News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
As Kansas City Booms And Sprawls, Trying Not To Forget Those In Between
This summer, NPR reporters are returning to their hometowns to see how they’ve changed. Sarah McCammon grew up in Kansas City – on the Missouri side of the state line. Like a lot of places, Kansas City is experiencing a couple of major trends – suburban sprawl and, more recently, a downtown revitalization. My two…
A Ledger of Names, Mine Among Them, Tell Our Vietnam Stories
All 30 of the boys listed on the Vietnam-era Selective Service ledger were born in the spring of 1948, during America’s most prolific era of mass procreation, the end of World War II. At 18 years old, the thing first and foremost on our minds was to find a way to commit the same act…
Groundbreaking for $25 Million Hampton Inn Expected Soon, Latest Hotel in Growing Crossroads District Market
By Kevin Collison A seven-story Hampton Inn hotel on the northeast corner of 16th and Main is expected to start construction in October, a project that is reinforcing the Crossroads reputation as the hip place to stay downtown. “It’s a perfect fit, right on the streetcar and near the incredible restaurants in the Crossroads,” said…
Irish Fest Brings Lots of Gaelic Fun and Dollars to Downtown Kansas City This Labor Day Weekend
Kansas City Irish Fest 2017 kicks off its traditional Labor Day weekend Friday, and its growing success mirrors the rebound of downtown since the event relocated to Crown Center in 2004 after a soaking debut on the riverfront. “In 2002, downtown was a bit of a ghost town during the week, and a virtual one…
Huge Global Audience Views Dramatic Time-Lapse Video of Downtown Kansas City During Eclipse
By Kevin Collison What started as a brainstorming session at the World War I National Museum and Memorial has been seen by almost 1.3 million people on Facebook, a 48-second time-lapse video of downtown Kansas City during last week’s total eclipse. The dramatic video taken from the top of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas…
Unimagined and Reimagined Lives
During nearly two decades as a refugee in Nepal, Laxmi Ghimire could only dream of the life she now lives in Kansas City, Kansas. She was among the Nepali-speaking Bhutanese who sought refuge in eastern Nepal in 1990, after they were exiled for advocating for social and political rights. One of their major demands was…
Quality Hill Residents Tired of Being in the Dark
By Kevin Collison When the Quality Hill neighborhood first opened in the mid-1980s on the west side of downtown, among its charms were the old-fashioned black street lamps that complemented its quiet, leafy streets and brick residences. These days however, many of the original 120 street lamps have gone dark, leaving residents upset and confused…
New Development Site in River Market Considered Potential Location for Mid-Rise Apartment Project
By Kevin Collison A massive industrial plant at First and Grand that opened in 1904 to supply electricity to the old Kansas City streetcar system may wind up capitalizing on the popularity of its revival. Veolia energy, the French firm that began operating the five-story behemoth in 2008, has begun marketing a nearby four-acre site…
Whole Foods Will Drop Prices On Monday, Amazon Says In Detailing New Grocery Strategy
Amazon sets new prices on bananas, butter, organic eggs, and other best-selling staples. The online giant also says its Amazon Prime members will get special prices and perks at Whole Foods.
Beyond the Loop Offers Alternatives for O’Neil Bridge and North Loop Freeway
By Kevin Collison The public got their first look at a menu of ideas for reimagining the North Loop freeway in downtown Kansas City and the aging Buck O’Neil Bridge at an open house Tuesday. The Mid-America Regional Council hosted a study process that’s being being called “Beyond the Loop.” It’s considered an opportunity to…