Faith leaders from Johnson County held a press conference yesterday morning outside the Overland Park City Hall, flanked by representatives of the Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity and representatives from their national affiliation, The Gamaliel Network. The group and key speaker, Sheila Albers, called for the termination of Overland Park Police Chief Frank Donchez. Reverend Dr. Chris Wilson,…
Miss Kansas 2020 Hayden Brax was all smiles during the evening gown portion of the Miss USA pageant // Photo by Jessie Palumbo Miss Kansas USA 2020 Hayden Brax proves pageantry takes more than having a beautiful face. The University of Kansas senior was only 20 when she won the crown, having balanced her Applied Behavioral Sciences curriculum and sorority…
Randall Williams, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services testifies before the House Special Committee on Disease Control and Prevention on Nov. 10, 2020. (Photo by Tim Bommel/House Communications) A week out from Randall Williams’ resignation as Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s health director, there remains little clarity on what spurred his sudden departure. On Monday, the governor’s…
Get your tickets this Friday for two days of live country music, exploring vendors, and other outdoor activities. // Image courtesy of Big Country Bash If you’re down to drive threeish hours for some country fun, First Fleet Concerts just announced a lineup of of artists for July’s Big Country Bash event. This year’s Big Country Bash will take place…
Catriona is as sweet as they come // Photo courtesy KC Pet Project We have teamed up with KC Pet Project to host a weekly “creature feature” on a loveable and adoptable animal here in the KC Metro. This week’s local Adopt an Animal features Catriona, a 2-year-old Pit Bull. She resides at the Kansas City Campus for Animal Care at 7077 Elmwood…
Eric McCauley with his son, Ethan // Photo submitted to the Missouri Independent Eric McCauley was a first time marijuana offender when he was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison in 2012. A federal jury convicted him on four counts of marijuana trafficking and 26 counts of money laundering as part of his role in distributing marijuana in Boone County. Now…
Sabrina Terhune, Lily Neer, Marissa Terhune, and Ella Connors. When asked how excited they are to watch the game, the three children all exclaimed, “Very!” // Photo by Joseph Hernandez For the first time in front of a crowd in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area, it’s Teal Time. KC NWSL, the brand-new professional women’s soccer team, played its first…
Screen capture from the press conference // Footage by 41 Action News Nearly all restrictions related to COVID-19 will be removed in Kansas City with a few exceptions. With the consultation of Kansas City Health Department Director Rex Archer, M.D., Kansas City’s updated COVID-19 Emergency Order will remain in effect until May 28 unless otherwise amended or rescinded prior to…
A screening of Mayor at Big Ragtag. // Photo by Jonathan Asher For almost 20 years, Columbia, Missouri’s True/False Film Festival has steadily grown a reputation as a great place to see surprising and exciting nonfiction filmmaking. The beloved community festival has a tight-knit, communal “anything goes” air that can bring attendees in contact with recent Oscar winners and up-and-coming…
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Little Joe Bonner in front of his new home from MCLT.// Courtesy of Marlborough Community Land Trust. Community land trusts officially began in Georgia in 1969 as part of the southern civil rights movement. They provided affordable housing to people who were racially and economically discriminated against (often one in the same). But by the ‘70s, only a few remained…
Photo by Alex Mecl Sixty-two Kansas counties turned down their COVID-19 vaccine shipments this week because they would go to waste. Demand for the shots has declined and there are not enough unvaccinated people who want the shot. “Up to last week, we had accepted every shipment that was allotted to us,” says Barton County Health Director Karen Winkelman. “At…
The Last Matinee. // Courtesy DarkStar Pictures Without fail, several times a year a crop of indie movies arrive on the scene to claim the moniker “ultimate throwback film”. Armed with a fondness for the films of yesteryear, they hope to rekindle that glory. More often than not, they miss the mark. By investing too much in the belief that…
The historic redlining map of Kansas City. Courtesy of University of Richmond “Mapping Inequality.” Jamie Smith Hopkins, an editor at The Center for Public Integrity, in collaboration with The Kansas City Star and Mother Jones, recently released an article about the lingering effects of redlining in Kansas City. Specifically, Hopkins examines how the structural inequality that stems from redlining affected Black business…
Photo courtesy SOCIAL CUT Kansas City nonprofit Poetry for Power has one question for you: What helps you overcome adversity? Answers to this question may include nature, hugs, sports, faith, exercise, community, and so much more. Poetry for Power (PFP) encourages the usage of art to show emotional distress is temporary and transformative. Performance poetry and the arts can be revolutionary tools…
LC’s BBQ of Kansas City, MO. A pit full of meat and a line of customers. // Photo by Chase Castor The year was 1869, and hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the opening of the First Hannibal Bridge, the first permanent railroad bridge to cross the Missouri River. The opening was celebrated with a parade and a barbecue. In…
Holding the Dawning, the new album from Kansas City roots trio Gullywasher, is awash in the sounds of Americana, with hints of bluegrass, folk, and country. Thanks to the fact that the core trio of Matt Cathlina (upright bass/vocals), Chris Hudson (guitar/vocals), and Sam Wright (banjo/vocals) brought in an array of friends to join them on this release, the album…
Former Alamo Drafthouse’s Mainstreet Kansas City location. // Photo by Travis Young Liberty-based movie chain B&B Theatres is taking the space of Alamo Drafthouse in downtown Kansas City. After eight years in Kansas City, Austin-based theater chain Alamo Drafthouse Mainstreet closed after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to pandemic hardship. However, B&B Theatres says despite an unprecedented 2020, they…
Photo by Elaine Casap Summer gardening season is about to be in full swing and Kansas City Community Gardens (KCCG) is kicking off the fun with its annual Tomato Days plant sale. Kansas Citians will be able to select discount-priced seeds, vegetables, and herb plants from April 29 through May 1. The first day of the sale is set aside…
Across the state, Missouri is preparing to celebrate 200 years with a variety of community events. // Image courtesy of the State Historical Society of Missouri On Aug. 10, Missouri will reach 200 years since it became the 24th state to enter the union. As the state’s bicentennial rapidly approaches, many Missourians are gearing up to celebrate. Bicentennial events in…
Photo courtesy Whataburger City and chamber leaders from Overland Park, Independence, and Lee’s Summit held two groundbreaking events with Whataburger Thursday. Three Whataburger restaurants are set to open this fall: 8420 W 135th St., Overland Park, Kansas 66223 1450 Douglas St., Lee’s Summit, Missouri 64086 18811 E US 40 Highway, Independence, Missouri 64055 Mayor Carl Gerlach, City Council President Curt…
This week on the Streetwise podcast we discuss baby bunny season trauma, enjoy a reading of Jim Nimmo’s local medical pot stories, check out Cuee’s track “Ain’t Going Back”, and chat with wunderkind Remy Styrk about his work in filmmaking and composing. Streetwise is hosted by Brock Wilbur, editor in chief of The Pitch. Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify. Subscribe to the Streetwise newsletter, a weekly meditation on Kansas…
Danzell Capers // photo credit Skylar Cowdry Kansas City-based singer-songwriter and producer Danzell Capers’ alternative R&B project, Middlechild, releases its new EP, Rebirth, today. Coming on the heels of the EP’s first single, “My Sun,” the three-track release finds Capers exploring some of the same synthesizer-based jams of his previous project, BROTHER, while exploring more intimate sounds and grooves. It’s…
Sub-Zero puts Jax’s bullets on ice in Mortal Kombat (2021). // Courtesy Warner Brothers Media In 4th grade, Mortal Kombat was the reason I peed my pants. I was at Roy Willaims’ summer boy’s basketball camp at KU. I’d been there for a week and hadn’t showered the entire time. I had access to a shower, I was just set free on…
