News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
MoDOT O’Neil Bridge Design Slammed as ‘Hunk of Concrete’
By Kevin Collison When it comes to the new design for replacing the downtown Buck O’Neil Bridge, mighty MoDOT has struck out, at least on social media. While the alignment and basic description of the $220 million replacement project was publicized a year ago, it took MoDOT’s release of architectural renderings and a virtual flyover this…
Crossroads Market Opens at 18th and Holmes
By Kevin Collison A new food market has opened quietly in the East Crossroads at 18th and Holmes, attracted by the steady traffic, new residents moving into the area and the proximity to Hospital Hill. The Crossroads Market models its 2,000-item product mix after chains like Whole Foods and Sprouts, and includes fresh produce, meats,…
How Rolling Blackouts Helped Regional Power Grid Avoid ‘Cascading Failures’
Federal regulators are investigating how the Midwest power grid had come so close to a catastrophic failure during a winter weather blast last week.
Struggling Kansas Hospitals Ponder Potential Solution: Fewer Beds
Pending legislation in Kansas could provide relief for struggling rural hospitals by providing them more flexibility in the services they provide.
A Record of Kansas City Black History: ‘Chant Their Names, Almost As If Holy’
The Local Investment Commission, the Black Archives of Mid-America and the Kansas City Public Library have collaborated on “Kansas City Black History,” a book documenting the stories of notable local Black people.
New City Manager Talks About Police, Streetcar Development and Ballpark
Brian Platt, the new city manager, took questions from Midtown KC Now members last week via Zoom. The organization, formerly MainCor, runs a community improvement district along Main and Broadway, and promotes the overall interests of the area. Some context, Platt, 35, came here in early December after serving as city manager of Jersey City,…
Nick’s Picks | Warm Weather, Baby Mahomes and Better Pandemic Picture
Warm weather and an improving COVID outlook tops the news outlook for the coming week in Kansas City.
Children’s Opens Research Tower, Continuing Hospital Hill Economic Boom
By Kevin Collison Today’s opening of the nine-story building housing the Children’s Mercy Research Institute is the latest in a series of recent major investments galvanizing both the Hospital Hill district and nearby environs, particularly Troost Avenue. The tower will provide space for cutting edge research in diagnosing and treating complex childhood diseases, and joins…
Local Group Using Billboards to Reach Survivors of Domestic Violence
Safe in Harm’s Way partnered with the Out of Home Advertising Association of America to create billboards to reach survivors of domestic abuse.
Bartle Hall Warming Shelter Seeks Volunteers, Donations
The city’s temporary overnight homeless shelter at Bartle Hall, which has hosted up to 400 people escaping the subzero cold this week, has established a web page to make it easier for those wanting to volunteer and/or make a donation. The Scott Eicke Warming Center, named after a homeless man who died from exposure at…