News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
Uptown Hotel Project Moving Forward in Midtown KC
By Kevin Collison The developers of the Uptown Lofts project are moving ahead with a planned hotel at the corner of Valentine and Broadway at a faster pace than originally envisioned, winning approval for incentives from a city development agency last week. Construction on the 95- to 120-room hotel could begin by the end of…
Family-Friendly PNC Plaza Opens in Power & Light District
PNC Bank is partnering with the Power & Light District to rebrand an outdoor space in the downtown entertainment area “PNC Plaza” and plans to make it a hub for family-friendly activities. The plaza at the base of the H&R Block tower was formerly called Elements Courtyard because of its fountain and fire feature. It’s…
Rec Deck Adds New Level of Fun to Boulevard Beer Hall
By Kevin Collison As if you weren’t having enough fun already at the Boulevard Beer Hall. Starting soon, the historic building that began operations in 2016 is opening its fourth floor as a place where you can play cruise-deck size shuffleboard games and bar-size versions, or just relax and enjoy the downtown view with a…
Kansas Citians Share What Juneteenth Means To Them
On Saturday, vendors transformed 18th Street in Kansas City, Missouri’s, historic Jazz District into a hub of black-owned businesses, doing business to the booming bass pumped out by a DJ spinning a mix of ‘70s funk and ‘90s R&B. The occasion was the city’s JuneteenthKC Heritage Festival, which commemorated Gen. Gordon Granger’s post-Civil War ride…
Lucas Beats Justus In KC Mayor’s Race
Kansas City has a new mayor, and his name is Quinton Lucas. According to unofficial results, Lucas captured 59 percent of the vote in the race against fellow Kansas City Council member Jolie Justus. So, what’s next? Lucas takes office on Aug. 1. Including the primary, the campaign was a long one. So, let’s give…
Beautifying KC’s Low-Income Housing
For Kansas City-based artist Julia Cole, housing for the poorest in town shouldn’t be ugly. So she asked curiousKC if something could be done.
Des Moines Postcard: An East Village Model for Downtown KC
By Kevin Collison Downtown Kansas City has certainly come a long way since its ‘haunted house’ days of the early 2000s, but other smaller, regional cities have been pushing hard reviving their downtowns too. Omaha has been redeveloping its downtown riverfront, Oklahoma City recently opened a downtown streetcar line and Des Moines has been busy…
Lee’s Summit Nursing Program Preps High Schoolers For ‘Rewarding’ Career
What does it take to be a nurse? Teamwork. “To be able to comfort and be a part of that is very rewarding,” said Peggy Chandler, a nursing instructor at Summit Technology Academy’s Professional Nursing Program. Chandler is preparing high school juniors and seniors to fill the gap left by retiring nurses. Students at Summit…
McCownGordon Occupies Striking New Digs on Lower Main Street
By Kevin Collison Move over Muse of Missouri, the corner of Ninth and Main finally has another attraction pleasing to the eye with the opening of the new McCownGordon headquarters, a $10.5 million do over of a bland 1970s office building. The approximately 300 McCownGordon employees completed their move into their new digs last month…
Neighborhood Champion: Karen Slaughter
They do it for no pay and little fanfare. Who are they? They are the neighborhood leaders who fight to improve some of the most distressed neighborhoods on the East Side of Kansas City, Missouri. These are the men and women who advocate for better housing, less crime, and more economic opportunity. Through its coverage…