When 90.9 the Bridge did a week of ’90s-themed programming at the beginning of June, one of the highlights was the slew of videos posted to the station’s YouTube channel, featuring vintage performances from the television show Burnin’ Down the House. Hosted by John McGrath from 1996 to 1998 on Channel 38, the half-hour Saturday night program saw area artists…
Drive-in theater. // Photo by Brooke Vandever. KC resident Brooke Vandever has been rediscovering the joys of drive-in movie theaters. Nationally, there’s been a return to them under Covid-19, and some of the only movies playing in the country have been at these locations. It’s also how a low-budget horror movie became the top box-office grossing film of the summer….
Boulevard makes hard seltzers now. I sampled them. Here is my review. I am writing a review after drinking them. I”M FINEEE MOM, STOP ASKING. I’m just so proud of my city for having a hard bubbles and I’m not crying you’re crying, I may have been sober for a period before this and had three drinks kick in harder…
A few months ago, we couldn’t have fathomed what bars and restaurants have devised in order to survive the pandemic. Inventive to-go fare, bottled cocktails, pop-up bottle shops, and unique collaborations have made all of our days a little bit better, and keep customers coming back. One of our favorites—and certainly one of the best values out there right now—are…
Whether the police have the right to kneel on an unarmed black man’s neck in order to arrest him for using an alleged counterfeit $20 bill is a legal question few people think they’d have to consider. And yet George Floyd’s family has to do exactly that. On May 25, Minneapolis police officers arrested Mr. Floyd, a 46-year-old black man,…
Here’s our list of places where you might consider donating on Juneteenth, divided by topic. If you can, do your part. Reform & Justice KC Community Bail Fund: They provide bail for people awaiting trial, granting them the opportunity to resume life before their trial. Missouri ACLU: They defend the rights of Missourians, including reform in criminal justice systems, reproduction…
Babyteeth. // Photo courtesy Celluloid Dreams. Ah 2020, what a strange year for the world and for watching movies. One month we’re at theaters, reclining in those big leather seats checking out what that Doolittle and Harley Quinn are up to, and then the next we’re craving new content so badly we are actually considering spending $20 to watch Trolls:…
Lisa Benson, journalist and author. Dunno why we went so aggressive on the headline. Hm. Must be in a persnickety mood. Today on Streetwise from The Pitch we remember recent community losses, listen to All Bloods’ “Social Distancing”, and chat with Lisa Benson about her new book: Anchored in Bias. Fired Over White Tears. Streetwise is hosted by Brock Wilbur,…
Mary Clara Hutchison When the city shut down, I was optimistic about the sudden expanse of free time ahead of me. I thought I’d write all the stories I’d been meaning to write. I spent three invigorating days doing so. And then my focus and attention all went downhill from there, now coming in fits and starts. My ambitions were…
Kansas City transplant Shawn Cullen seems to be fulfilling his childhood dream of teaching by leading a group of 125 men in the Heartland Men’s Chorus, KC’s own ensemble of gay singers. The Chorus has been around for 35 years, and as of May, Cullen is the new Artistic Director and Conductor. Though Pride celebrations have been postponed this year,…
Lucas addressing protestors last week. // Photo by Jim Nimmo Mayor Quinton Lucas announced today that he will introduce an ordinance to remove possession or control of the devil’s lettuce as a violation of the City Code of Ordinance. The ordinance is sponsored by Third District At-Large Councilman Brandon Ellington, Third District Councilwoman Melissa Robinson, Fifth District At-Large Councilman Lee…
Dear Dan: I’m a 32-year-old straight guy. My wife and I have been married for four years and together for nine. We have a great marriage and all is well. We have been quarantining at home since March. During this time, we have been exploring things sexually, which has been really fun. We have also been talking more about our…
Edit: It was brought to our attention that we missed a crucial part of the JuneteenthKC celebrations and want to highlight that historically celebrations take place on 18th and Vine. In addition, the Nelson-Atkins offers events, but it is in no way the only celebration or educational event going on in the city. To learn more about how you can…
Photo by Hello Pie Local bakers have joined the fight against racism by partaking in a worldwide virtual bake sale aiming to raise money for charities combating racism. Bakers Against Racism is bringing together an estimated 3,700 bakers from around the world who want “to see a radical change against systemic and structural racism,” as written on their website….
Pablo Sanders Jr. loved riding bicycles. He saw a stranger on a bike and struck up a conversation about her passions. It turned her day around. The next day, Pablo encountered a different cylcist. “Hey friend!” he yells out, and rides up to greet him. They discuss the unusual qualities of their bike frames. This leads to longer discussions of…
Photo by Joseph Daugherty Boundaries. If you’re like me, that word used to send a prickle up your spine. Many of us (myself included for the longest time) associate the need for boundaries with something being wrong in one of the relationships in our lives. When it came to my own feelings, I felt it was bad to want alone…
“Erin S.” presents testimony. // Photo from City Council feed. Maybe you’ve seen the video–it’s been seen on CNN, and highlighted on the John Oliver show–where a black man protesting on the Plaza is seen shouting at a line of police from where he stands on the sidewalk. The cops advance on him, unceremoniously unleash pepper spray on him and…
Courtesy National Nurses United Registered nurses at Research Medical Center and Menorah Medical Center are planning to protest together Wednesday to warn the public about reductions in safe staffing they’re currently facing. Those joining together said that the reductions are putting patients in danger in major hospital areas, including critical care and COVID-19 care. In a press release sent out…
Earlier today, the Association of Food Journalists (AFJ) announced that, in the category of best restaurant criticism, our own Liz Cook is being considered for the award this year. This should come as a shock to no one, as Liz is so goddamned good at her job we are often just sitting around, re-reading her work. Which you should read….
Grousis-Henderson with a snake // Photo courtesy of Grousis-Henderson By now we all know the story of what Christian Cooper faced during an afternoon in Central Park, New York several weeks ago. The national outrage this event incurred got the birding community talking about what it’s like to be a Black person interested in birding or other outdoor activities. The…
According to the Legal Aid of Western Missouri, more than 143,000 people in Missouri who qualify for the stimulus payment have yet to receive it. LAWMO has a free program in place to help individuals who haven’t received the $1,200 yet and are making it as accessible as possible. LAWMO’s CARES hotline will help resolve some of the issues people…
Renovations have started on baseball legend Leroy “Satchel” Paige’s former Kansas City residence in a historic preservation effort that includes city and neighborhood backing, historic preservation, and restoration grant. But Paige’s family, who live in town, say they want to be included in the planning process and have co-ownership moving forward. “We informed (city officials) that we own the right…
A letter to the editor from Sara Holm: The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the day-to-day activities of billions of people around the world. The negative impacts of coronavirus have been seen on a global scale, especially for those in poor nations. The World Bank suggests that COVID-19 will cause the first increase in global poverty to occur since 1998….
A group of volunteers and organizers meet to brainstorm the Merry Outlaw app. // Photo by Nigel Rue. The Merry Outlaw mission began with the concept of a socially supportive restaurant. Various chefs would cycle through. Evening meals would be expansive affairs, deliberately overpriced. The extra cost would carry over to cover lunch the next day for the financially impaired…
