders are expected to debate new strategies for dealing with Russian aggression as the Ukraine war passes the 500-day mark.
Gun Summit
The mayors of Missouri’s biggest cities will gather in Kansas City this week for a major summit meeting on gun violence.
Mayor Quinton Lucas called the group together as he faces growing pressure to address a rising tide of killings.
The city marked its 100th homicide of 2023 last week, putting it on track to record its deadliest year in history.
Thursday’s meeting is expected to focus on a proposed ballot measure that would ask voters to amend the Missouri Constitution to allow cities and counties to set their own gun laws.
State law currently prohibits cities from taking any action to regulate firearms.
Affirmative Action
A week after the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed affirmative action on college campuses, the Missouri attorney general has now ordered universities in the state to immediately drop minority scholarships.
It’s putting the University of Missouri in a bind.
Last year, MU, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and the Missouri university system’s two campuses in Rolla and St. Louis spent a collective $16.2 million on scholarships for which race or ethnicity was a factor.
This week, campus leaders will meet to discuss how to restructure their scholarship programs, including a proposal to focus aid exclusively on socioeconomic status.
Royal All-Star
The Kansas City Royals get a much needed break this week as Major League Baseball pauses regular play for its annual All-Star Game.
The match-up between the best players in the American League and National League is in Seattle this year. And only one member of the Kansas City Royals made the roster.
Salvador Perez will be playing in his eighth All-Star Game this Tuesday night.
The only player in Royals history with more All-Star selections is George Brett with 13.
Parade of Hearts
With one of the worst stadium attendance records in baseball this year, the Kansas City Royals need to pull out every marketing trick, stunt or gimmick they can to get fans in the stands.
This weekend, they’re bringing the entire Parade of Hearts to Kauffman Stadium.
All 40 of the sculptures will be on display at The K when the Royals take on the Tampa Bay Rays Friday night.
The giant heart-shaped art sculptures will remain at the stadium through July 20.
Paying for Postage
If you’re heading to the post office today, prepare to pay more for your postage stamps.
The U.S. Postal Service is raising mail prices again, pushing the cost of a first-class stamp from 63 cents to 66 cents.
It’s the agency’s fourth rate hike in two years, and the second since January.
The Postal Service blames inflation and a drop in mail volume for the price increase.
Mahomes on Netflix
Is this going to be the most watched show on Netflix this week?
The new documentary series about Patrick Mahomes premieres on Wednesday.
It’s the streaming service’s first behind-the-scenes drama exclusively focused on the NFL.
Called simply “Quarterback,” it tracks the on-field and off-field lives of three NFL quarterbacks. In addition to Mahomes, the series features Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings and Marcus Mariota of the Atlanta Falcons.
In other sports news, Wimbledon enters its final week. The women’s tennis final is on Saturday. The men’s final is on Sunday.
Binge the Fringe
The 19th annual KC Fringe Festival starts Friday with shows in a dozen venues from the West Bottoms to Brookside.
This year’s event features everything from mind readers to Australian comics. It includes 54 stage productions, 35 visual artists, six films and 300 performances in 16 days.
You can find schedules and tickets at kcfringe.org.
Distractions and Diversions
One of the most iconic bands of the 1980s will be in Kansas City this week. The British rock group Tears for Fears takes the stage at Starlight Theatre on Friday night. They’re best known for their chart-topping hit “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, one of the best music festivals of the year is happening in Kansas City, and it’s taking place this weekend. The Breakaway Festival features the biggest names in Electronic Dance Music. The two-day music fest begins Friday night at the Azura Amphitheater.
And the front lawn of Liberty Memorial will be blanketed with cars this weekend. More than 400 vintage, antique and one-of-a-kind vehicles will be on display as part of “The Great Car Show.” It’s a benefit for the Kansas City Automotive Museum.
It’s this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Nick Haines tracks the week’s most impactful local news stories on “Kansas City Week in Review,” Friday at 7:30 p.m. on Kansas City PBS.