KCUR Politics & Government
-
Faulty Property Assessments In Jackson County?
Jackson County officials are acknowledging that new valuations on 18,000 residential properties may not be accurate and need additional review.
-
Council Extends Red Light Cameras, Delays Ethics Code...
The full Kansas City city council followed through on plans to extend the red-light camera program for another five years Thursday, but a vote on a new
-
Why Missouri's Lobbying System Isn't As Open As You'd...
Nice restaurants in Jefferson City should be sad to see the Missouri Legislative session end. They’ve received tens of thousands of dollars worth of
-
The Rise Of Anti-Sharia Legislation
Most religions have rules, guidance, law of some kind. Christians look to the teachings of Jesus, or the commandments. Jewish people turn to Torah. And
-
Legislative Wrap-up: Missouri General Assembly
The Missouri General Assembly wraps up today. Will your income taxes be cut? Will sales taxes jump to pay for highways?
-
Fresh Petition Attempt To Save Current KCI
An ad hoc group trying to preserve the current building layout at KCI Airport is trying another tack to halt major changes at the complex.
-
City Ethics Update Advances
Ethics bills continue to stumble in the state capitols, but Kansas City, Missouri's ethics code is about to get an update.
-
Critic Of One-Terminal KCI Airport On Mayoral Panel
The “beginning” of a long process, is the way Kansas City Mayor Sly James describes work of a panel he has set up to study future use of KCI Airport. The
-
Indictment Bumper Crop Makes Record In KC Federal Court
Kansas City’s anti-crime NOVA program was shifted into a higher gear today as federal prosecutors took charge of 61 grand jury indictments.
-
Tax Disagreement Could Push Kansas Session Past 80 Days
Lawmakers just returned to the Statehouse after a break, but already it looks like a disagreement on taxes could push the session past the 80 day deadline.
-
How Hackers Are Working To Better Kansas City
Across the country, software geeks are building multi-platform applications to do all sorts of things. Among them, apps to encourage civic engagement and
-
Truman's Integration Of The Armed Forces
Looking back, desegregating the military seems like the obvious thing to do, but in the 1940s and 50s, it wasn't so clear for Harry Truman.
-
City TV Channel To Go Digital
Kansas Citians can expect the picture to get sharper on Channel 2, the city government's cable TV channel. The station is preparing to go digital HD. The
-
Concealed Carry Changes Soon To Arrive In Kansas, Senate...
The constitutional right to bear arms has long been viewed as a critical American principle. But, does this right threaten public safety or allow us to
-
America's Shifting Foreign Policy
Over the past few years, the United States has started to withdraw its aid and influence from regions like the Middle East, and that is creating space for
-
Kan. Gun Law Puts Pressure On Local Governments
In Kansas, you can carry a concealed weapon anywhere, unless there’s a “no handgun” sign posted at eye-level at the entrance. Currently, it’s up to local
-
K.C. Buses Will Say Goodbye To Diesel
The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority , or ATA, is phasing itself out of the diesel bus business.
-
Pushing For Advance Voting In Missouri
The League of Women Voters has a few goals it's pursuing-- more advance voting and online voter registration.
-
5 Things Former Mayor Reardon Is Proud Of Accomplishing
Wednesday was Joe Reardon’s last day in office. The popular, 2-term head of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas says there
-
A Mayoral Summit
It’s the end of an era for one city leader, while events march on for another.
-
KC Federal Prosecutor Defines Role On Eve Of Investiture
The chief enforcer of federal law over all of western Missouri is barely three months into the role and will have her formal investiture on April 19th.
-
Cuts Could Mean Shuttering KU Med Campus In Salina
University officials have painted a dim picture of what could happen if lawmakers pass budget cuts for the state's colleges and universities. The comments
-
Tracing The Economy's Roots
The financial crisis may have started in this century, but the economic system that built up to it has been part of this country since its founding.
-
Agencies Resist Economic Development Plan
Mayor Sly James is expressing some frustration with late-in-the-game resistance to his Advance KC economic development consolidation program.
-
Council Endorses Airport Plan
The Kansas City city council has voted to move ahead with laying plans for a single-terminal concept for KCI Airport. though, that it doesn't guarantee
-
Getting A Handle On The Financial Crisis
With the financial crisis, it seems everyone’s got economics on the brain—and for good reason.
-
Belt Safety Message Finds Deaf Ears In KC, Fines May Leap
A $50 fine will face drivers in Kansas City caught without a fastened seat belt, if the City Council approves.
-
KC Cop Bargainers Ease Union Tensions
Collective bargainers for Kansas City Police officers have put on hold collection of a controversial special fee from officers who don’t pay dues.
-
Single Terminal KCI Plan Advances
KCI officials get a tentative go-ahead to proceed with planning for a new single-terminal airport. A city council committee has scheduled a full council
-
Holland Takes KCK Mayoral Post
Some political insiders thought they saw a close race, but Mark Holland ran up 56 percent of the Wyandotte County vote to become the next Mayor of Unified
-
Kansas Prosecutors Given More Time To Prosecute Sex...
The Kansas Governor today signed into law a bill that will make it easier to prosecute rape crimes in the state.
-
Voters Weigh In On Future Of Nuclear Weapons...
Question 3 on Kansas City, Missouri’s ballot tomorrow, deals with an issue that’s generated heated discussion in City Hall over the past few years. It’s
-
KCK Mayoral Foes Battle By Substance And Style
Wyandotte County voters on Tuesday will decide who holds the reins as Mayor/CEO of Unified Government. KCUR’s Dan Verbeck has background on two candidates
-
KC Budget Boosts Street Repairs, Youth Programs
As the Missouri and Kansas Legislatures wrangle over budgets, the Kansas City city council has passed one yesterday with very little conflict along the way
-
Iraq War Veteran Tomas Young Signs Off With 'Last Letter'
Nearly two million active duty U.S. servicemen and women are due back home by the end of this year. Many have struggled to reintegrate, but few more
-
Mayor, Some On Council Wary Of Sales Tax Overuse
The Kansas City city council gave a preliminary okay to two new community districts on Main just south of the Plaza yesterday. But there were some members
-
A Vision Taking Shape For KC's Arts And Culture Plan
In January, the Mayor’s Task Force for the Arts launched a series of meetings - at community centers, nature centers, libraries and other venues - to try
-
Is Anti-Union Rhetoric Full Of Myths?
Anti-union rhetoric has been trumpeting out of of recent debates in Wisconsin and Michigan, but one labor activist says much of it is a myth.
-
Encore Broadcast: Former Hiroshima Mayor & Harry...
You’d have a hard time finding someone who feels more strongly about nuclear disarmament than the former mayor of Hiroshima, Japan.
-
Missouri Legislative Session At The Half
At approximately the half-way mark for its 2013 session, the Missouri General Assembly has in some ways performed as expected, but has also delivered some
-
Kansas City Kansas Mayor Has Texting 'Fun' In Annual...
Kansas City Kansas Mayor and Unified Government CEO Joe Reardon took the Google Fiber theme to an unexpected place as his annual State of Unified
-
Abolishing Daylight Savings
Saturday night, as our clocks sprung forward and we lost an hour of our day, one man in Missouri was hoping this would be the last Daylight Savings Time he
-
'Who Stole The American Dream?'
In this country it was long believed that if you worked hard then you could share in the prosperity this land had to offer. So – who stole the American
-
Including Power Utilities In Command Center Boosted...
Some of the first aftermath data from two major and back-to-back winter snow storms is filtering out of Kansas City city hall. Adding two agencies to the
-
Cash For Liquor Consent Sent Packing In Kansas City
Acting on complaints that the operator of a center-city convenience store was paying residents for permission to get a liquor license, the Kansas City
-
Evolution Legislation Moves Through Missouri House
State and local-level school officials would be required to develop guidelines for teaching evolution under legislation making its way through the Missouri
-
George Washington And His Contradictions
George Washington was all about freedom, so why did he own slaves?
-
Candidates Seek Kansas City, Kansas Top Post
When Joe Reardon said he was stepping down as mayor of Kansas City, Kan. and CEO of Wyandotte County, it surprised many.
-
Former Senator Looks Back At Life In The Center
In a country that's increasingly partisan, sometimes it's the centrist who's got a unique point of view. On Friday's Up to Date, we'll talk with former U.S
-
Reacting To The State Of The Union Address
In last night's State of the Union address, Pres. Obama addressed the federal minimum wage , economic growth and tax policy as well as action on gun
-
Proposed Walmart Supercenter Draws Debate In Lee's Summit
Across the Kansas City area, communities are debating the drawbacks and benefits of having the world's largest retailer as a neighbor: Walmart. In Lee’s
-
Studying The Founding Fathers
When it comes to the first presidents , everyone knows George Washington and Thomas Jefferson , but what about John Adams ?
-
Counting The Homeless Of Kansas City
Central Standard takes a close look at the most recent homeless count in Kansas City and explore the implications of these findings on these often
-
Immigration Policy In Kansas City
Immigration reform is a hot topic for legislators nationwide, and this week both President Obama and a bipartisan group of senators proposed changes to
-
Council Gets Tough On Synthetic Drugs
The Kansas City city council plans to get tough on businesses that sell products labeled as "bath salts" or "incense," but designed to have effects
-
Improving The Arts In Kansas City
For the first time in 15 years, Kansas City, Mo. is examining its arts-related policies through Mayor Sly James' Task Force for the Arts . This task force
-
Biking in KC
A recent study from the University of British Columbia found that installing bike infrastructure greatly reduces the likely hood of cyclist injury. In
-
New Session, Old Issues In Missouri
With the new year comes a new session for Missouri lawmakers in Jefferson City.
-
Training Women Leaders In Politics
As the number of female elected officials has steadily increased, so has the interest in training women to follow in their footsteps.
-
Kansas City Pastor Gives Inaugural Sermon In D.C.
Reverend Adam Hamilton , the Senior Pastor at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, did not believe his assistant when she told him the
-
Kansas City's Report Card Is In
Ever wonder what goes on during a city council meeting? Or how much money was made from parking meters last year? The answers to some questions like
-
Kansas Officials Find Creative Interpretations Of Laws
Lawmakers and officials in Kansas seem to be unclear on what some of the laws on that state's books actually mean.
-
The State of the Black Economy
On the coattails of President Obama's second inaugural address yesterday and the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Central Standard looks at the
-
The Return Of Commuter Rail To Jackson County?
There's a new twist in the Kansas City transit debate, and that's not the only thing going on in Jackson County.
-
Fending Off Missouri Floods High On KC Wish List
Kansas City will be asking for federal funding in the area of $42 million for flood control along Missouri river levees and streams that feed the river.
-
Health Levy Extension To April Ballot
Kansas City, Missouri voters will decide on whether to keep the city's health levy at its present rate. T he city council scheduled its extension to be on
-
Missouri Senator Says Obama Gun Violence Measure Takes...
President Obama’s gun protection proposals may have some value-base according to Missouri’s junior U.S. Senator, Republican Roy Blunt. However, Blunt continues to believe no successful legislation will come from calls for greater gun restrictions. And says the President’s plan is no solution.Senator Blunt arrived in Kansas City prepared to talk about plans for the First World War memorial commission but his visit coincided with the President’s announcement on the $500 million gun violence...
-
Light Rail Plan Dashed Again By Courts
The Kansas City Court of Appeals has rejected a continued effort by perennial light rail advocate Clay Chastain to force a vote on the issue for Kansas City.The panel of judges found the measure was unconstitutional.Appellate judges decided, without dissent, that the rail initiative failed to meet the constitutional test because it didn’t raise the proper amount of money to finance the project for light rail.It would have funded a billion dollars by sales tax. The total project was estimated...
-
Judge Moves To Protect KC Chiefs Orphan's Fortune
A Jackson County court official is taking action to guard the future of the orphaned baby of a Kansas City Chiefs player who murdered the child’s mother and killed himself.There is dispute over custody of 4-month-old Zoey Belcher.The baby will inherit a fortune, possibly in the millions of dollars.Jackson County Probate Commissioner Daniel Wheeler held a hearing today to declare a contested custody petition and appoint a guardian ad litem. He will later choose a custodian.Relatives of the...
-
Service Economy Could Bear Brunt Of 'Fiscal Cliff' Impact
The Kansas City region has been recovering from the recession at a slightly faster clip than many other places across the country.Unemployment and personal income exceed the national average by about half a percent.But if Congress and the White House don’t come to an agreement before the end of the year, the relative progress will go south quickly. That’s the conclusion of a report from the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) that examined how our region would be affected should Congress and...
-
McCaskill Hopes For Compromise On 'Fiscal Cliff'
Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, a Democrat, says that falling over the so-called fiscal cliff, the deep program cuts, and big tax increases set to hit January 1st wouldn’t be as dramatic as some people imagine. McCaskill says Congress would immediately set to work undoing the damage, starting with retroactive tax cuts for all but the richest Americans.At about midway in the negotiations to avoid the "fiscal cliff," McCaskill was still hoping for a compromise. She told KCUR’s Frank Morris...
-
Prosecutor, Judge, Legislator Albert Reiderer Dies
As a Jackson County Prosecutor throughout the 1990s, Albert Reiderer made news headlines often.That was before he was a Missouri Appeals Court Judge and a Jackson County Legislator.Reiderer died this morning after a battle with cancer. He was 67.Those who knew him well say Reiderer cherished the importance of public service and taught it to those he mentored.And he was brilliant. He held a Phi Beta Kappa Key but never made much of it.Jackson County Legislator Scott Burnett was a confidant...
-
Council Joins Mayor On Gun Control Stance
The Kansas City city council has joined the mayor in calling for tougher gun control laws. One focus is on controlling weapons like AK-47's and AR-15's.On Wednesday, Sly James announced that he would be one of a group of mayors signing an open letter to President Obama and Congress calling for a ban on assault weapons and an elimination of loopholes in the American gun laws.The following day, the city council unanimously endorsed sending a letter to Washington officials urging them to...
-
Topic Of Mayors' Letter: Gun Violence
Kansas City Mayor Sly James is among the latest to sign a letter being sent the President and Congress. The subject: gun and ammunition control. The letterhead is the United States Conference of Mayors. Sly James added his to the names of Chicago’s Rahm Emanuel, New York City's Michael Bloomberg, and others.Speaking of themselves, the Mayors say in the letter, more frequently than in the school shooting horror in Newtown, Connecticut, many city executives must cope with gun violence.Mayor...
-
KC Convention Tax Proposal Advances
Kansas Citians are likely to vote in April on closing a loophole in a local tax – but one few Kansas City residents ever pay.For most people who spend a night in a Kansas City, Missouri hotel, there is a 7 percent convention tax. Everyone pays the tax except lodgers affiliated with the federal government or non-profit organizations.The city council wants to end that exemption.The convention and visitors association says that would bring in another million dollars a year to promote...
-
Rep. Cleaver On 'Plan B' And The Fiscal Cliff
The U.S. House of Representatives is likely to vote Thursday on a proposal advanced by Speaker John Boehner to avoid the "fiscal cliff."Boehner has dubbed his proposal 'Plan B,' and touts it as a fallback to talks going on between him and the President. Emanuel Cleaver, who represents Missouri’s Fifth District isn’t buying it. But, as he told KCUR’s Frank Morris, he doesn’t like President Obama’s solution either.
-
Council: 'Cliff A Threat To KC Economy, Services'
As the President and Republican Congressional leaders continue to butt heads in Washington, the “fiscal cliff” and its 10 percent across-the-board spending cuts loom.What would be the effect on Kansas City? After city council hearings on the pending crisis, KCUR's Steve Bell notes that the most direct effect is not the most significant one.Direct Federal GrantsThe federal government pumps $100 million a year directly into Kansas City, Missouri projects and services in the form of grants....
-
Blunt Says No To Gun Control, Blames Fed Health Programs
U.S. Senator Roy Blunt says badly administered mental health programs should be fixed as a remedy, rather than blame guns for violence like the Connecticut school killings. The Missouri Republican accuses the federal government of helping shut down some state mental programs.Blunt was in Kansas City volunteering as a Salvation Army bell ringer. The holiday sounds were a contrast to the grim topics he was asked about. Blunt said in an interview that federal funds have been handed some...
-
Vote Assures Streetcars For Kansas City Downtown
Passage of a Kansas City downtown tax district and a sales tax is a first major step toward financing a streetcar system.The movement is toward a $100 to $102 million transit project.The 5 percent hike in commercial property tax and 1-cent sales tax measures on the special mail-in ballot passed by 62 and 63 percent respectively.It was an election critics claimed was designed to pass.Passage was critical to the project after application for a $25 million federal grant was rejected. Mayor Sly...
-
Costs To Fight Tree-Killing Beetle Pegged In Millions Of...
It is likely to cost $6.5 million over the next five years if Kansas City decides to fight the spreading disease that kills certain shade trees.Calculations by a City department estimate it will cost nearly three times as much if nothing is done.State and local studies figure the emerald ash borer beetle could kill thousands of ash trees on public property in Kansas City and many thousands more on private property.A report from the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department and its urban...
-
Council Passes Changes for Ambulances, Charity Marathons
Seeking more input on ambulance response times, the Kansas City Council increased the number of members on the ambulance service advisory board yesterday and gave that board more authority on recommendations.The changes add another council member to the panel, as well as an emergency response physician to be appointed by the mayor. The City Council also changed the way charity walks and marathons will be supervised.Ordinance sponsor Jan Marcason says the council loves the healthy lifestyle...
-
Great War Memorial Plan Inches Forward
Kansas City’s Congressman won’t guarantee passage of a bill that would make Liberty Memorial the nation’s official World War One Museum and Memorial.However the measure has passed from House committee with unanimous support.Language of the bill was introduced by Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill last year.A similar measure passed the house three years ago but languished and died in the Senate.This time, House co-sponsor Congressman Emanuel Cleaver said the mood for cooperation looks...
-
City Hall At 75
City Hall in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, turns 75 this year. It’s one of several city landmarks, including the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, designed by the architecture firm, Wight and Wight. On a recent windy afternoon, Dr. Bill Worley stood on the front steps of City Hall. Worley explained that the building was one of the projects created during a Depression-era public works program called The Ten-Year Plan - the brainchild of political boss Tom Pendergast, City Manager Henry McElroy,...
-
EPA Administrator 'Surprised' At Kansas Move Benefits
Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says every aspect explored proves the wisdom of moving the Agency’s regional headquarters to Lenexa, Kansas.Administrator Lisa Jackson took part in dedicating the building that is designed to meet LEED Gold Standards.Earlier this year the EPA moved from the Kansas City, Kansas complex that was built to federal specifications in 1999.The General Services Administration, citing inability to renegotiate the lease, directed the move to...
-
Missouri House Elects New Speaker
The Missouri House of Representatives has a new speaker: Tim Jones. Jones is a Republican from Eureka, Mo.One chief priority for Republicans this year: finding ways to spur economic development, so that Missouri can keep up with Kansas when it comes attracting businesses.For the first time since the Civil War era, Republicans will be operating with huge super-majorities in the House and Senate that will allow them to override vetoes from Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon without the help of minority...
-
U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver & Kevin Yoder
With only five weeks left in the 112th Congress, Representatives andSenators are under pressure to find common ground among themselves and with the President to avoid the fiscal cliff.On Monday's program U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver (D, MO-5) and Kevin Yoder (R, KS-3) join Steve Kraske for a discussion on whether Congresscan find the balance between spending cuts and revenue increases to keep the country from diving deeper into recession. We'll also talk about the future of Obama’s...
-
Some Air Travelers To Be Spared Indignity Of Pat Downs...
Crowd lovers have met their match at KCI, and for that matter any airport in the country today, the day before Thanksgiving.The Kansas City Aviation Department expects more than 396 thousand to pass through the airport this Thanksgiving holiday.No more, no less are expected than the holiday of last year.What’s new is, the Transportation Security Administration has eased on some restrictions.Joe McBride speaks for City Aviation, saying it’ll go easier on children under 12 who travel and...
-
Council Cracks Down On Party Houses
Under a new ordinance, Kansas City Missouri police can crack down on after-hours clubs and nuisance parties.An ordinance that received final city council approval Tuesday simplifies and speeds up the process of shutting down the after-closing nuisances.The "party house control ordinance" was sponsored by council members John Sharp and Scott Wagner. They said the problem properties were illegal taverns selling liquor without being licensed. The ordinance also applies to parties where liquor...
-
McCaskill On Winning The Election, Fiscal Cliff &...
When Sen. Claire McCaskill defeated Rep. Todd Akin a few weeks ago, everyone was surprised by the 16-point margin of victory.On Tuesday's Up to Date, Sen. McCaskill will join us to talk about the campaign, her victory and impending issues in Washington, such as the fiscal cliff and troops in Afghanistan.We'll also talk about the party balance in the Senate and ongoing argument about whose taxes should be raised or lowered.Sen. Claire McCaskill is a fourth-generation Missourian who was born...
-
Fiscal Cliffhangers
This year, January 1st will not be just another day to nurse a hangover, it also marks the deadline for the United States government to enact regulations to avert a prospective economic crisis.Join Central Standard as we welcome economists Stephanie Kelton and Mat Forstater, to discuss the impact of the pending decisions congress will make regarding the fiscal cliff, and how these decisions will affect the average American.Mathew Forstater is Full Professor of Economics, University of...
-
Kansas City Ambulance Furor Distills
The panel that oversees policies for the Kansas City Fire Ambulance Service will expand and refocus if the City Council approves in two weeks.The idea arising from a Monday meeting of the City Council Emergency Services Committee is to keep power within the Council elected members.The amendment to the city’s code of ordinances would add an additional Council member and an emergency room doctor to the body that directs ambulance operations.Sponsor Councilman Ed Ford said he intends to keep...
-
Council Calls For Quicker Ambulance Response
With a resolution passed yesterday, Kansas City's city council is getting more involved in fixing lagging ambulance response times. And there's more involvement to come. The council sent the city manager a resolution calling for him to take steps to shave off the half-minute or more added to response times by a new screening procedure for 9-1-1 calls. But councilman John Sharp said it doesn't mean the council will be micro-managing.“We aren't saying, 'Do it this way,' or 'Do it that way. We...
-
Policy Change Brings 800 New Immigration Service Jobs To...
A change in U.S. immigration policy last summer has translated into 800 new jobs for metro Kansas City. The work will be both sides of state line and pay no less than $27,000 a year.Much of the new work will be performed in Overland Park, where 500 jobs will be started, another 300 at an existing immigration processing center in Lee's Summit.The uptick in case load comes from a Presidential order from President Obama that allows residency for some who arrived in the U.S. as young people.Tim...
-
McCaskill Beats Akin In Race That Was Not Even Close
Senator Claire McCaskill did something few thought possible last night - she won a decisive re-election victory over Representative Todd Akin in one of the most closely watched Congressional races in the country.It was a remarkable turn of events. This time last year, Claire McCaskill was widely considered among the most vulnerable incumbent Democrats in the U.S. Senate, and in her acceptance speech last night, she acknowledged as much."There was a lot of the political chattering classes...
-
A Conservative, A Liberal, And A Moderate Walk Into A...
Sometimes politicians are funny on purpose, and other times what politicians say in all seriousness is the greatest joke of all.On Wednesday's Central Standard we talk about the place of political humor in our local, regional, and national discourse with University of Missouri Political Scientist William T. Horner, and K.C. Improv comedian Adam Hoelschler.Tell us the funniest thing you witnessed about any of this year's campaigns: political cartoon, skit, video, comedy routine, or anything...
-
Battle Continues In US Senate Race
Suburban Missouri has been a battleground in the U.S. Senate race. KCUR’s Frank Morris is in Chesterfield, outside St. Louis, with the Akin campaign.Update 10:04 p.m. KCUR will broadcast McCaskill's acceptance speech at 10:19 p.m.Update 9:47 p.m. NPR and the AP project that Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri has won re-election. NPR reports:"Her Republican challenger, Rep. Todd Akin, drew national attention for saying that "if it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try...
-
Predicting Results In Missouri, Clay County As Bellwether
It's Election Day, and the polls close at 7 p.m. in Kansas and in Missouri.The Kansas City Star's political correspondent and Up to Date host Steve Kraske talked about predicting possible outcomes based on early results, and the impact of last-minute campaign spending.Early returns, predictions for MissouriSteve Bell: "One of the things that we always run into when we're covering these elections is: What does this mean? Particularly early in the evening, we want to know who's going to win a...
-
Where To Vote Seen As Quandary In Parts Of Suburban...
The biggest election day problem anticipated by the Johnson County, Kansas Election Commissioner is helping people find the right polling place.Because polling places have been consolidated since the last presidential election.There used to be 284 polling places in Johnson County. Now there are 221.Some of that reduction is because of the huge numbers of advance voters in 2008.About fifty percent of votes cast this election are expected by be the advanced kind. But there is some concern that...
-
Moderate Kansas Republicans Suffer Identity Crisis
Some might say the big news in Johnson County elections happened during the primaries, when conservative Republicans beat moderates in four out of five races for state Senate.But the political landscape has shifted since the primaries. Many moderates have done the unthinkable in Johnson County -- crossed over to endorse the Democrat.Long-time Johnson County observer and Kansas City Star columnist Steve Rose discussed what the impact of the endorsements might be and some of the races he felt...
-
KC Currents' Election Special
Kansas Voter ID Law Faces Biggest TestRequiring voters to show a photo ID has been a controversial issue in recent years with many states considering the requirement. A photo ID law got vetoed last year in Missouri, but Kansas lawmakers passed a measure last year requiring a photo ID when voting. That law got its first test in August.Farmers Put Aside Differences, Push For Farm BillWhen Congress left Washington for the election season without passing a new farm bill, many observers thought...
-
McCaskill Looks To GOP Votes
Seeking re-election, Mo. Democratic U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill said she expects crossover support from Republicans who will vote for Mitt Romney for President and are displeased with her opponent, Todd Akin.Last night she was surrounded by support at a southside union hall. McCaskill said voters have told her they’re Republicans, Romney backers and will vote for her.And of the the PAC known as “Now or Never” that says it will spend a million dollars for Congressman Akin ads near the end...
-
Family Illness Sidelines McCaskill, Akin To Tout Newt
Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill continues to let surrogates campaign for her reelection bid.The Democratic lawmaker remains at a St. Louis hospital where her 84-year-old mother is in critical condition, according to campaign staff.Volunteers are taking the lead for the Senator on the campaign path.Staff say the Senator never intended to appear in person at a seniors’ forum at Kansas City’s Zion Grove Missionary Baptist Church today and long-time labor leaders directed discussion among 20...
-
Verdict Of Voters To Determine Missouri Judicial...
In the upcoming election, Missouri voters will decide whether to change how judges are chosen in the Show-Me State. More than 70 years ago Missourians voted for a nominating system that strove to take political influence out of the judiciary. But Constitutional Amendment 3 made it to November's ballot after increased criticism of that plan in recent years.How it all works - nowBy now you're probably used to the onslaught of TV campaign ads.Across the river in Illinois that includes election...
-
Clearing The Smoke On Proposition B
Missouri currently has the lowest cigarette tax in the country. Now, a measure on this November’s ballot proposes changing that, raising it for the first time in two decades.Does such an increase really stand a chance in the Show-Me state? Based on past experience, the answer is no, but supporters say they’ve learned their lessons. Not to mention, big tobacco appears to be staying out of this fight.Shopping For Smokes At Red XA pack of cigarettes in Missouri costs about $4, depending on the...
-
Mo. Attorney General Candidates Even Disagree On Role Of...
In the race for Missouri Attorney General, the two front runners, Democratic incumbent Chris Koster and Republican Ed Martin, agree on few issues.In fact, the two have very different visions of what the Attorney General’s office actually does.In campaign ads, Koster holds a shotgun to show he’s tough on crime. And in interviews, Koster often refers to the office as “Missouri’s top law enforcement job.”“I’ve put more murderers behind bars than I would care to count," Koster said. "The...
-
Consolidating Air Traffic At KCI
A new plan has surfaced in the continuing discussion about how KCI's terminals should be modified.In the second half of Monday's Up to Date, we'll talk with Kansas City's aviation director, Mark VanLoh, about why he thinks constructing a new 37+ gate terminal on the site of the current Terminal A to house all the airport's traffic is the best option.We'll give you the details on what the plan entails and how the community is reacting to it.Mark VanLoh is director of aviation at the Kansas...
-
Council Says 'Stop' On Stop Light Removals
A little over a week ago, the city of Kansas City, Missouri switched 37 stoplights to flashing and announced they would be removed in a month.The flashing signals started telephone lights flashing at City Hall.City staff said they were ready to set 144 more stoplights flashing, and told callers and reporters they wouldn't back down on that because reduced traffic meant those stoplights are no longer needed, and research said stoplights where stop signs are sufficient encourage people to race...
-
Future KCI May Take Over Terminal A Site
A first look at the newest plan for a future Kansas City International Airport is out for examination.A site plan calls for tearing down Terminal B, building the new airport where Terminal A stands now and using Building C for commercial offices related to aviation.City Aviation Director Mark Van Loh told members of the City Council that the plan will only go forward as drawn if it fits budgets.Van Loh said the spending plan figure now is put at $1.2 billion.In final analysis, site A wins by...
-
Ad Watch: Missouri Senate Race
Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill will lock horns with Rep. Todd Akin in the second and final debate tonight.The Senate race in Missouri has produced some of this year’s most memorable - and controversial - commercials.“Brutal.” “Stark.” “Totally devastating.”Those are some of the ways national press outlets described the three ads released by Senator Claire McCaskill’s campaign last week. Each of the Democrat’s ads, part of her tight race with Republican Congressman Todd Akin, features a...
-
Atheists Shed Stereotypes
In Kansas and Missouri, it’s now common for a lot of to politicians to not just proclaim their faith, but to openly push a pro-religious agenda.But for the past year, a Kansas City-based group has been trying to push back, although in a friendly way.The Kansas City Atheist Coalition tries to shake off the stereotypes of bitter, angry atheism while they talk to the public about the value of a secular society and government. While they avoid confrontation and even do charity work, the...
-
Red Ink: The High Stakes Politics Of The Federal Budget
In Sunday's Kansas City Star, Up to Date host Steve Kraske wrote about "the fiscal cliff."In short, the cliff refers to a series of big choices facing lawmakers in this country that could lead to sweeping tax increases affecting almost everybody and a series of spending cuts that would affect many of us.If lawmakers can't come to an agreement on what to do -- and there are a lot of folks who predict that's exactly what will happen -- all these cuts and tax increases will automatically go...
-
Ad Watch: Missouri Governor's Race
As the campaign season kicks into high gear, KCUR brings you “Ad Watch,” a series examining the accuracy of statements in advertisements for political candidates and issues.This week, an ad in the Missouri governor’s race has led to calls for TV stations to stop running it or face a lawsuit.Candidates complaining about the content of their opponents’ ads isn’t so uncommon in the heat of a campaign. But “cease and desist” letters to the stations airing them?That’s what Republican Dave...
-
Atheism in Kansas City
American Atheists are speaking out louder than ever before.As a matter of fact, you might've caught the billboard Godless Government Now while driving along the highway. Did you catch yourself wondering "What’s that all about?"On Tuesday's Central Standard, we’re talking with local supporters of the secular movement, including Sarah Hargreaves, president of the Kansas City Atheist Coalition. Find out about the movement in the Kansas City area and around the country. Plus, hear their concerns...
-
Kansas City, Overland Park Mayors Talk Regional...
Kansas and Missouri say they’d like to work together, but they keep poaching each other’s businesses. Friday on Up to Date, Kansas City Mayor Sly James and Overland Park Mayor Carl Gerlach tell us about their challenges with job development, balancing the budget, promoting affordable public transit through streetcars and buses and keeping up city infrastructure.And where do Overland Park and Kansas City split on the concerns surrounding the spread of Google Fiber, Overland Park’s new open...
-
Akin Defends 'Unladylike' Comment
Representative Todd Akin, the Republican challenging Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill in this election, was on the defensive again today in Kansas City. Protesters gathered outside an Akin press conference shouting "Not our choice!" The candidate himself proudly admitted once being arrested at a demonstration against abortion."Probably about 25 years ago, or so, I was involved in some peaceful protests," says Akin. "As I’ve made very clear, I don’t apologies for being pro-life. I stand up...
-
Campus Organizers Worry About Political Apathy
Student activists at Kansas City Community College worry young people are not as interested in the upcoming elections as they should be.On National Voter Registration Day earlier this week, the League of Women Voters had a voter registration booth on the campus of Kansas City Community College in Kansas City, Kansas.The League reported a steady stream of students and faculty registering, but Molly Mahon, head of the political club on campus, said she worried students didn't know much about...
-
Economic Roundtable: Post-Keynesian Theory
Want to satisfy your inner econ geek?You've come to the right place. On Thursday's Central Standard, we’re having a roundtable talk on all things Post-Keynesian with distinguished UMKC research professors William Black, Randall Wray and Michael Hudson.Find out why the dynamics of private sector are essential to understanding the economy. Plus, we’ll discuss government transparency and accountability. If you're just little rusty on your economic theory and policy, join us at the table for the...
-
KC Finance Chair Pushes For Pension Reform
The chair of the city council's finance committee is telling the city manager and public safety unions to speed up pension reform negotiations.Kansas City's pension funds for public safety workers are underfunded by more than 20 percent. Finance diirector Randall Landes pegs the shortage for the defined benefit plans at $500 million. And finance chair Jan Marcason explained why she's asking city management and the unions to tentatively agree on a new plan before mid-October: "The time to...
-
Kansas Congressman Calls For Truce On Bipartisanship
3rd District Kansas Congressman Kevin Yoder told an audience at Kansas Community Collegeyesterday that during anelection season,partisan bickering escalates.But the Congressman said it’s time for Republicans and Democrats to come together.The first-term Republican has no Democratic challenger in the upcoming election and was confident as he defended his first term in Congress. He voted almost exclusively with his conservative colleagues during some of the most vitriolic debate Congress has...
-
The Political Pundits: Six Weeks & Counting
Many pundits and pollsters say that this year's Presidential race is already over: polls show Democratic President Barack Obama with a commanding lead over Republican challenger, Mitt Romney.Not so fast, partner. Everyone loves a comeback story. (Except the Obama campaign and its supporters.)Monday on Up to Date, Steve Kraske welcomes the Political Pundits to share their predictions for this year's major races, including analysis of the aforementioned polling, the contentious race between...
-
McCaskill, Akin Distance Themselves During First Debate
Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill and Republican challenger Todd Akin sparred about budgets, Medicare and other big issues in their first face-to-face debate earlier today.The two met for the hour-long, Missouri Press Association event in Columbia, Missouri. Libertarian candidate Jonathan Dine also participated. Off the bat, McCaskill painted Akin as being too extreme.“This election is going to be quite a contrast for Missourians,” said McCaskill. “But not because we’re at opposite ends,...
-
U.S. Senate Candidates McCaskill & Akin Debate For First...
Missouri's U.S. Senate candidates sparred face-to-face for the first time Friday morning.Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill faced Republican opponent Todd Akin and Libertarian opponent Jonathan Dine in a verbal showdown Friday morning in Columbia, Mo.Presented by the Missouri Press Association, the debates were moderated by David Lieb, the Associated Press' chief Jefferson City correspondent.Join host Steve Kraske and the Up To Date crew for a live broadcast from the debate and for...
-
Kansas City Mayor Tears Down Walls In Urban Core
Kansas City Mayor Sly James and other city officials gathered Wednesday afternoon on the city’s east side to tackle a new program for the backlog of dangerous buildings.On a street lined with 100-year-old bungalows, near Ivanhoe Park in Kansas City, Missouri, a few houses are boarded up with the words “dangerous building” stamped in black letters. But, one abandoned house was torn down - by Kansas City Mayor Sly James.A neighbor stood near the house at the corner of 44th and Brooklyn and...
-
The Obama White House & The Supreme Court
Of all the ideological battles being fought in this country, none will have more impact on its future than those being waged between the White House and the U.S.Supreme Court.The faction leaders? President Obama and Chief Justice John Roberts. Each is young, intelligent, and charismatic. One favors pragmatism over ideology. The other seeks to make sweeping changes.Wednesday on Up to Date, New Yorker writer and CNN legal analyst JeffreyToobin tells us about the cases brought before the...
-
Kansas City Adds Another Interstate
You might have noticed a few changes while driving along US 71 Highway. For instance, you may have realized while traveling south that the sign for Grandview has been replaced with a sign for Joplin. This is but one of several changes that will take place over the next few months for US 71, which will soon become Interstate 49.The new interstate should be completed in November, with the official unveiling coming December 12 at 12 p.m. That’s 12-12-12-12 for those scoring at home.The new...
-
Kansas Investigation Uncovers Flaws In Sunshine Law
A Kansas district attorney concludes that the governor and key members of the legislature broke the state's open meetings law. But there will be no charges and no fines and the investigation left a number of questions about the unannounced meetings and the open records law itself.The investigation of a series of dinner meetings involving Governor Sam Brownback and members of key legislative committees began with someone who knew reporter Andy Marso covers the Kansas statehouse... and gave...
-
What It Takes To Win And Hold The White House
No matter how charismatic a candidate may be, it's not the individual who wins the Presidency, it's the team around him or her.That's one of the points political scientist and analyst Sam Popkin makes in his most recent book, The Candidate: What It Takes to Win and Hold the White House. On Tuesday's Up to Date, Popkin talks with Steve Kraske about the advantages a challenger has over an incumbent and the difficulties faced by a vice-president looking to succeed his boss. In examining recent...
-
Decoding Political Rhetoric
If you watched the political conventions of the past two weeks, did you find yourself nodding in agreement or shaking your head in disbelief during the many speeches given?What caused the reaction: what was said or the way it made you feel?On Monday's Up to Date, Steve Kraske gets together with Dr. Robert Rowland to decode political rhetoric. From how candidates will identify themselves as one of us while depicting their rival as being out of touch with voters to invoking the memory of great...
-
Steve Kraske From The Democratic National Convention
If there's news to be had at this week's 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, Steve Kraske is there to report it.Thursday on Up to Date, guest host Stephen Steigman talks with Kraske about last night's nomination of President Obama to the party's ticket and some of the big speakers on Wednesday's program, including Missouri U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver and former President Bill Clinton.
-
Sales Taxes On Vehicles Purchased Out-Of-State Debated...
Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon and the Republican-led General Assembly will face off next week over a bill vetoed earlier this year that would have required Mo. residents to pay sales tax on vehicles purchased out-of-state. The bill in question sought to reverse a state Supreme Court ruling that local sales taxes cannot be levied on out-of-state vehicle purchases. Governor Nixon says overriding the veto would result in a retroactive tax hike without a vote of the people.“122,000 people (will be)...
-
Johnson County Commissioners Say Yes To More Public...
The Johnson County Board of Commissioners approved a transit budget last week that restores bus routes and adds stops to make up for cuts in the overall bus system.The Transit Department had originally presented a bare bones budget that made huge cuts to the transit system.After a public comment period that included public hearings, the department submitted a revised budget.The revised budget restored almost 10% of the funding . It restored the popular service fromMission, Kansas to Johnson...
-
No Nukes To Voters, Billboard Tax Back To Committee
An initiative forbidding Kansas City, Missouri from granting any more incentives for facilities involved in any phase of the manufacturing or refurbishing of nuclear weapons will finally go to the voters. But the city council sends it with a disclaimer.Eleven of the 13 on the council voted for an addition that states their reservations – that if voters pass the ordinance it would cost the city jobs, discourage defense contractors from locating here and be difficult to enforce.But, as...
-
Steve Kraske Reports From Republican National Convention
Today guest host Brian Ellison talks with the man he's sitting in for, Steve Kraske. Steve is on assignment for The Kansas City Star at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, FL. Hear the effect the weather is having in taking the spotlight off the proceedings; rules changes that upset some delegates; what delegates are saying about Rep. Todd Akin; and what had some Kansas and Missouri delegates waking up cranky this morning!
-
No November KC Vote On Billboard Fees, 'No Nukes'...
Kansas City, Missouri voters will decide on only one city ballot measure in November, and it won't be the proposed blight-relief fees for billboard companies or a "no nukes" initiative from Peace Planters.A council committee decided Wednesday to hold off a public vote on an initiative against nuclear weapons manufacturing till April at the earliest. But they advanced a plan to charge outdoor advertising companies permit fees to help fight billboard blight. The fee replaced a proposal for a...
-
Council Alters Billboard Tax Plan; No Nukes On Hold
Proposals for a billboard tax and forbidding city participation in facilities involved in the production of nuclear weapons took changes of direction in a city council committee Wednesday.Bob Fessler and other advertising executives were very direct in what their response would be if voters were to pass the 2 percent tax on billboard revenues. "Our company and the industry and the Advertising Association of America have already decided: we are going to contest it, " said Fessler.With the...
-
Ethics And Politics: Can We Have Both?
Mention "ethics" and "politics" in the same statement and wait for the eye-rolls and derisive snorts to start. With the Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United case, spending by super political action committees is at an all-time high while their negative ads may well have reached all-time lows.Today the Ethics Professors take on the thorny topic of ethics and politics. Just because the Supreme Court allows PACs to spend millions to influence voters, does that make it right? Are...
-
Council Postpones Votes On Nukes, Billboard Tax,...
Kansas City city council committees had three thorny ballot issues scheduled for debate yesterday, but they concluded it was not a good day for final decisions.Representatives of the billboard industry testified that a proposed 2 percent revenue tax would unconstitutionally a single out one kind of business, and that though billboard taxes have not drawn litigation in smaller towns, one might in a larger city. Debate continues next week. The next hot-button hearing was on sending voters a...
-
Afghanistan: The Forgotten War
President Obama has called for the complete removal of American troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014. In the meantime, the U.S. is moving onto other concerns - like the presidential election.But former Kansas City Star reporter Malcolm Garcia hasnt forgotten Afghanistan.Garcia just returned from another reporting trip there, and joins Steve Kraske on the second half of Tuesdays Up to Date to give us an update on the country, including the U.S. militarys open burn pits, returning...
-
The Collapse Of Congress
Congress is a mess.Bet you already knew that. Congress is rife with gridlock, conflict, and a lack of progress. But the problem is so serious, that the collapse of Congress as an institution is in the cards. And that might cause a few problems.Its fair to wonder at this point if the problem will ever be fixed. Its also fair to wonder whos responsible for it. One name that comes up - Newt Gingrich.Thursday on Up to Date, Steve Kraske welcomes Thomas E. Mann, a senior fellow at The Brookings...
-
Voters Approve Kansas City Sales Tax And Sewer Bonds
Parks, streets and sewers projects in Kansas City just got a major funding boost, as voters approved both city ballot measures yesterday.Question 1 creates a half cent sales tax for parks and community centers. It also frees up more than $10 million for infrastructure projects.We get to establish our street maintenance fund and actually get some work done on streets, rebuilding and repaving, said Kansas City Mayor Sly James at a gathering with city, parks and recreation leaders at Union...
-
Political Pundits: Primary Results, November Predictions
For the first time, a Kansas Governor is actively campaigning against members of his own party. Governor Sam Brownback is hoping to replace moderate Republicans with more conservative members of his party.And it worked. Conservative Republicans won big on Tuesday, and Wednesday on Up to Date, Steve Kraske welcomes the Political Pundits to review Tuesdays primary election results.The Kansas City Stars Dave Helling, University of Kansas political scientist Burdett Loomis, and University of...
-
Republican Race For Missouri Secretary Of State Heats Up
Robin Carnahans decision to not seek a third term as Missouri Secretary of State has opened the door for seven hopefuls from four different political parties.The contest had been relatively quiet until about two weeks ago, when the three Republican contenders began airing TV ads and stepping up their campaign appearances.All three are political veterans who currently hold office in the General Assembly: Shane Schoeller, the Number Two man in the Missouri House, and State Senators Scott Rupp...
-
Missouri Amendment 2: 'Right To Pray' Or Redundant...
On Tuesday, Missouri citizens will vote on Amendment 2, the so-called right to pray ballot measure.The amendment would guarantee Missouri residents the right to express religious beliefs and also would allow students in public schools to pray and acknowledge their religion voluntarily.Supporters say the measure would protect residents and students to practice their own religious beliefs. But opponents say the amendment is redundant and that the U.S. and Missouri Constitutions already protect...
-
Campaign Contribution Limits: Big Donors Find A Way
A national study of risk of corruption by the Center for Public Integrity docks Missouri for being one of only four states without any limits on campaign contributions. Most Missouri Democrats say the state needs to restore the limits to avoid having candidates beholden to special interest groups. Most Republicans oppose them, saying requiring disclosure of how much people are giving to candidates committees is a better approach. Though he tends to favor campaign contribution limits,...
-
Kansas 11th District Senate Incumbent Faces Conservative...
Word came Tuesday that the Kansas Chamber of Commerces political action committee spent more than a quarter of a million dollars on statehouse races this year supporting conservative Republicans running for state office.Wednesday in the first half of Up to Date, Steve Kraske talks with one of the recipients of that money Kansas state Senate 11th District candidate Jeff Melcher, CEO of NetStandard, a technology company, and his moderate Republican challenger, Pat Colloton, an attorney and...
-
Republicans Line Up To Challenge US Sen. Claire McCaskill
Next Tuesday Missouri Republicans will vote for one of three candidates seeking to unseat incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill.All three espouse conservative ideals, but who will convince enough voters in this close contest to advance to the November election?In the second half of Wednesdays Up to Date, Steve Kraske talks with two of the candidates: U.S. Representative Todd Akin and former Missouri Treasurer Sarah Steelman. (candidate and businessman John Brunner is unable to...
-
Land Banks: A Solution For Vacant & Abandoned Homes?
Kansas City has a problem with vacant homes. 12,000 of them dot neighborhoods around town. Legislation that Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon signed this year is designed to provide a new solution: a land bank.In the second half of Tuesdays Up to Date, Steve Kraske talks with Frank S. Alexander, a law professor at Emory University and David Park, director of Kansas Citys Department of Neighborhood and Community Services about why cities big and small -- have created land banks, which would allow the...
-
Kansas Senate 8th District: Incumbent Faces Conservative...
Kansas voters will also head to the ballot box next Tuesday, August 7, to pick nominees for a number of races, including Kansas Senate and House of Representatives.The races are of particular interest because many of the incumbents are moderate Republicans, and theyre being challenged by conservative Republicans. Moderates say that if conservatives gain control of the Kansas Senate, theyre likely to vote in lock-step with Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback.In Kansas 8th senate district, State Sen....
-
Missouri Primary Challenge: Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder v....
Its a primary race that doesnt receive as much attention as its candidates would like: Missouri Lieutenant Governor.But its an interesting one: the incumbent, Peter Kinder, is being challenged by no fewer than three fellow Republicans.In the first half of Mondays Up to Date, Steve Kraske talks with two of the leading candidates for the post: two-term incumbent Peter Kinder from Cape Girardeau and two-term State Sen. Brad Lager from northwest Missouri.Kinder, a former president pro-tem of the...
-
Settlement Means Greater Access For People With...
Kansas City will be required to become more accessible to those with disabilities after complaints about non-compliance with federal regulations, advocates say.In a a settlement with the Justice Department, the city will be required to make changes to streets, sidewalks and buildings in line with the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act. Over the next three years, the city will also make internet services and emergency preparedness programs more accessible.Sheila Styron, public policy...
-
Abraham Lincoln: Fast & Loose With Civil Liberties?
The Civil War tested the U.S. Constitution in ways unseen before or since. Civil liberties were challenged and presidential powers stretched in President Abraham Lincolns efforts to save the nation.Thursday on Up to Date, Steve Kraske talks with Pennsylvania State University Civil War history professor and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Mark Neely, Jr. whose new book, Lincoln and the Triumph of a Nation, argues that Lincolns interpretation of the Constitution was well-suited to the stresses...
-
Mayor Sly James On Kansas City Spotlight
One down and one go to: baseballs 2012 All-Star Game brought national attention to Kansas City, and this Thursday, Google Fiber will tell us how much it will cost to speed up our reputation.While residents have been riding the feel-good wave, Kansas City Missouri Mayor Sly James has been wrestling with the future of a downtown hotel and what should happen with Kemper Arena.Tuesday on Up to Date, Steve Kraske asks Mayor James if the All-Star Game was the boon to the community it was hyped to...
-
Kansas City Council Approves More Streetcar Funding
The Kansas City city council approved about $2 million in spending on a proposed downtown streetcar line Thursday, declaring that enthusiasm has not been dampened by failure to get a $25 million federal grant.The council oiled the wheels of a preliminary engineering study for the downtown streetcar system in the amount of $1,340.000.Councilman Dick Davis introduced the ordinance transferring the funds with a brief pep talk.Davis said it was "unfortunate" that federal officials decided to not...
-
George The First: A Presidential Study In Contrasts
As a one-term president, George H. W. Bush stands as an anomaly. He easily won the war against Iraq, Operation Desert Storm, but the victory failed to secure his re-election. After promising the American public, "read my lips, no new taxes," he signed a bill that did, in fact, raise taxes. Even other successes, such as improved relations with Russia and a strengthened economy, didnt do him any favors in the 1992 election.Thursday on Up to Date, Professor John Robert Greene is in-studio to...
-
New Kansas City Court Finds Another Route For...
The Missouri State Court serving much of Kansas City and The Veterans Administration Medical Center have inaugurated the regions first drug court veterans program.
-
The Road to the White House--Barack Obama's Story
As 44th president, Barack Obamas journey to the White House is anything but conventional.Born to a Kenyan father and Kansan mother, Obamas upbringing in Hawaii and Indonesia hardly sounds like the makings of a future president. But as he ascended the political ladder as a state senator and later as senator, Obamas rough beginning turned into the start of a journey to the White House.
-
Political Pundits: Taxes, and Health Care, and...
The thermometer keeps inching upwards, though its hard to tell if its measuring heat or the rhetoric coming out of Washington. The recent Supreme Court decisions have done little to quell the debates on either side, and with a looming election in five months, no one seems interested in backing down.
-
Happy Hour Is Back In Kansas
Its a toast to the happy hour, so raise your glasses Kansans! As of this Sunday, Kansans will legally be able to partake in the after-work and late-night tradition of happy hour drink specials.
-
Big Incentives For Big Kansas City Development Projects
Big incentives for two Kansas City development projects cleared the city councils economic development committee Wednesday.
-
Council Moves Toward Phasing Out Kemper Arena
Kansas City took steps toward throwing in the towel on money-losing Kemper Arena Wednesday. A committee approved plans to release Anschutz Entertainment from its contract to manage the aging arena.
-
Small Business Jobs Law Signed In Kansas City
A tool to give tax breaks to smaller businesses that create certain kinds of Missouri jobs was signed into law today in Kansas City.
Recommended Shows
No recommendations yet
PROGRAM INFORMATION
- Kansas City, MO
- Local News, Political News
- KCUR
- English
-
4825 Troost Ave, Ste 202
Kansas City, Missouri 64110(816) 235-1551 -
Visit the station website
Email the show
Update show info
