Hand-wringing over keeping the fake flame flickering atop the Liberty Memorial flies in the face of financial woes plaguing the National World War I Museum and runs counter to energy and environmental concerns, say some.
Does the economically embattled not-for-profit really need to blow $45,000 a year for a phony flame few even notice?
Even after cutting Liberty Memorial’s subsidy request by $620,000, the city still shells out $625,000 a year to prop it up.
“There’s no shame in extinguishing the flame,” says Brooksider Marti Dolinar. “Even if private money comes into play, there are certainly better things to spend $45,000 on. I’m sure if the veterans of World War I had a voice in the matter, they’d rather see the money put to better use.”
Once upon a time, the fake fire somewhat mattered, says former parks commissioner Bob Lewellen.
“Years ago all you had was the flame at the top,” Lewellen says. “Now they have decorative lights on it that were part of the restoration. It’s lit very ornately, and those lights are still running.”
In the early ’90s investment banker Frank Swyden looked into fixing Liberty Memorial’s flame, but times have changed, Swyden says.
“Not lighting it is the right thing to do right now,” Swyden says. “Because it reminds people to conserve energy.”
Kansas City Councilwoman Beth Gottstein’s take: “You’re making a good point. I think it would be better if we just had it lit on special occasions like Memorial Day, Labor Day and Veteran’s Day … I like the idea of just seeing (the flame) on special occasions only.”
Sex in the city?
When it comes to upscale accouterments, Leawood takes a backseat to few. But living on the cutting edge has not been the JoCo ’burbs’ strong suit.
That could change courtesy of a pair of Scottsdale restaurants.
North plans to open in July at the One Nineteen Center, and Ra Sushi at Park Place late this year or early next year.
“They’ve only opened in a few cities, and usually it’s in the northern part,” says Megan Neher, marketing point woman for both. “So it’s a little confusing to people because North is opening in the south.”
North specializes in northern and modern Italian cuisine.
“The only thing I can tell you is, it’s very modern and very loud,” Neher says. “And it’s got a white leather and tangerine interior.”
As for Ra?
“Their marketing and their concepts are not what you normally see in Leawood,” Neher says. “On the hostess stand, for instance, there’s a pail and you can grab a matchbook, and you open it up and there’s a condom inside.”
Three Bears alert
The poster dude for light rail, Clay Chastain, wants voters to deliver a thumbs-down come November.
“I commend Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser for trying, but he just missed the mark,” Chastain says of Funk’s regional trans plan. “People can’t identify with a light-rail system starting nowhere and ending nowhere.”
Funk’s plan mixes light rail, streetcars and other forms of transportation but requires riders to hop off and on sundry systems to get from Point A to Point C.
Chastain says Funk’s plan is superior to an alternative streetcar starter system, “but I think they both are inferior to the plan the voters approved,” he says. “One is too frou-frou (streetcars), and the other is too incomprehensible. Ours was simple and well-understood.”
Join the discussion
Share your observations and experiences about news. Lively, open debate is the goal, but please refrain from personal attacks or comments that are racist, vulgar or otherwise inappropriate. If you see an inappropriate comment, please click the "Report as violation" link to notify a KansasCity.com editor. Thanks for your feedback.