News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
Downtown Rings out 2018 with Surge in Apartments and Hotel Rooms, Promise of New Office
By Kevin Collison Downtown Kansas City ends 2018 on a strong note with new apartment and hotel projects seemingly announced every other week and finally, after much talk, a couple of significant office developments, notably a 25-story project planned for the Power & Light District. It also saw a growing street scene of new retailers,…
Two Johnson County Churches Bridge Centuries-Old Theological Schism
Two neighboring Catholic and Lutheran churches in Johnson County are trying to repair some of the epic rupture to Christianity caused 501 years ago by a Catholic monk named Martin Luther. Luther, without really meaning to, started the Protestant Reformation by publishing a list of 95 matters he thought church leaders should debate. His disagreements…
Chef Remy Ayesh Launches Lazia, Upscale Italian Restaurant in Crossroads Hotel
By Jill Wendholt Silva, CityScene KC contributor If Remy Ayesh could create a restaurant to reflect her personality and style, it would be a rustic-yet-hip Italian concept with a hip-hop soundtrack. Lucky for her, that concept already was in the works when she landed at The Crossroads Hotel, an upscale Italian steakhouse that opened at…
Safety Campaign Warns Scooters and Smartphones Don’t Mix
First it was avoiding streetcar rails, now a new safety program has been launched by Bird and AT&T to discourage electric scooter riders from using their smartphones while rolling. “Smartphone use while driving or scooting is a dangerous mix,” said Rachel Bankston, a Bird spokeswoman. “We urge everyone, regardless of their transportation mode, to stay…
Big Redevelopment Plan By Barney Allis Plaza Gets Bigger
By Kevin Collison A major redevelopment project that will transform a block bordering Barney Allis Plaza has bumped up its office component by 43 percent, responding to a downtown market that developers believe is ripe for new space. The project planned by Platform Ventures originally called for 70,000 square feet of office, but now has…
Flatland Favorites: Editor’s Edition
I haven’t been the digital managing editor at Kansas City PBS for very long, but there’s a reason why I pursued this job. I’m at home in the heartland. It’s where I’m from. People understand me here. Below are my favorite stories from Flatland in 2018 that reflect my love of America’s #flatland, keeping in…
Downtown Dazzle Wraps Up Holidays with New Year’s Eve Events
The following article was produced and paid for by Downtown Dazzle: Downtown Dazzle is wrapping up its fifth consecutive year of connecting guests to all of the holiday fun throughout downtown’s vibrant neighborhoods and districts. After handing out nearly 5,000 Dazzling Deals Booklets (all free) with more than 80 special offers from downtown businesses, hosting…
Nordstrom Design Breaks Plaza Tradition, Wins Plan Commission Support
By Kevin Collison The Country Club Plaza could have a very contemporary, new west edge where Nichols Road meets Jefferson Street following the endorsement this week of the design proposed for the planned Nordstrom department store. The City Plan Commission unanimously backed the style of the 122,000 square-foot store which was described by the co-owner…
Celebrating Kansas City And All Its Traditions (From Here and Abroad)
For some, it is art. For others, it is food and music. The common thread, however, is that these activities are touchstones for transplants to the Kansas City area — some of whom arrived from halfway around the world as refugees from violent conflict and political turmoil. The holiday season is a time to celebrate…
Flatland Favorites: curiousKC Edition
Jonathan Bender, food content editor Jumping on E-Scooters on The Fly? Think Twice As a dad, I tell people to slow down more than I ever expected. A small part of me always worries when I see someone hopping on an electric scooter. They go faster than you think. The streets are uneven. Where’s your…