News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
New Garment District Concert Series Planned–After Virus Fears Calm
A new monthly concert series at Garment District Place that will feature local musicians and students from the Crossroads Preparatory Academy is in the works once the all-clear is given for public health restrictions prompted by the coronavirus endemic. Organizers of the “Garment District Grooves” concert series had hoped to begin in April, but the…
‘High’ Time To Get Missouri Medical Marijuana Off The Ground
Missouri’s nascent medical marijuana industry is battling delays in getting growers, manufacturers and retailers up and running.
Revised Waddell & Reed HQ Design Gets Thumbs Down from Neighborhood
By Kevin Collison The designer of the Waddell & Reed headquarters project has returned to the city with a revised plan that adds a small commercial space to the southeast corner of the building in the works for 1400 Baltimore. But it’s not enough for critics who note the project, as previously designed, offered only…
Outpouring of Love for Fire-Ravaged Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club
A devastating fire Saturday morning at Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club has prompted an outpouring of reaction among members of the Kansas City performing community.
Lightwell Lands Two Tech Tenants
The lightwell office tower, formerly City Center Square, has landed two tech-oriented tenants: the Kansas City Tech Council and PayIt, a digital payment platform founded locally in 2013. PayIt is relocating from 1812 Broadway and plans to lease 23,000 square feet this June in the 30-story building currently being renovated at 12th and Main. The…
Seeds of Despair: Hundreds of Farmers are Dying by Suicide
Mounting financial pressures, social isolation and a lack of access to mental-health care are contributing to a suicide crisis in rural America.
New O’Neil Bridge Still May See Occasional Backups for I-35 Traffic
(Updated Feb. 5, 2021. A joint venture that includes Massman Co., Clarkson Construction Co. and HNTB Corp. has been selected to build the replacement Buck O’Neil Bridge, the Missouri Department of Transportation announced this week. Work on the $220 million project will begin this fall and is expected to be completed by late fall of…
Opus Scraps Crossroads Apartment Plan, Faultless Building Back on Market
By Kevin Collison Plans have been scrapped for a $52 million apartment project first proposed three years ago by Opus Development that would have replaced the long-vacant Faultless Linen building at 1923 Broadway. Opus won approval from the city for the 228-unit apartment project in 2017, but never moved forward with the plan. A company…
Kansas Considers Letting College Athletes Make Money Through Endorsement Deals
Kansas lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow student-athletes to make money off of endorsements.
Age of Coronavirus: Quarantine Diary
Flatland reporter Vicky Diaz-Camacho recounts her return from an idyllic European vacation to quarantine in Lawrence, Kansas.