Up North dispatch: From BBQ to pies, KC pitmaster opens new shop
Good afternoon, Northland!
I’m Jenna Ebbers, back with your roundup of the biggest Northland stories from the past week.
Today, we’re diving into how a former competitive barbecue pitmaster — once known for smoking and lathering meats with the Kansas City Barbecue Society — has traded in his barbeque sauce bottles for flour and eggs, opening up his own pie shop in the Northland.
Equipped with cherry red tables and the sweet smell of strawberry glaze in the air, he will bring more than 30 sweet and savory flavors to the area, from loaded chocolate pecan to chicken pot pie, coconut cream, apple streusel, lemon crumb and fiesta taco.
Read more about how Burns went from slinging barbeque ribs to cherry pies, from The Star’s Jenna Thompson.
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What’s new in the Northland?
📈 Developments, expanding businesses and thriving school districts have helped two Northland cities grow by over 20% in the past five years.
📍 A Platte County councilman praised Missouri’s new gerrymandered map, claiming it unites the Northland in one district — despite that district stretching to the Illinois border.
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🚨 Liberty police reminded drivers to slow down and move over after a driver nearly struck two officers and another person during a recent traffic stop.
My favorite reads
🍺 Bars across KC could be allowed to keep their doors open and drinks flowing late into the night during the World Cup. Here’s the scoop, from our new food insider, Katelyn Umholtz..
🦒 Guests will soon be able to get closer than ever before to these long-necked animals,thanks to a new exhibit at the KC Zoo. Check out my colleague Kendrick Calfee’s story.
Northland, through my eyes
Standing in the center of KC’s heart-shaped forest, surrounded by buzzing bugs and singing birds, I wrote a letter to the forest.
While I can’t divulge exactly what I wrote — that secret is safe within the walls of Heart Forest — it did make me reflect on just how lucky I am to be here in Kansas City. It’s a place that scratches the bustling-city itch while also offering opportunities to explore nature.
I was there to talk with volunteers about efforts to restore Heart Forest ahead of the World Cup — but I left with an even greater appreciation for the city I now call home.
The forest isn’t open to the public quite yet, but when it is, I highly recommend you take the chance to stroll along the heart-shaped trail and sit in nature for a bit. Maybe you’ll feel compelled to write a letter to the forest, too.
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Think we could be doing something better? I want to hear from you — email me at jenna.ebbers@kcstar.com.
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That’s all for now! See you next week.
