News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
Divided Council Approves Strata Office Plan, Work Starts This Spring
(Updated Nov. 15: The Kansas City Council approved city support for the 25-story Strata office plan at 13th and Main on a 7-4 vote Thursday. Supporters were led by Councilwoman Kathryn Shields who originally opposed a deal that called for significantly more city incentives, and led negotiations as chair of the Finance Committee to ultimately…
Stop the Presses: Kansas City Star to Cease Printing Saturday Newspapers
McClatchy Co., the Kansas City Star’s owner, plans to stop printing physical newspapers on Saturdays in its 30 media markets — including Kansas City — by the end of 2020.
Finding Refuge in Kansas City | Yearning to Breathe Free
A new KCPT documentary, “Finding Refuge in Kansas City,” tells the stories of five Kansas Citians who were refugees.
‘Rock the Red Kettle’ Kicks Off Downtown Holiday Season
By Kevin Collison The downtown holiday season kicks off Friday at the Power & Light District with the fourth annual Rock the Red Kettle, a concert benefiting the Salvation Army. The free, all-ages concert at the Kansas City Live! stage is part of a series of holiday events at venues throughout downtown including Crown Center,…
Getting Out, Staying Out
Missouri and Kansas are struggling to reduce recidivism, which is a major contributor to overcrowded prisons.
ArtsBlock Creating a Cultural Haven on Independence Avenue
By Kevin Collison ArtsBlock, a new project near downtown on Independence Avenue, more than lives up to its name by offering places for artists to live and work, as well as an exhibition gallery and art class space for kids. The 38-unit apartment building is part of what’s called The Paseo Gateway redevelopment area on…
Tipping the Scale for a Living Wage Seems Oddly Correct
How much does a barista need to make to live comfortably in Kansas City? That’s what Oddly Correct wanted to calculate.
Netherland Nearing Completion in Midtown, Rooftop Bar to Offer Wide City View
By Kevin Collison From what will be the rooftop bar and café at the historic Netherland Hotel project near 39th and Main, you’ll enjoy a panoramic view of Kansas City’s River-Crown-Plaza urban nexus. Right now, there’s scaffolding and the beginnings of a canopy on the roof, but by the end of the year, developer Caleb…
Remembering The Lost in Vietnam
People across the country still wear bracelets to remember prisoners of war and service members missing in action during the Vietnam War.
Provocative New Vietnam War Exhibit at WW I Museum Through July
(Editor’s note: The Vietnam War exhibit run at the WWI Museum has been extended to July 26 because of the museum’s temporary closure due to Covid-19 health restrictions) By Kevin Collison An unvarnished account of the Vietnam War, from the Cold War domino theory that hooked the U.S. in the 1950s, to a baby sweater…