News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
Streetcar Authority Picks Outer Lanes of Main Street for Planned Extension
By Kevin Collison The Streetcar Authority plans to run the proposed extension from downtown to UMKC on the outside lanes of Main Street, saying it would provide a more pedestrian-friendly access and greater economic development opportunities. The decision to go outside rather than the alternative of an alignment down the middle of Main Street was…
Abandoned or Wrecked: The Numbers Behind the City’s Car Auction
John Baccala stood in a parking lot in the Northeast Industrial District of Kansas City, Missouri, and raised his voice over the auctioneer’s bid calling. “Every one of these cars has a story,” said Baccala, the communication/community liaison for the city’s Neighborhoods and Housing Services Department. Baccala has seen more than 5,200 cars pass through…
Our Daily Nada Opening in River Market, Joins Growing Cafe Scene
By Kevin Collison Our Daily Nada, the anticipated new River Market bookstore and cafe, expects to open this week, featuring the welcoming escape envisioned in its namesake short story by Ernest Hemingway. “We want it to be a comfortable place for people to relax and enjoy a drink,” said co-owner Andrea Baca. “There will be…
How Should Police Officers Combat Stress?
Clinical psychotherapist Pat Hinkle was a police officer for 30 years before starting his counseling practice to help other officers work through stress and trauma. During his time as an officer, Hinkle recognized that there was a disconnect between police departments’ understanding of mental health and counselors’ understanding of officers’ experience of stress. “I had…
Why Eclipses Have Always Fascinated Us
Nearly a year after the eclipse drew our eyes to the sky for minutes of totality, we look at the fascination of eclipses throughout history. As our public media friends at Oregon Public Broadcasting prepare for an eclipse on Aug. 21, take a look at their video that helps explain the link between mythology, the world’s first…
Flashcube Building Apartment Project Expects to Start Early 2019
By Kevin Collison The planned redevelopment of the historic “Flashcube” building into apartments has hit a “profound” budget jump due to price increases for construction materials and labor, raising the cost by 38 percent to $69 million. In response, a request by the developer, Worcester Investments, to have its “prevailing wage” labor goal set at…
Reimagining the School of the Future at Maker Faire KC
Organizers call Maker Faire the Greatest Show (And Tell) on Earth, and Kansas City held its eighth annual version of the international event at Union Station in June. The two-day faire drew crowds to celebrate all things creative — from science to art and anything in between. As part of our Take Note education project, and in conjunction with…
Visit KC Chooses New Leader at Pivotal Time for Downtown Convention Industry
With Kansas City’s convention infrastructure poised to be its most competitive since the 1976 Republican National Convention, Visit KC has picked a top hospitality executive from Pittsburgh to help the city cash in on its investment. Jason Fulvi is the new president and CEO of Visit KC, the metro’s primary convention and tourism marketing organization,…
Benchmarking Success
Creating an Austin, Texas-type buzz in the Kansas City area means establishing the 21st century workforce that can succeed in the 21st century workplace, said Sheri Gonzales Warren, an economic development official with the Mid-America Regional Council. “If we do a good job of this,” Gonzales Warren said, “ this would be one of those…
Crossroads Hotel Opening in October, 131-Room Historic Renovation Project
The Crossroads Hotel is opening this October at 21st and Central streets, reviving the historic Pabst Brewing and Pendergast buildings as a 131-room boutique hotel and rooftop bar. In a press release, Chicago-based Aparium Hotel Group said the hotel, which will feature three restaurants and bars including the rooftop, is accepting reservations for stays beginning…