This week on the Streetwise podcast we celebrate one year of shouting into the void, check out True Lions’ track “Carrot Cake”, and enjoy a reading of Liz Cook’s most recent piece on the post-COVID return of buffets. 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 City news and events….
The new film from director Chris White, Electric Jesus, tells the story of an ’80s Christian heavy metal band, 316, and their struggles, trials, and travails trying to make it in a world in which Christians fear metal and metalheads aren’t exactly fond of Christians. It’s a heartfelt, really truly honest movie that finds new angles in following a struggling…
This post is sponsored by Kansas City Lifestyle Happy property owners shaking hands with real estate broker after a deal. Young couple handshaking real estate agent after signing contract. Attention current homeowners: Did you relate entirely too much to the recent SNL Zillow skit about lusting over property? Do you find yourself scrolling through listings and fantasizing about having more…
Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, left, listens to an answer from Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden during an after-session news conference Thursday.// Photo by Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent Republican Gov. Mike Parson cut a deal this week with Senate Democrats to break a filibuster over the nomination of former Republican Party Chairman Todd Graves to the University of Missouri Board of Curators….
Mayor Lucas meeting with Qadhafi and others in KCHU.// Courtesy of Mayor Lucas After two months of occupation and protest outside City Hall, Kansas City Homeless Union and Mayor Lucas came to an agreement yesterday. The agreement came after a tense week in the city that began with the threat of sweeps at the City Homeless Union occupation at City…
Painting by Jasmine Ye // Courtesy of Kansas City Art Institute The work of a new generation of artists and designers graduating from the Kansas City Art Institute will be shown to the public for the first time in May. For many of the graduates, the 2021 Annual BFA Exhibition will be their first public exhibition opportunity while representing the…
True Lions // photo courtesy Manor Records Today, True Lions—the Kansas City-based “flosspunk” alt-pop supergroup led by Alison Hawkins—releases their debut full-length, The Fempire Strikes Back, on Manor Records. After two EPs in 2019, this collection of songs sees the band continuing their ability to confront serious subject matter with a light and often silly approach. As True Lions…
The Missouri House chamber.// Photo courtesy of Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications Since 2015, the Department of Social Services has been court-ordered to place at least two children in unlicensed youth residential facilities — including one that is the subject of an investigation by local law enforcement and the Attorney General’s office over allegations of abuse. The foster children placed in those…
At the start of pandemic, there is a better than non-zero chance that you’re the kind of person to have purchased Animal Crossing for the Nintendo Switch. A life-sim set on an island far away where you could hang out with friends in a brightly colored, open-world was exactly the escape we collectively required. As the real world starts to reopen,…
A new program aims to provide paid internships and employment to 10% of Kansas City youth. // Image courtesy of KCMO In collaboration with Hire KC, Entrepreneurship KC, and KC Common Good, Mayor Lucas intends to provide employment opportunities to 500 youth who live east of Troost this summer under a new Working For Youth initiative. Working For Youth will…
Photo courtesy KC Pet Project KC Pet Project recently launched its Home Away from Home crisis fostering program to give owners the time they need so they can keep their pets. The nonprofit was able to launch this program thanks to Maddie’s Fund, a national foundation established by Dave and Cheryl Duffield to improve the well-being of companion animals. Out…
Starting at midnight, Jackson County businesses can operate at full capacity and there will be no limit on social gatherings. // Image courtesy of Jackson County Health Department Effective at midnight tonight, Jackson County will modify the county’s current health order and ease back certain COVID-19 restrictions regarding social gatherings and business operations. The newly effective regulations will be as…
A Missouri task force wants to buy back all the stinky Callery pear trees in St. Louis. // Image courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden So…you know that smell that’s normally present in the air every spring? A Missouri task force plans to do something about that. The Missouri Invasive Plant Task Force is collaborating with Forest ReLeaf of Missouri and…
Police Chief Rick Smith revoked his attendance to a GOP event following concern from Mayor Quinton Lucas about appointed officials attending partisan events. // Image courtesy of KCPD After “careful consideration” and criticism from Mayor Quinton Lucas, Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith will no longer be a guest of honor at the Jackson County Republican Committee’s Reagan-Lincoln Day dinner…
The Plaza during The Great Depression A study put out by LawnStarter ranked Kansas City, Kansas the most stressed out of 191 major cities in the U.S. That’s right, a lawncare startup is now telling us which cities are the most stressed and which are the most relaxed. Why are we reporting on it? Because we are indeed pretty goddamned stressed…
Kansas City Restaurants are Reopening After the most gut-wrenching, challenging year for restaurants in our lifetimes, restaurants and bars are at last being buoyed by the American Rescue Plan and the increasing availability of vaccines. In the past few weeks, many Kansas City restaurants that had been shuttered just for winter or even for months since the pandemic began, have…
Photo courtesy Kansas City Monarchs Baseball Club The Kansas City Monarchs Baseball Club will be welcoming fans at Legends Field as the long-anticipated inaugural season approaches. Unified Government of Wyandotte County, the American Association of Professional Baseball, and state health officials have worked with the Monarchs on safety protocols based on public health recommendations and guidance from the Centers for…
Photo by Tim Bieler The Independence City Council has rejected a proposal from Mayor Eileen Weir to fly a rainbow flag at municipal buildings during pride month in June. The proposal was defeated by a devastating 6-1 vote. Weir, who displays the flag outside her office, says this is at least the second time she has proposed flying the pride flag…
A rendering of Aspiria’s campus.// Courtesy Hoefer Welker After an Overland Park City Council vote April 5, the rezoning request for Aspiria was approved. The company can now move forward to the next phase in its creation of a campus that will combine recreation and living space with corporate space. Aspiria will renovate the old Sprint campus in late 2021….
Illustrated by Katelyn Betz In an effort to keep you all abreast of the latest local music that’s not album or music video related, we present the latest installment of our irregular feature, Single Sentence Singles. We take a listen to the latest local singles to hit Soundcloud, Spotify, Bandcamp, et al, and sum them up in one sentence. Simple…
Photo courtesy Dinosaur Drive-Thru Over 60 animatronic dinosaurs in the Dinosaur Drive-Thru will educate, entertain, and engage kids of all ages. The dinosaurs are uniquely set up in order of when they existed in the parking lot of Worlds of Fun from April 9 through May 2, 2021. An entertaining audio tour, available in both English and Spanish, fills the…
Photo by fotografierende Writers wishing to know more about the modern publishing process are invited to Oasis, an online publishing workshop. The four-hour Zoom workshop will feature four speakers with experience in the writing and publishing realm. Beginning writers will receive the tools to start their publishing journey as well as have any questions answered. “Oasis is a live virtual…
Lockett next to Silicia Rose.// Courtesy Jay Lockett If you’re walking or driving through the downtown Lee’s Summit, you’ll see a towering metal flower built by a local artist. Jay Lockett used channeled his welding and metalworking skills to sculpting. His sculpture, “Silicia Rose,” is composed of uncoated sheets of steel welded with heavy-duty pipe. Metalwork isn’t new to Lockett….
Photo by April Fleming While first and foremost Fairway Creamery is an ice cream and donut shop (one that makes just about the best versions you’ll find in Kansas City of either of those things), it does hold hidden treasures. One of those treasures is its fried chicken sandwich, served only on weekends. This is one of the few items…
