Good riddance to Missouri’s lazy lawmakers
As Missouri’s legislative session ends Friday, it’s far easier to tally up what the GOP-controlled House and Senate did not do than what they actually accomplished.
Sure, KC has made some progress, but let’s do even more
Mayor Pro Tem Cindy Circo is right: Kansas City has made some progress in providing better service, but can still do better.
KC Zoo moves ‘free admission day” to avoid crowd problems
Kansas City Zoo officials have taken an understandable step to avoid crowd-related problems they had the last time free admission was offered to Jackson and Clay county residents.
Men still have a tight grip on power in the Kansas City area
Here we are in 2013, time to renew a troublesome lament: Whatever happened to all the women holding political leadership positions in this region? And when are women ever going to get to call the shots at lots of local corporations?
Obama officials’ chilling decision to secretly seize AP phone records
The decision to seize The Associated Press phone records is a chilling development because it shows how far the Obama administration is prepared to go to look into how the press gathers sensitive information about the government.
Kill Kyle Flack? No, let him rot in prison
Plenty of people right now would like to skip the trial and get right to the part where accused quadruple murderer Kyle Flack gets the death penalty. Yet while it’s understandable to feel that Flack deserves the death penalty, that’s not likely to happen as smoothly as many people would hope. If at all.
Don’t let Yankees fans embarrass KC this weekend
Welcome to all the obnoxious Yankees fans from Kansas City, Overland Park, Olathe, Lee's Summit, Blue Springs and other local cities who will be streaming into Kauffman Stadium starting tonight.
Fighting City Hall, Wal-Mart, other developers is rough on residents
Fighting City Hall is tough. Sometimes residents win, but they commonly lose, too. Developers often carry lots of sway with city officials. Plus, city leaders often care more about what their town will look like in 20 years than what current residents think.
Mayor James, a towed car and special treatment
It appears the Kansas City Police Department gave special treatment to the situation involving Kyle James’ car, which had been towed from in front of the mayor’s home in late April to a city lot because it had expired tags.
Women shut out of KC’s top CEO pay list
Talk about an unbreakable glass ceiling: When it comes to earning the big bucks in Kansas City’s world of private businesses, women are nowhere to be found.
Colleges, Johnson County held hostage by Brownback
Sam Brownback has fooled some Johnson Countians into thinking he cares about higher education. But this is the same governor who last year was roaming the halls of the Capitol successfully arguing for massive income tax cuts that will hurt higher education in the future.
Brownback should ignore Holder’s gun letter
Sure, the Kansas law on guns is unconstitutional, as Eric Holder points out. However, Gov. Brownback and the Kansas Legislature are all in this year with their anti-federal, pro-gun stance.
Foul ball: Northland scores sports perks without paying tax
This doesn’t seem fair: Kansas Citians in Clay and Platte counties were among those who rejected the 2004 bistate tax. Yet now they will get the same perks as the people who approved a different tax to benefit the baseball team in 2006.
Big loss for GOP on traffic controllers
So much for all the tough talk from GOP lawmakers about sequestration, making tough budget choices, etc. The supposed deficit hawks knuckled under Friday and approved a bill to fully fund the air traffic control system.
Despite protests, Wal-Marts keep coming
Plans to open new Wal-Mart stores remain controversial in the Kansas City area. But they keep coming because city officials often want the tax revenues they bring.
Three terminals or one at KCI? Four steps to clarity
Critics have been out in force, pointing out how convenient the current airport is for many fliers and how the traveling public already has spent $250 million on KCI improvements. So what should the next steps in this debate be? Here are four suggestions.
Stop whining about KC’s highway improvements
Frustrated drivers are whining about all the work being done on I-35 near the downtown loop. But what do these motorists expect? They need to concede that their love affair with cars and light trucks has put us in this position.
Petty Missouri lawmakers on the warpath
The Missouri Senate is careening out of control. With irresponsible actions, pouting senators in the last few days have decided to cut the budgets of at least two state agencies that the lawmakers think are dissing them.
Popular gathering places will overcome problems
The violence and resulting bad publicity that too often afflict Kansas City supposedly are going to scare people — especially white suburbanites — from coming to the Plaza, to the zoo in Swope Park and to a downtown still trying to make a good name for itself. Let’s be clear: No, that won’t happen.
Will mayor avoid these potholes on road to 2015?
With the 2015 elections only two years away, it’s a good time to review Sly James’ chances of winning another term as Kansas City mayor. Start with this rather basic question: Who in the world is going to challenge him?
Needed: A better pitch for retooling KC’s airport
Aviation Director Mark VanLoh and the city’s elected officials must stop bungling the campaign to build the $1.2 billion terminal.
One yawner, one hot race for Kansas voters
Voters go to the polls next Tuesday to select mayors to lead two of the largest local governments in Kansas. An uncontested Overland Park mayoral race lacks excitement, while big differences emerge in the Wyandotte County battle for Unified Government mayor.
Progress, but not success, for James on KC’s East Side
As a black mayor, Sly James is expected by many to pay special attention to lifting up the city’s poorer parts. If the programs he backs reduce violent crime and improve schools, those could be two of his greatest legacies as mayor of all of Kansas City.
James, Forté must re-examine mayor’s security
Kansas City’s mayor and police chief need to re-examine security for Sly James in wake of Tuesday’s startling incident at the Gem Theater. James took the understandable approach just minutes after a man walked on stage, interrupted his State of the City speech and was physically pulled away from the podium by two of James’ bodyguards.
Kansas City mayor faces a challenging to-do list
Count on Sly James to offer plenty of positive news in his State of the City speech next Tuesday. But Kansas Citians still face myriad challenges that deserve more of James’ attention in the future.
