News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
Grand Boulevard Finally Gets New Stripes, but Bicyclists Believe Much More Needed
By Kevin Collison Several years after it was proposed, Grand Boulevard is finally going on a “road diet” promised to bicyclists who now hope it’s the beginning of realizing the much more ambitious “Making Grand Grand” plan. City Public Works crews have been painting new lanes on Grand in recent days that are reducing traffic…
Developer Pursuing Two Historic Apartment Projects in ‘Fringe’ Between Downtown and Midtown
By Kevin Collison A pair of historic buildings in what their developer calls the “fringe” area between downtown and midtown are on their way to new life as apartment developments. Caleb Buland and his Denver partner Ilan Salzberg recently took the first step to renovating the long-vacant Acme Cleaning Co. building at 3200 Gillham Rd….
Port KC Considers Extending Streetcar to Riverfront ‘High Priority,’ Backs Words with Funding, ‘With or Without’ Fed
By Kevin Collison A proposed $30 million extension of the downtown streetcar to the Berkley Riverfront could substantially boost development opportunities and allow people to live and visit there without cars, according to the leader of Port KC. And Port KC, which receives a big part of its revenues from a long-term lease agreement with…
Kansas City’s First Membership-Only Dog Park Off and Running (and Barking) at West Terrace Park
Downtown Kansas City’s population boom has not only been people, many of the new residents are co-habitating with their favorite canines. That’s the impetus for the first membership-only dog park at West Terrace Park on the west edge of downtown near Pennsylvania Avenue and Seventh Street. The 1.5-acre dog park opened July 30 and has…
‘The Beverly Hillbillies’ Backstory
Ruth Henning couldn’t find the one book she wanted to read. So, like a lot of writers before her, she wrote the book herself. That book, “The First Beverly Hillbilly: The Untold Story of the Creator of Rural TV Comedy,” is a newly published memoir of Henning’s husband, television producer Paul Henning, who grew up…
If Your Teacher Looks Likes You, You May Do Better In School
Think back to grade school for a moment and envision that one teacher who could captivate you more than any other. Did that teacher look a bit like you? One recent study says: probably. There’s mounting evidence that when black students have black teachers, those students are more likely to graduate high school. That new…
Downtown MAX Bus Rapid Transit Route Going Straight, Celebration This Sunday
The downtown MAX rapid transit line is going straight this Sunday after 12 years in operation. The Kansas City Transportation Authority is shifting the popular express bus line to a direct north-south route down Grand Boulevard from Crown Center to the River Market and is holding a celebration in Washington Square Park to inaugurate the…
McCownGordon Purchases Downtown Building for New Headquarters, Investing $10.5 Million to Renovate
By Kevin Collison McCownGordon Construction has purchased a three-story building at 850 Main St. and plans to spend $10.5 million renovating it as its new headquarters. The 45,000 square-foot building had been owned by the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph and was occupied by Catholic Charities It was part of a 2010 acquisition of…
Almost Full Commerce Tower Holds Grand Opening; Added Bonus, Dowdy CVS Pharmacy Next Door Getting New Look
By Kevin Collison The $139 million redevelopment of the historic Commerce Tower, described as a ‘vertical neighborhood,’ held its grand opening this week and 95 percent of its 355 apartments are expected to be leased by the end of November. “I knew it was going to do well, but the biggest thing is we’ve had…
KC Vet Recalls Discrimination in Vietnam
Thomas “Buck” Jenkins doesn’t like to talk much about his year of Army duty in the Vietnam War — a time in his life with too many bad memories from too many bad experiences. Like many, Jenkins returned home to people who criticized his service, yet had never walked five steps in his shoes as…